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The Evolution of Gas in Protoplanetary Systems: The Herschel GASPS Open Time Key ProgrammeThe Gas in Protoplanetary Systems (GASPS) Open Time Key Programme for the Herschel Space Observatory will be the first extensive, systematic survey of gas in circumstellar disks over the critical transition from gas-rich protoplanetary through to gas-poor debris. The brightest spectral lines from disks lie in the far-infrared and arise from radii spanning roughly 10 to 100 AU, where giant planets are expected to form. Herschel is uniquely able to observe this wavelength regime with the sensitivity to allow a large scale survey. We will execute a 2-phase study using the PACS instrument. Phase I is a spectroscopic survey about 250 young stars for fine structure emission lines of [CII] (at 157 microns) and [OI] (at 63 microns). In Phase II, the brightest sources will be followed up with additional PACS spectroscopy ([OI] at 145 microns and some rotational lines of water). We expect that the gas mass sensitivity will be more than an order of magnitude lower than that achieved by ISO and Spitzer or expected for SOFIA. We will also measure the dust continuum to an equivalent mass sensitivity. We will observe several nearby clusters with ages from 1 to 30 Myr, encompassing a wide range of disk masses and stellar luminosities. The sample covers disk evolution from protoplanetary disks through to young debris disks, i.e. the main epoch of planet formation. With this extensive dataset, the GASPS project will: 1) trace gas and dust in the planet formation region across a large multivariate parameter space, 2) provide the first definitive measurement of the gas dissipation timescale in disks, 3) elucidate the evolutionary link between protoplanetary and debris disks, 4) investigate water abundances in the planetforming regions of disks, and 5) provide a huge database of disk observations and models with long-lasting legacy value for follow-up studies.
Document ID
20100002951
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Roberge, A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Dent, W.
(Astronomy Technology Centre United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 3, 2010
Subject Category
Astronomy
Meeting Information
Meeting: 215th American Astronomical Society Conference
Location: Washington, DC
Country: United States
Start Date: January 3, 2010
End Date: January 7, 2010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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