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Johan Olofsson

Bio: Johan Olofsson is an academic researcher from Umeå University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Tundra & Ecosystem. The author has an hindex of 50, co-authored 198 publications receiving 10505 citations. Previous affiliations of Johan Olofsson include Max Planck Society & University of Valparaíso.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is substantial scope for exploring indirect facilitative effects in plant communities, including their impacts on diversity and evolution, and future studies should connect the degree of non-transitivity in plant competitive networks to community diversity and facilitative promotion of species coexistence.
Abstract: Summary 1 Once neglected, the role of facilitative interactions in plant communities has received considerable attention in the last two decades, and is now widely recognized It is timely to consider the progress made by research in this field 2 We review the development of plant facilitation research, focusing on the history of the field, the relationship between plant‐plant interactions and environmental severity gradients, and attempts to integrate facilitation into mainstream ecological theory We then consider future directions for facilitation research 3 With respect to our fundamental understanding of plant facilitation, clarification of the relationship between interactions and environmental gradients is central for further progress, and necessitates the design and implementation of experiments that move beyond the clear limitations of previous studies 4 There is substantial scope for exploring indirect facilitative effects in plant communities, including their impacts on diversity and evolution, and future studies should connect the degree of non-transitivity in plant competitive networks to community diversity and facilitative promotion of species coexistence, and explore how the role of indirect facilitation varies with environmental severity 5 Certain ecological modelling approaches (eg individual-based modelling), although thus far largely neglected, provide highly useful tools for exploring these fundamental processes 6 Evolutionary responses might result from facilitative interactions, and consideration of facilitation might lead to re-assessment of the evolution of plant growth forms

1,496 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Miriam Keppler1, Myriam Benisty2, Myriam Benisty3, André Müller1, Th. Henning1, R. van Boekel1, Faustine Cantalloube1, Christian Ginski4, Christian Ginski5, R. G. van Holstein5, Anne-Lise Maire1, Adriana Pohl1, Matthias Samland1, Henning Avenhaus1, Jean-Loup Baudino6, Anthony Boccaletti7, J. de Boer5, M. Bonnefoy3, Gael Chauvin3, Gael Chauvin2, Silvano Desidera8, Maud Langlois9, Maud Langlois10, C. Lazzoni8, G.-D. Marleau1, G.-D. Marleau11, Christoph Mordasini12, N. Pawellek13, N. Pawellek1, Tomas Stolker14, Arthur Vigan10, Alice Zurlo10, Alice Zurlo15, Tilman Birnstiel16, Wolfgang Brandner1, M. Feldt1, Mario Flock1, Mario Flock17, Mario Flock18, Julien Girard3, Julien Girard4, Raffaele Gratton8, Janis Hagelberg3, Andrea Isella19, Markus Janson20, Markus Janson1, Attila Juhasz21, J. Kemmer1, Quentin Kral21, Quentin Kral7, Anne-Marie Lagrange3, Ralf Launhardt1, Alexis Matter22, Francois Menard3, Julien Milli4, P. Mollière5, Johan Olofsson23, Johan Olofsson1, Laura M. Pérez2, Paola Pinilla24, Christophe Pinte2, Christophe Pinte25, Christophe Pinte3, Sascha P. Quanz14, T. Schmidt7, Stéphane Udry26, Zahed Wahhaj4, Jonathan Williams27, Esther Buenzli14, M. Cudel3, Carsten Dominik, Raphaël Galicher7, M. Kasper4, J. Lannier3, Dino Mesa28, Dino Mesa8, David Mouillet3, S. Peretti26, C. Perrot7, Graeme Salter10, E. Sissa8, Francois Wildi27, L. Abe22, Jacopo Antichi8, Jean-Charles Augereau3, Andrea Baruffolo8, Pierre Baudoz7, Andreas Bazzon14, Jean-Luc Beuzit3, P. Blanchard10, S. S. Brems29, Tristan Buey7, V. De Caprio8, Marcel Carbillet22, M. Carle10, Enrico Cascone8, A. Cheetham27, Riccardo Claudi8, Anne Costille10, A. Delboulbe3, Kjetil Dohlen10, Daniela Fantinel8, Philippe Feautrier3, Thierry Fusco10, Enrico Giro8, L. Gluck3, Cecile Gry10, Norbert Hubin4, Emmanuel Hugot10, M. Jaquet10, D. Le Mignant10, M. Llored10, F. Madec10, Yves Magnard3, Patrice Martinez22, D. Maurel3, Michael Meyer14, Michael Meyer30, O. Möller-Nilsson1, Thibaut Moulin3, Laurent M. Mugnier, Alain Origne10, A. Pavlov1, D. Perret7, Cyril Petit, J. Pragt, Pascal Puget3, P. Rabou3, Joany Andreina Manjarres Ramos1, F. Rigal, S. Rochat3, Ronald Roelfsema, Gérard Rousset7, A. Roux3, Bernardo Salasnich8, Jean-François Sauvage10, Arnaud Sevin7, Christian Soenke4, Eric Stadler3, M. Suarez8, Massimo Turatto8, L. Weber26 
TL;DR: In this article, the authors detect a point source within the gap of the transition disk at about 195 mas (~22 au) projected separation and detect a signal from an inner disk component.
Abstract: Context. Young circumstellar disks are the birthplaces of planets. Their study is of prime interest to understand the physical and chemical conditions under which planet formation takes place. Only very few detections of planet candidates within these disks exist, and most of them are currently suspected to be disk features.Aims. In this context, the transition disk around the young star PDS 70 is of particular interest, due to its large gap identified in previous observations, indicative of ongoing planet formation. We aim to search for the presence of an embedded young planet and search for disk structures that may be the result of disk–planet interactions and other evolutionary processes.Methods. We analyse new and archival near-infrared images of the transition disk PDS 70 obtained with the VLT/SPHERE, VLT/NaCo, and Gemini/NICI instruments in polarimetric differential imaging and angular differential imaging modes.Results. We detect a point source within the gap of the disk at about 195 mas (~22 au) projected separation. The detection is confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments. The astrometry results in an object of bound nature, with high significance. The comparison of the measured magnitudes and colours to evolutionary tracks suggests that the detection is a companion of planetary mass. The luminosity of the detected object is consistent with that of an L-type dwarf, but its IR colours are redder, possibly indicating the presence of warm surrounding material. Further, we confirm the detection of a large gap of ~54 au in size within the disk in our scattered light images, and detect a signal from an inner disk component. We find that its spatial extent is very likely smaller than ~17 au in radius, and its position angle is consistent with that of the outer disk. The images of the outer disk show evidence of a complex azimuthal brightness distribution which is different at different wavelengths and may in part be explained by Rayleigh scattering from very small grains.Conclusions. The detection of a young protoplanet within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70 opens the door to a so far observationally unexplored parameter space of planetary formation and evolution. Future observations of this system at different wavelengths and continuing astrometry will allow us to test theoretical predictions regarding planet–disk interactions, planetary atmospheres, and evolutionary models.

497 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Miriam Keppler, Myriam Benisty, André Müller, Th. Henning, R. van Boekel, Faustine Cantalloube, Christian Ginski, R. G. van Holstein, Anne-Lise Maire, A. Pohl, M. Samland, Henning Avenhaus, Jean-Loup Baudino, Anthony Boccaletti, J. de Boer, M. Bonnefoy, Gael Chauvin, Silvano Desidera, Maud Langlois, C. Lazzoni, G.-D. Marleau, Christoph Mordasini, N. Pawellek, Tomas Stolker, Arthur Vigan, Alice Zurlo, Tilman Birnstiel, Wolfgang Brandner, M. Feldt, Mario Flock, Julien Girard, Raffaele Gratton, Janis Hagelberg, Andrea Isella, Markus Janson, Attila Juhasz, J. Kemmer, Quentin Kral, Anne-Marie Lagrange, Ralf Launhardt, Alexis Matter, Francois Menard, Julien Milli, Paul Mollière, Johan Olofsson, Laura M. Pérez, P. Pinilla, Christophe Pinte, Sascha P. Quanz, T. O. B. Schmidt, Stéphane Udry, Zahed Wahhaj, Jonathan Williams, Esther Buenzli, M. Cudel, Carsten Dominik, Raphaël Galicher, M. Kasper, J. Lannier, Dino Mesa, David Mouillet, S. Peretti, C. Perrot, G. Salter, E. Sissa, Francois Wildi, L. Abe, J. Antichi, Jean-Charles Augereau, Andrea Baruffolo, Pierre Baudoz, Andreas Bazzon, Jean-Luc Beuzit, P. Blanchard, S. S. Brems, Tristan Buey, V. De Caprio, Marcel Carbillet, M. Carle, Enrico Cascone, Anthony Cheetham, Riccardo Claudi, Anne Costille, A. Delboulbe, Kjetil Dohlen, D. Fantinel, Philippe Feautrier, Thierry Fusco, Enrico Giro, D. Gisler, L. Gluck, Cecile Gry, N. Hubin, Emmanuel Hugot, M. Jaquet, D. Le Mignant, M. Llored, F. Madec, Yves Magnard, P. Martinez, D. Maurel, Michael Meyer, O. Moeller-Nilsson, Thibaut Moulin, Laurent M. Mugnier, Alain Origne, A. Pavlov, D. Perret, Cyril Petit, J. Pragt, Pascal Puget, Patrick Rabou, Juan-Luis Ramos, F. Rigal, Sylvain Rochat, Ronald Roelfsema, G. Rousset, A. Roux, Bernardo Salasnich, Jean-François Sauvage, Arnaud Sevin, Christian Soenke, Eric Stadler, Marcos Suarez, Massimo Turatto, L. Weber 
TL;DR: In this paper, a point source was detected within the gap of the transition disk at about 195 mas (about 22 au) projected separation, and the detection was confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments.
Abstract: Young circumstellar disks are of prime interest to understand the physical and chemical conditions under which planet formation takes place. Only very few detections of planet candidates within these disks exist, and most of them are currently suspected to be disk features. In this context, the transition disk around the young star PDS 70 is of particular interest, due to its large gap identified in previous observations, indicative of ongoing planet formation. We aim to search for the presence of planets and search for disk structures indicative for disk-planet interactions and other evolutionary processes. We analyse new and archival near-infrared (NIR) images of the transition disk PDS 70 obtained with the VLT/SPHERE, VLT/NaCo and Gemini/NICI instruments in polarimetric differential imaging (PDI) and angular differential imaging (ADI) modes. We detect a point source within the gap of the disk at about 195 mas (about 22 au) projected separation. The detection is confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments. The astrometry results in an object of bound nature, with high significance. The comparison of the measured magnitudes and colours to evolutionary tracks suggests that the detection is a companion of planetary mass. We confirm the detection of a large gap of about 54 au in size within the disk in our scattered light images, and detect a signal from an inner disk component. We find that its spatial extent is very likely smaller than about 17 au in radius. The images of the outer disk show evidence of a complex azimuthal brightness distribution which may in part be explained by Rayleigh scattering from very small grains. Future observations of this system at different wavelengths and continuing astrometry will allow us to test theoretical predictions regarding planet-disk interactions, planetary atmospheres and evolutionary models.

457 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Anne D. Bjorkman1, Anne D. Bjorkman2, Isla H. Myers-Smith2, Sarah C. Elmendorf3, Sarah C. Elmendorf4, Sarah C. Elmendorf5, Signe Normand1, Nadja Rüger6, Pieter S. A. Beck, Anne Blach-Overgaard1, Daan Blok7, J. Hans C. Cornelissen8, Bruce C. Forbes9, Damien Georges2, Scott J. Goetz10, Kevin C. Guay11, Gregory H. R. Henry12, Janneke HilleRisLambers13, Robert D. Hollister14, Dirk Nikolaus Karger15, Jens Kattge16, Peter Manning, Janet S. Prevéy, Christian Rixen, Gabriela Schaepman-Strub17, Haydn J.D. Thomas2, Mark Vellend18, Martin Wilmking19, Sonja Wipf, Michele Carbognani20, Luise Hermanutz21, Esther Lévesque22, Ulf Molau23, Alessandro Petraglia20, Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia24, Marko J. Spasojevic25, Marcello Tomaselli20, Tage Vowles23, Juha M. Alatalo26, Heather D. Alexander27, Alba Anadon-Rosell19, Alba Anadon-Rosell28, Sandra Angers-Blondin2, Mariska te Beest29, Mariska te Beest30, Logan T. Berner10, Robert G. Björk23, Agata Buchwal31, Agata Buchwal32, Allan Buras33, Katherine S. Christie34, Elisabeth J. Cooper35, Stefan Dullinger36, Bo Elberling37, Anu Eskelinen38, Anu Eskelinen39, Esther R. Frei15, Esther R. Frei12, Oriol Grau40, Paul Grogan41, Martin Hallinger, Karen A. Harper42, Monique M. P. D. Heijmans33, James I. Hudson, Karl Hülber36, Maitane Iturrate-Garcia17, Colleen M. Iversen43, Francesca Jaroszynska44, Jill F. Johnstone45, Rasmus Halfdan Jørgensen37, Elina Kaarlejärvi46, Elina Kaarlejärvi29, Rebecca A Klady12, Sara Kuleza45, Aino Kulonen, Laurent J. Lamarque22, Trevor C. Lantz47, Chelsea J. Little17, Chelsea J. Little48, James D. M. Speed49, Anders Michelsen37, Ann Milbau50, Jacob Nabe-Nielsen1, Sigrid Schøler Nielsen1, Josep M. Ninot28, Steven F. Oberbauer51, Johan Olofsson29, Vladimir G. Onipchenko52, Sabine B. Rumpf36, Philipp R. Semenchuk35, Philipp R. Semenchuk36, Rohan Shetti19, Laura Siegwart Collier21, Lorna E. Street2, Katharine N. Suding3, Ken D. Tape53, Andrew J. Trant21, Andrew J. Trant54, Urs A. Treier1, Jean-Pierre Tremblay55, Maxime Tremblay22, Susanna Venn56, Stef Weijers57, Tara Zamin41, Noémie Boulanger-Lapointe12, William A. Gould58, David S. Hik59, Annika Hofgaard, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir60, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir61, Janet C. Jorgenson62, Julia A. Klein63, Borgthor Magnusson, Craig E. Tweedie64, Philip A. Wookey65, Michael Bahn66, Benjamin Blonder67, Benjamin Blonder68, Peter M. van Bodegom24, Benjamin Bond-Lamberty69, Giandiego Campetella70, Bruno Enrico Leone Cerabolini71, F. Stuart Chapin53, William K. Cornwell72, Joseph M. Craine, Matteo Dainese, Franciska T. de Vries73, Sandra Díaz74, Brian J. Enquist75, Brian J. Enquist76, Walton A. Green77, Rubén Milla78, Ülo Niinemets79, Yusuke Onoda80, Jenny C. Ordoñez81, Wim A. Ozinga33, Wim A. Ozinga82, Josep Peñuelas40, Hendrik Poorter83, Hendrik Poorter84, Peter Poschlod85, Peter B. Reich86, Peter B. Reich87, Brody Sandel88, Brandon S. Schamp89, Serge N. Sheremetev90, Evan Weiher91 
Aarhus University1, University of Edinburgh2, University of Colorado Boulder3, National Ecological Observatory Network4, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research5, Smithsonian Institution6, Lund University7, VU University Amsterdam8, University of Lapland9, Northern Arizona University10, Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences11, University of British Columbia12, University of Washington13, Grand Valley State University14, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research15, Max Planck Society16, University of Zurich17, Université de Sherbrooke18, University of Greifswald19, University of Parma20, Memorial University of Newfoundland21, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières22, University of Gothenburg23, Leiden University24, University of California, Riverside25, Qatar University26, Mississippi State University27, University of Barcelona28, Umeå University29, Utrecht University30, University of Alaska Anchorage31, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań32, Wageningen University and Research Centre33, Alaska Department of Fish and Game34, University of Tromsø35, University of Vienna36, University of Copenhagen37, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ38, University of Oulu39, Spanish National Research Council40, Queen's University41, Saint Mary's University42, Oak Ridge National Laboratory43, University of Aberdeen44, University of Saskatchewan45, Vrije Universiteit Brussel46, University of Victoria47, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology48, Norwegian University of Science and Technology49, Research Institute for Nature and Forest50, Florida International University51, Moscow State University52, University of Alaska Fairbanks53, University of Waterloo54, Laval University55, Deakin University56, University of Bonn57, United States Forest Service58, Simon Fraser University59, University Centre in Svalbard60, University of Iceland61, United States Fish and Wildlife Service62, Colorado State University63, University of Texas at El Paso64, University of Stirling65, University of Innsbruck66, University of Oxford67, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory68, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory69, University of Camerino70, University of Insubria71, University of New South Wales72, University of Manchester73, National University of Cordoba74, Santa Fe Institute75, University of Arizona76, Harvard University77, King Juan Carlos University78, Estonian University of Life Sciences79, Kyoto University80, World Agroforestry Centre81, Radboud University Nijmegen82, Macquarie University83, Forschungszentrum Jülich84, University of Regensburg85, University of Sydney86, University of Minnesota87, Santa Clara University88, Algoma University89, Komarov Botanical Institute90, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire91
04 Oct 2018-Nature
TL;DR: Biome-wide relationships between temperature, moisture and seven key plant functional traits across the tundra and over time show that community height increased with warming across all sites, whereas other traits lagged behind predicted rates of change.
Abstract: The tundra is warming more rapidly than any other biome on Earth, and the potential ramifications are far-reaching because of global feedback effects between vegetation and climate. A better understanding of how environmental factors shape plant structure and function is crucial for predicting the consequences of environmental change for ecosystem functioning. Here we explore the biome-wide relationships between temperature, moisture and seven key plant functional traits both across space and over three decades of warming at 117 tundra locations. Spatial temperature-trait relationships were generally strong but soil moisture had a marked influence on the strength and direction of these relationships, highlighting the potentially important influence of changes in water availability on future trait shifts in tundra plant communities. Community height increased with warming across all sites over the past three decades, but other traits lagged far behind predicted rates of change. Our findings highlight the challenge of using space-for-time substitution to predict the functional consequences of future warming and suggest that functions that are tied closely to plant height will experience the most rapid change. They also reveal the strength with which environmental factors shape biotic communities at the coldest extremes of the planet and will help to improve projections of functional changes in tundra ecosystems with climate warming.

425 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Progetti Premiali -iALMA (Progetti-premiali iALMA) project as mentioned in this paper was the first one to use the ALMA project.
Abstract: NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Grant [1515392]; National Science Foundation of China [11473005]; Italian Ministero dell'Istruzione, Universita e Ricerca through the grant Progetti Premiali -iALMA [CUP C52I13000140001]; Gothenburg Centre of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology through the program Origins of Habitable Planets; National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NNX15AD94G]; NASA's Science Mission Directorate

416 citations


Cited by
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TL;DR: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols used xiii 1.
Abstract: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

14,171 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A single ‘fast–slow’ plant economics spectrum that integrates across leaves, stems and roots is a key feature of the plant universe and helps to explain individual ecological strategies, community assembly processes and the functioning of ecosystems.
Abstract: Summary 1. The leaf economics spectrum (LES) provides a useful framework for examining species strategies as shaped by their evolutionary history. However, that spectrum, as originally described, involved only two key resources (carbon and nutrients) and one of three economically important plant organs. Herein, I evaluate whether the economics spectrum idea can be broadly extended to water – the third key resource –stems, roots and entire plants and to individual, community and ecosystem scales. My overarching hypothesis is that strong selection along trait trade-off axes, in tandem with biophysical constraints, results in convergence for any taxon on a uniformly fast, medium or slow strategy (i.e. rates of resource acquisition and processing) for all organs and all resources. 2. Evidence for economic trait spectra exists for stems and roots as well as leaves, and for traits related to water as well as carbon and nutrients. These apply generally within and across scales (within and across communities, climate zones, biomes and lineages). 3. There are linkages across organs and coupling among resources, resulting in an integrated whole-plant economics spectrum. Species capable of moving water rapidly have low tissue density, short tissue life span and high rates of resource acquisition and flux at organ and individual scales. The reverse is true for species with the slow strategy. Different traits may be important in different conditions, but as being fast in one respect generally requires being fast in others, being fast or slow is a general feature of species. 4. Economic traits influence performance and fitness consistent with trait-based theory about underlying adaptive mechanisms. Traits help explain differences in growth and survival across resource gradients and thus help explain the distribution of species and the assembly of communities across light, water and nutrient gradients. Traits scale up – fast traits are associated with faster rates of ecosystem processes such as decomposition or primary productivity, and slow traits with slow process rates. 5. Synthesis. Traits matter. A single ‘fast–slow’ plant economics spectrum that integrates across leaves, stems and roots is a key feature of the plant universe and helps to explain individual ecological strategies, community assembly processes and the functioning of ecosystems.

2,246 citations

01 Dec 2010
TL;DR: In this article, the authors suggest a reduction in the global NPP of 0.55 petagrams of carbon, which would not only weaken the terrestrial carbon sink, but would also intensify future competition between food demand and biofuel production.
Abstract: Terrestrial net primary production (NPP) quantifies the amount of atmospheric carbon fixed by plants and accumulated as biomass. Previous studies have shown that climate constraints were relaxing with increasing temperature and solar radiation, allowing an upward trend in NPP from 1982 through 1999. The past decade (2000 to 2009) has been the warmest since instrumental measurements began, which could imply continued increases in NPP; however, our estimates suggest a reduction in the global NPP of 0.55 petagrams of carbon. Large-scale droughts have reduced regional NPP, and a drying trend in the Southern Hemisphere has decreased NPP in that area, counteracting the increased NPP over the Northern Hemisphere. A continued decline in NPP would not only weaken the terrestrial carbon sink, but it would also intensify future competition between food demand and proposed biofuel production.

1,780 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
11 Feb 2019
TL;DR: Using satellite data from 2000–2017, this study finds striking greening of both China and India, driven primarily by land-use change, with forest growth and cropland intensification more important in China andCropland moreimportant in India.
Abstract: Satellite data show increasing leaf area of vegetation due to direct (human land-use management) and indirect factors (climate change, CO2 fertilization, nitrogen deposition, recovery from natural disturbances, etc.). Among these, climate change and CO2 fertilization effect seem to be the dominant drivers. However, recent satellite data (2000-2017) reveal a greening pattern that is strikingly prominent in China and India, and overlapping with croplands world-wide. China alone accounts for 25% of the global net increase in leaf area with only 6.6% of global vegetated area. The greening in China is from forests (42%) and croplands (32%), but in India is mostly from croplands (82%) with minor contribution from forests (4.4%). China is engineering ambitious programs to conserve and expand forests with the goal of mitigating land degradation, air pollution and climate change. Food production in China and India has increased by over 35% since 2000 mostly due to increasing harvested area through multiple cropping facilitated by fertilizer use and surface/ground-water irrigation. Our results indicate that the direct factor is a key driver of the "Greening Earth", accounting for over a third, and likely more, of the observed net increase in green leaf area. They highlight the need for realistic representation of human land-use practices in Earth system models.

1,389 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the outer parts, beyond 1 AU, of protoplanetary disks with a focus on recent IR and (sub)millimeter results can be found in this paper.
Abstract: Flattened, rotating disks of cool dust and gas extending for tens to hundreds of astronomical units are found around almost all low-mass stars shortly after their birth. These disks generally persist for several million years, during which time some material accretes onto the star, some is lost through outflows and photoevaporation, and some condenses into centimeter- and larger-sized bodies or planetesimals. Through observations mainly at IR through millimeter wavelengths, we can determine how common disks are at different ages; measure basic properties including mass, size, structure, and composition; and follow their varied evolutionary pathways. In this way, we see the first steps toward exoplanet formation and learn about the origins of the Solar System. This review addresses observations of the outer parts, beyond 1 AU, of protoplanetary disks with a focus on recent IR and (sub)millimeter results and an eye to the promise of new facilities in the immediate future.

1,366 citations