The determination of protoplanetary disk masses

Abstract

In this article we review the methods used to determine the gas and dust masses of protoplanetary disks, with an emphasis on the lesser characterized total gas mass. Our review encompasses all the indirect tracers and the methodology that is be used to isolate the hidden H2 via dust, CO, and HD emission. We discuss the overall calibration of gaseous tracers which is based on decades of study of the dense phases of the interstellar medium. At present, disk gas masses determined via CO and HD are (in a few instances) different by orders of magnitude, hinting at either significant evolution in total disk mass or in the CO abundance . Either of these would represent a fundamental physical or chemical process that appears to dominate the system on ~million year timescales. Efforts to reconcile these differences using existing and future facilities are discussed.