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Dominique Segura-Cox
University of Rochester

Abstract

_{Evidence that planet formation begins when protostars are less than 1 million years old continues to build. During this early phase of star formation, protostars and their disks are still embedded in (and feeding from) their natal environments at a time when the first steps of planet formation occur. In particular, streamers---long and narrow infalling channels that funnel material to disks from their environments---have been predicted theoretically in simulations and serendipitously observed in a variety of tracers.  In this talk I will outline the various ways streamers can influence the star and planet formation process and describe how asymmetric infall from the larger-scale environment influences disk structure, temperature, and chemistry.  These disk properties are directly connected to when planets form, where, and with what composition. Despite the growing evidence that the larger scale environments have an influence on the youngest planet-forming disks, my PRODIGE survey, carried out with the NOEMA interferometer, is the first and only large observing program specifically designed with streamers in mind.}

_{Timbits, coffee, tea will be served in STI A before the colloquium.}