Inside the Cradle: Structure, Dynamics, and Chemistry of Inner Protoplanetary Disks

This conference talk explores the structure, dynamics, and chemistry of inner protoplanetary disks, presented by Jaehan Bae from Florida as part of the "Planets on the Edge" conference held at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) at UC Santa Barbara. Delve into the fascinating world of planet formation, focusing specifically on the inner regions of protoplanetary disks where thousands of short-period exoplanets discovered by Kepler and TESS missions originate. Learn about Earth-sized rocky planets that have no direct counterparts in our Solar System and the challenges in studying the disk environments that form them. The presentation addresses key questions about the nature of close-in rocky planets and their atmospheres, whether they form in place or migrate inward, parameters that vary between star systems, and why similar planets don't exist in our Solar System. This 45-minute talk is part of a broader conference that brings together experts in exoplanet demographics, protoplanetary disks, planet formation models, and meteoritics to synthesize current knowledge and advance understanding in this field.