Abstract Details
| Name: Vinod Chandra Pathak Affiliation: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai Conference ID: ASI2025_98 Title : Characterizing Molecular Winds from Protoplanetary Disks: New Perspectives from JWST Authors and Co-Authors : Vinod Pathak 1, Manoj Puravankara 1, Himanshu Tyagi 1, Bihan Banerjee 1, Shridharan Bhaskaran 1, Sujay Jadav 1 Abstract Type : Poster Abstract Category : Sun, Solar System, Exoplanets, and Astrobiology Abstract : Understanding the physical processes, such as outflows (winds, jets) and the accretion of dust and gas around newly born stars, and their successive evolutionary stages, is essential for advancing our knowledge of star and planet formation. We have investigated the role of molecular disk winds in the evolution and dispersal of protoplanetary disks, in low-mass (M* = 0.5 − 1 M☉) young stars in the nearby star-forming regions with the JWST. Pure-rotational molecular hydrogen lines in the mid-infrared wavelength range (5-28 microns) serve as valuable probes for disk winds. We analyzed publicly available data from 72 protoplanetary disks obtained from various Cycle 1 GO and GTO programs of JWST MIRI MRS to characterize outflows in protoplanetary disks. For the first time, we are detecting extended pure-rotational H₂ lines due to the high spectral resolution and sensitivity of the JWST MIRI MRS instrument. Molecular H₂ emission was detected in 46 out of the 72 disks, with 17 exhibiting extended emission indicative of outflowing material. For the remaining disks, the emission arises from the unresolved inner disk regions. We have carried out a detailed study of the outflow morphologies, and velocity distributions, and have measured dynamical timescales, mass-loss rates, momentum rates, and mechanical luminosities of the molecular winds from these protoplanetary disks. Additionally, we have characterized the physical conditions of the emitting H₂ gas, including its temperature, density, total disk wind mass, and the ortho-para ratio. Our preliminary analysis suggests that the mass-loss rates and momentum rates for these molecular disk winds are to those observed for protostars in the earliest evolutionary phases. The unprecedented sensitivity and spectral resolution of JWST MIRI MRS reveal detailed kinematics and dynamics of disk winds, uncovering new aspects of disk evolution and planet-formation by detecting extended H₂ emission in 17 disks. |