Spatially resolved structures in protoplanetary disks hint at unseen planets. Previous imaging observations of the transitional disk around MWC 758 revealed an inner cavity, a ring-like outer disk, emission clumps, and spiral arms, all possibly generated by companions. We present ALMA dust continuum observations of MWC 758 at 0.87 millimeter (mm) wavelength with 43×39 mas angular resolution (6.9×6.2 AU) and 20 µJy beam −1 rms. The central sub-mm emission

Context. In recent years, the disk populations in a number of young star-forming regions have been surveyed with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Understanding the disk properties and their correlation with the properties of the central star is critical to understand planet formation. In particular, a decrease of the average measured disk dust mass with the age of the region has been observed, consistent with grain growth and disk dissipation. Aims. We want to compare the general properties of disks and their host stars in the nearby (d = 160 pc) Corona Australis (CrA) star forming region to those of the disks and stars in other regions. Methods. We conducted high-sensitivity continuum ALMA observations of 43 Class II young stellar objects in CrA at 1.3 mm (230 GHz). The typical spatial resolution is ∼ 0.3 . The continuum fluxes are used to estimate the dust masses of the disks, and a survival analysis is performed to estimate the average dust mass. We also obtained new VLT/X-Shooter spectra for 12 of the objects in our sample for which spectral type information was missing.Results. 24 disks are detected, and stringent limits have been put on the average dust mass of the non-detections. Taking into account the upper limits, the average disk mass in CrA is 6 ± 3 M ⊕ . This value is significantly lower than that of disks in other young (1-3 Myr) star forming regions (Lupus, Taurus, Chamaeleon I, and Ophiuchus) and appears to be consistent with the average disk mass of the 5-10 Myr old Upper Sco. The position of the stars in our sample on the Herzsprung-Russel diagram, however, seems to confirm that that CrA has age similar to Lupus. Neither external photoevaporation nor a lower than usual stellar mass distribution can explain the low disk masses. On the other hand, a low-mass disk population could be explained if the disks are small, which could happen if the parent cloud has a low temperature or intrinsic angular momentum, or if the the angular momentum of the cloud is removed by some physical mechanism such as magnetic braking. Even in detected disks, none show clear substructures or cavities. Conclusions. Our results suggest that in order to fully explain and understand the dust mass distribution of protoplanetary disks and their evolution, it may also be necessary to take into consideration the initial conditions of star and disk formation process. These conditions at the very beginning may potentially vary from region to region, and could play a crucial role in planet formation and evolution.

The structure of planetary systems around their host stars depends on their initial formation conditions. Massive planets will likely be formed as a consequence of rapid migration of planetesimals and low‐mass cores into specific trapping sites in protoplanetary discs. We present analytical modelling of inhomogeneities in protoplanetary discs around a variety of young stars – from Herbig Ae/Be to classical T Tauri and down to M stars – and show how they give rise to planet traps. The positions of these traps define the initial orbital distribution of multiple protoplanets. We investigate both corotation and Lindblad torques, and show that a new trap arises from the (entropy‐related) corotation torque. This arises at that disc radius where disc heating changes from viscous to stellar irradiation dominated processes. We demonstrate that up to three traps (heat transitions, ice lines and dead zones) can exist in a single disc, and that they move differently as the disc accretion rate decreases with time. The interaction between the giant planets which grow in such traps may be a crucial ingredient for establishing planetary systems. We also demonstrate that the position of planet traps strongly depends on stellar masses and disc accretion rates. This indicates that host stars establish preferred scales of their planetary systems. We discuss the potential of planet traps induced by ice lines of various molecules such as water and CO, and estimate the maximum and minimum mass of planets which undergo type I migration. We finally apply our analyses to accounting for the initial conditions proposed in the Nice model for the origin of our Solar system.

The rapid growth in the number of known exoplanets has revealed the existence of several distinct planetary populations in the observed mass-period diagram. Two of the most surprising are, (1) the concentration of gas giants around 1AU and (2) the accumulation of a large number of low-mass planets with tight orbits, also known as super-Earths and hot Neptunes. We have recently shown that protoplanetary disks have multiple planet traps that are characterized by orbital radii in the disks and halt rapid type I planetary migration. By coupling planet traps with the standard core accretion scenario, we showed that one can account for the positions of planets in the mass-period diagram. In this paper, we demonstrate quantitatively that most gas giants formed at planet traps tend to end up around 1 AU with most of these being contributed by dead zones and ice lines. In addition, we show that a large fraction of super-Earths and hot Neptunes are formed as "failed" cores of gas giants -this population being constituted by comparable contributions from dead zone and heat transition traps. Our results are based on the evolution of forming planets in an ensemble of disks where we vary only the lifetimes of disks as well as their mass accretion rates onto the host star. We show that a statistical treatment of the evolution of a large population of planetary cores initially caught in planet traps accounts for the existence of three distinct exoplantary populations -the hot Jupiters, the more massive planets at roughly orbital radii around 1 AU orbital, and the short period SuperEarths and hot Neptunes. There are very few evolutionary tracks that feed into the large orbital radii characteristic of the imaged Jovian planet and this is in accord with the result of recent surveys that find a paucity of Jovian planets beyond 10 AU. Finally, we find that low-mass planets in tight orbits become the dominant planetary population for low mass stars (M * ≤ 0.7M ⊙ ), in agreement with the previous studies which show that the formation of gas giants is preferred for massive stars.

Context. The increasing number of newly detected exoplanets at short orbital periods raises questions about their formation and migration histories. Planet formation and migration depend heavily on the structure and dynamics of protoplanetary disks. A particular puzzle that requires explanation arises from one of the key results of the Kepler mission, namely the increase in the planetary occurrence rate with orbital period up to 10 days for F, G, K and M stars. Aims. We investigate the conditions for planet formation and migration near the dust sublimation front in protostellar disks around young Sun-like stars. We are especially interested in determining the positions where the drift of pebbles would be stopped, and where the migration of Earth-like planets and super-Earths would be halted. Methods. For this analysis we use iterative 2D radiation hydrostatic disk models which include irradiation by the star, and dust sublimation and deposition depending on the local temperature and vapor pressure. Results. Our results show the temperature and density structure of a gas and dust disk around a young Sun-like star. We perform a parameter study by varying the magnetized turbulence onset temperature, the accretion stress, the dust mass fraction, and the mass accretion rate. Our models feature a gas-only inner disk, a silicate sublimation front and dust rim starting at around 0.08 au, an ionization transition zone with a corresponding density jump, and a pressure maximum which acts as a pebble trap at around 0.12 au. Migration torque maps show Earth-and super-Earth-mass planets halt in our model disks at orbital periods ranging from 10 to 22 days. Conclusions. Such periods are in good agreement with both the inferred location of the innermost planets in multiplanetary systems, and the break in planet occurrence rates from the Kepler sample at 10 days. In particular, models with small grains depleted produce a trap located at a 10-day orbital period, while models with a higher abundance of small grains present a trap at around a 17-day orbital period. The snow line lies at 1.6 au, near where the occurrence rate of the giant planets peaks. We conclude that the dust sublimation zone is crucial for forming close-in planets, especially when considering tightly packed super-Earth systems.