Looking for New Planet-Forming Frontiers - Circumbinary Disks Around Evolved Binary Stars

Watch an astronomy lecture exploring groundbreaking research on circumbinary disks surrounding evolved binary stars, particularly post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (post-AGB) binary systems. Delve into recent observational discoveries showing how these late-stage stellar disks share surprising similarities with protoplanetary disks around young stars, including Keplerian rotation, infrared signatures, dust composition, and chemical properties. Learn about cutting-edge observations using advanced instruments like PIONIER, GRAVITY, MATISSE, and SPHERE at the VLT, revealing detailed structures of inner disk regions and surface layers. Examine findings from a pioneering high-resolution polarimetric imaging survey of post-AGB binary disks, understanding their significance for studying disk-binary interactions and potential second-generation planet formation around evolved star systems. Gain insights into these unique astronomical environments that bridge the gap between young and evolved stellar systems, operating on remarkably different timescales of 10^5 years versus millions of years.