Abstract

The field of planet formation is in an exciting era, where recent observations of disks around protostars have revealed a diversity of substructures, some possibly planet related. It is therefore important to understand the physical and chemical nature of the protoplanetary building blocks, as well as their spatial distribution, to better understand planet formation. Each one of the fundamental disk properties – disk mass, surface density distribution, outer radius, vertical extent, temperature structure, and transport – is of fundamental interest as they collectively set the stage for disk evolution and corresponding planet formation theories. Furthermore, constraining and comparing the chemistry of disks to the compositions of exoplanet atmospheres – a major priority for current space missions – informs our understanding of the planet-formation process. In this talk I will review our understanding of the fundamental properties of disks including the relevant observational techniques to probe their nature, modeling methods, and the respective caveats. Finally, I will present preliminary findings from the ALMA Large Program DECO (The Disk-Exoplanet C/Onnection).