Second-Generation Protoplanetary Disks Around Evolved Binary Stars - What Do They Look Like?

Explore a 39-minute astronomy lecture that delves into the fascinating discovery of circumbinary disks around evolved binary stars, particularly in post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (post-AGB) systems. Learn how these second-generation protoplanetary disks share remarkable similarities with their younger counterparts in terms of Keplerian rotation, infrared excesses, dust mass, and mineralogy, despite their different formation histories and shorter lifespans. Examine cutting-edge observational data from advanced instruments like PIONIER, GRAVITY, MATISSE, and SPHERE at the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT), revealing detailed structures of inner regions and extended surface layers of these disks. Discover how these findings contribute to our understanding of disk-binary interactions and the potential formation of second-generation planets around evolved binary star systems, as presented by Kateryna Andrych from Macquarie University, Australia.