Young stellar binaries: The structure of circumbinary accretion disks

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Sebastian Wolf
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2012 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 210359296

The majority of solar-type stars is born in multiple, preferentially binary systems. The binary nature of young stars is expected to influence the formation of planets in the circumstellar and/or circumbinary disks. So far, about 40 planetary systems in stellar binaries have been found, but no truly circumbinary planet orbiting the central binary.The goal of this project is to investigate the conditions for planet formation in circumbinary accretion disks. Our approach is to perform a systematic analysis of the impact of the stellar binary on the structure of its surrounding circumbinary disk. Based on hydrodynamics simulations and subsequent radiative transfer simulations we will derive the density, velocity, and temperature structure in the circumbinary disk. Moreover, observational quantities will be derived to allow one (a) the verification of our predictions through dedicated observations and (b) the modeling of specific observational data of potential circumbinary disks.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Wolfgang J. Duschl