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Abstract

This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of the properties of protoplanetary disks, the birthplaces of planets. This work is motivated by the rapidly increasing quality of observational data, which necessitates better theories and ways to compare them with what we observe. Firstly, we showcase how the size of the millimeter continuum emitting region constrains disk masses. We assess the method’s efficacy by conducting detailed dust evolution calculations and considering diverse disk properties, particularly in disks exhibiting radial substructures. We then constrain the disk dust grain size distribution by observing only the largest and smallest grains within it. Merging physical dust models with radiative transfer calculations, we compare the model outcomes with the observations of the IM Lup disk, revealing a segregated grain size distribution and providing new insight into grain formation mechanisms and potential triggers for planetesimal formation. Additionally, we characterize the inner disk of the very low-mass star 2MASSJ16053215-1933159 through atomic and molecular hydrogen lines. Using the observational capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we measure gas temperature, mass, and the stellar accretion rate while showcasing JWST potential in the characterization of protoplanetary disk structures. Lastly, we investigate the gas density and temperature across Class II protoplanetary disks in Taurus using the NOEMA instrument. Employing machine learning-enhanced chemistry and analyzing optically thin and thick CO isotopologue emission, we successfully constrain disk masses and temperatures.