DIX Planetary Science Seminar

We have observed a stunning diversity in the properties of the exoplanetary systems we have discovered, particularly in comparison to our own Solar System. Such a diversity implies a similar level of variety in a planet's formation environment, the protoplanetary disk, and thus in the processes driving planet formation. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) has driven a revolution in this respect, allowing us to study the gas and dust which make up these protoplanetary disks in unprecedented detail. In this talk, I will review some of the recent results which are shining new light on the planet formation process. In particular, I will focus on new techniques which are being used to map the dynamical structures of these disks, enabling the detection of recently formed planets, still deeply embedded in their natal disks, and allowing us to probe the delivery of volatile material to the atmospheres of these exoplanets. I will conclude with a brief outlook, discussing how upcoming facilities, most notably the James Webb Space Telescope, are going to aid in these studies.