Debris disks are dust dominated planetary systems that exist after the dispersal of the protoplanetary disk, and they offer an opportunity to study the later stages of planetary system formation. They consist of dust grains, minor bodies such as planetesimals, atomic and molecular gas, and planets. The origin of the gas in debris disks is currently debated and the effect of the dust and gas in these systems on the planets within is not well constrained. In the first part of this talk, I will present JWST MIRI Medium Resolution Spectrograph (MRS) observations of the famous Beta Pictoris exoplanetary system, which hosts a debris disk and two know giant planets. Using this data, we characterize the atmosphere of giant planet Beta Pic b and estimate the level of dust accretion from the surrounding debris disk onto the planet. We also detect and resolve argon gas emission for the first time in a debris disk, which provides insights into the composition of the minor bodies in this system. In the second part of the talk, I will present JWST NIRSpec PRISM observations of the gas-rich 49 Ceti debris disk. With these observations, we spatially resolve fluorescent emission from CO for the first time in a debris disk. Using this data, we look to constrain the composition of the thin atmosphere of this disk to better understand the lifetime of the molecular gas in this system.

For Zoom connection information, please contact Emanuele Paolo Farina (emanuele.farina_at_noirlab.edu).

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