| Description |
We propose to conduct a protoplanetary and debris disk survey of 14 recently-identified members of the benchmark (10 Myr) TW Hya Association (TWA). Our new sample expands the member census by tripling of the low-mass population (>M5; <0.2 M_sun). TWA represents a critical age where the longest-lived protoplanetary disks and the youngest debris disks overlap in the same population, so it offers a critical window into the formation and evolution of planetary systems. We specifically propose a PACS 70/160 micron photometric census to identify new disks, and followed by SPIRE 200/250/350 micron photometric observations of all newly-identified disk systems to characterize their SEDs and determine the nature of their circumstellar disks (protoplanetary or debris). Based on the disk fraction among known late-type members (3/6 = 50%), we estimate that 6-7 of our targets are likely to host circumstellar disks; these disks have been incredibly rare until now, so each will be a prime target for future studies of accretion, disk evolution, and planet formation. |
