Observations of planet forming disks in multiple stellar systems

Abstract

The demographic of circumstellar disks, the birthplaces of planets, is diverse and rich in disks featuring rings, gaps, spirals, filaments, and arcs. Many studies revealing these disk structures have focused on objects around single stars and disks in isolation. The scenario is more complex if binarity or multiplicity is involved; most stars are part of multiple systems in crowded star-forming regions. How does the presence of one or more stellar companions affect the shape and size of the circumstellar disks? Here we review the landscape of results from optical, infrared, and (sub-) millimeter observations of the effects of multiplicity on protoplanetary disks, emphasizing the demographic studies of nearby molecular clouds and the high-resolution studies of multiple disk systems.