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| Paper: |
Debris Disks and their Properties with the Habitable Worlds Observatory |
| Monograph: |
10, HWO25 Proceedings Part I: Community Science Case Development Documents |
| Page: |
477 |
| Authors: |
Isabel Rebollido; Yasuhiro Hasegawa; Meredith MacGregor; Bin Ren; Mark Booth; Jonathan Marshall; Courtney Dressing; Patricia Luppe |
| DOI: |
10.26624/RDQL4907 |
| Abstract: |
The study of the last stages of planet formation, also known as debris disks, is fundamental to place
constraints on the formation of planetary sized bodies. Debris disks are composed of dust and occasionally
small amounts of gas, both released through dynamical interactions of small rocky bodies and dust particles,
such as collisions and evaporation. The distribution of the dust can reveal the presence of forming planets and
its composition can directly trace that of comets, asteroids and even planets. While we have been observing
debris disks for 40 years now, most observations so far have been restricted to the cold outer regions of the
system, and therefore information of the terrestrial zone is still missing. The improved spatial resolution,
inner working angle and sensitivity that the Habitable Worlds Observatory will provide will enable a much
closer look into the structure and composition of debris disks (particularly of its inner region) and enable the
search for the forming rocky planets within the disk. |
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