The ALMA-FAUST revolution: Hunting large-grains factories in protostellar outflow cavities
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Planet formation models still face a crucial challenge: millimeter-sized dust grains in protoplanetary discs migrate rapidly inwards, hindering their growth into planetesimals – the building blocks of planets. However, recent high-resolution ALMA observations, taken as part of the FAUST Large Programme, suggest an alternative scenario. We have discovered dust-rich cavity walls associated with the protostellar objects IRS7B and L1551, located in the Corona Australis (CrA) and in the Taurus star-forming regions, respectively. The sub-mm spectral index (α) derived from Band 3 and Band 6 observations indicates possible grain growth in the outflow cavities. In this talk I will present new results from other young protostellar systems observed in ALMA-FAUST. I will discuss the implications of dust growth in outflow cavities and how this mechanism could overcome the radial drift barrier and potentially revolutionize our understanding of planet formation. I will also look at the impact of these dusty structures on the chemical evolution of protoplanetary systems.
Author: Giovanni, Sabatini
Institution: National Institute for Astrophysics
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7087559866
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