Star formation : protoplanetary disk evolution

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the evolution of protoplanetary disks around young stellar objects using a combination of observations and simulations. Understanding protoplanetary disk evolution impacts theories of planet formation and how the solar system might have formed. The physical processes in protoplanetary disks are likely to occur in many astrophysical accretion disks, hence studying protoplanetary disk evolution can influence accretion disk theory in general.