Gas in the Planet-Forming Region of Circumstellar Disks: Exploiting the Mid-IR Molecular Forest

布莱克博士和他的团队研究非常年轻的星周盘最内层区域（0.5-50天文单位）的化学和物理。该项目使用地面（Keck-NIRSPEC, VLT-CRIRES, Gemini-MICHELLE）光谱和吸积盘的光谱天体测量。CO、HCN、C2H2、H2O、OH等分子的旋转振动谱线辐射被用来约束原行星盘内部区域的物理化学结构和演化。这些观测结果是用二维（轴对称）和三维辐射传输模型解释的。为了获得准确的分子丰度，该小组将扩展他们的辐射传递代码，以生成与红外跃迁相关的非局部热力学平衡水平种群。计划利用来自赫歇尔和潜在的ALMA的远红外和亚毫米线对外盘进行进一步的研究。该项目为博士研究生和博士后提供培训。

Dr. Blake and his team study the chemistry and physics of the innermost regions (0.5-50 AU) of very young circumstellar disks. The project uses of ground-based (Keck-NIRSPEC, VLT-CRIRES, Gemini-MICHELLE) spectroscopy and spectro-astrometry of accretion disks. The rovibrational line emissions of the molecules CO, HCN, C2H2, H2O, OH, and other molecules are used to constrain the physical and chemical structure and evolution of the protoplanetary disks' inner regions. These observations are interpreted with 2D (axisymetric) and 3D radiative transfer models. In order to derive accurate molecular abundances, the group will extend their radiative transfer codes to generate non-local thermodynamic equilibrium level populations relevant for IR transitions. Further studies are planned for the outer disks using far IR and submm lines from Herschel and potentially ALMA. The project provides training for a PhD student and postdoc.