Disk Accretion Phase: Larger Bodies

• Growth of grains (to 1 cm) estimated from SEDs

• Presence of larger bodies inferred from

  • FEBs (but cf Grady: now suggests accretion origin in HAeS)
  • Cyrstalline silicate emission in cold disk regions (?)

• Evidence favors planet formation during accretion phase

  • N(a) for extrasolar planets suggests accretion-driven migration
  • Best (only?) time to form gas giants

• Large O/IR telescopes and later, ALMA, should enable detection of ëgapsí diagnostic of forming giant planets

  • Establish the fraction of stars that form giant planets initially
  • Establish the N(a) during the accretion phase

    • Is there an (interesting) upper limit to a ?

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