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了非常年轻的拱星盘最内层区域（0.5-50 Au）的化学和物理。该项目使用地面（NIRSPEC、VLT-CRIRES、Gemini-MICHELLE）光谱学和吸积盘光谱天体测量学。分子CO、HCN、C2 H2、H2O、OH和其他分子的振转谱线发射被用来约束原行星盘内部区域的物理和化学结构和演化。这些观测解释与2D（轴对称）和3D辐射传输模型。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IR跃迁相关的非局部热力学平衡能级种群。进一步的研究计划使用远红外线和亚毫米线从赫歇尔和潜在的阿尔马外磁盘。该项目为一名博士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.