JWST reveals how gas escapes from protoplanetary disks

Astronomers studied 72 young Sun-like stars with JWST and found that gas removal from protoplanetary disks changes with age. Young systems are dominated by magnetic jets and molecular winds, while older ones lose gas through photoevaporation. The findings were published in The Astronomical Journal.

• 72 young Sun-like stars and their protoplanetary disks were studied
• Molecular hydrogen was detected in 66 disks, neon jets in 40
• Young systems lose gas via magnetic jets, older ones via photoevaporation
• Gas giants must form while the disk still holds enough gas