Protoplanetary Disks and Planet Formation

Abstract

With more than 300 exoplanets discovered, the understanding of their formation has become central. But this formation is tightly linked to their environment, the protoplanetary disk which, itself, is a byproduct of stellar formation. I will thus quickly present the stellar formation scenarii (observational constraints, turbulence versus ambipolar diffusion). Then, I will come to our knowledge of disks (observations, models of irradiated disks, passive/active, flat/flared). I will describe the evolution of solids which are the building blocks for protoplanetary cores (radial migration, vertical settling and growth). I will then show synthetic images that can be produced with a self consistent treatment of dust in order to prepare for the ALMA observations. I will mention the Heidelberg scenario for rapid planetesimals formation. I will then sum up the state of our knowledge on planet migration which is an essential process to form giant planets before the disk has disappeared in the frame of the core accretion scenario. This will lead me to the actual models for core accretion and the central role of the disk on those and I'll finally quickly mention the other giant planet formation scenario: the gravitational instability.