Ionized gas emission in protoplanetary disks with the SKAO

Abstract

Protoplanetary disks represent a crucial stage in the evolution of Young Stellar Objects towards the formation of fully formed planetary systems. While substantial progress has been made in the last decades in the characterization of the dust and molecular gas in these systems, the ionized component remains poorly understood. Ionized gas traces important processes such as photoevaporation, accretion, disk winds, and jets, and therefore is key to studying disk dynamics, evolution, and ultimately planet formation. In this paper, we investigate the capabilities of the forthcoming SKA telescope to probe this component in protoplanetary disks within nearby star forming regions. We present state-of-the-art simulations of photoevaporative, magneto-thermal, and magnetohydrodynamic winds, and generate theoretical predictions and synthetic SKAO observations to assess its potential in detecting and characterizing free-free emission and Hydrogen recombination lines. Finally, we discuss synergies with complementary facilities and how they will provide a comprehensive, multi-scale view of disk winds and offer critical insights on the mechanisms driving disk evolution and the onset of planet formation.