Sulfur chemistry in protoplanetary disks as a window into planet formation

The abundance and distribution of sulfur-bearing molecules in protoplanetary disks directly influence the composition and potential habitability of nascent planets in addition to providing powerful probes of the physical gas conditions in the disks themselves. Thanks to the high resolution of ALMA, the molecular gas content of disks has now begun to be mapped in fine detail, but relatively few studies have targeted sulfur-bearing species. Here, Dr. Law will present several new ALMA observations, demonstrating how certain sulfur-bearing molecules provide powerful tracers of embedded protoplanets and allow us to place unique constraints on the nearby gas environments from which planets are actively assembling.