Astronomers, through the AGE-PRO project, have discovered that gas persists longer than dust in protoplanetary disks surrounding young, Sun-like stars. This finding, based on observations of 30 disks, challenges existing models of planet formation and the evolution of planetary atmospheres.
The research, led by Ke Zhang from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, utilized the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to measure gas content across the lifetime of planet-forming disks. The study revealed that the gas-to-dust ratio shifts over time, with gas often outlasting dust.
The study's findings suggest that the extended presence of gas in older disks may significantly influence the final atmospheres of planets. Researchers from the University of Chile and the Center for Astrophysics and Associated Technologies (CATA) also contributed, highlighting the importance of direct gas measurements in understanding giant planet formation.