About

Jennifer Bergner is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, beginning her appointment in January 2023. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia (2013), an M.A. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University (2016), and a Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University (2019). Her research focuses on the chemistry occurring in the regions around forming stars, particularly the synthesis of large organic molecules in star-forming regions, which has implications for the origins of life and the composition of planetary systems. Bergner's group employs cryogenic vacuum experiments to mimic the conditions of star-forming regions, uses advanced telescope facilities like ALMA and JWST to observe molecular spectra in protostars and protoplanetary disks, and conducts simulations to understand the chemical dynamics within planet-forming disks. Her work aims to explore how astrochemistry influences the formation and evolution of planetary systems and the potential seeding of life ingredients on nascent planets.

Research topics

• Astronomy
• Physics
• Astrophysics
• Geometry

Selected publications

• Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS). IV. Emission Surfaces and Vertical Distribution of Molecules

  The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series · 2021 · 139 citations

  • Astrophysics
  • Physics
  • Astronomy

  Abstract The Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS) Large Program provides a unique opportunity to study the vertical distribution of gas, chemistry, and temperature in the protoplanetary disks around IM Lup, GM Aur, AS 209, HD 163296, and MWC 480. By using the asymmetry of molecular line emission relative to the disk major axis, we infer the emission height ( z ) above the midplane as a function of radius ( r ). Using this method, we measure emitting surfaces for a suite of CO isotopologues, HCN, and C 2 H. We find that 12 CO emission traces the most elevated regions with <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>z</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo stretchy="true">/</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi>r</mml:mi> <mml:mo>&gt;</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.3</mml:mn> </mml:math> , while emission from the less abundant 13 CO and C 18 O probes deeper into the disk at altitudes of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>z</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo stretchy="true">/</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi>r</mml:mi> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mo>≲</mml:mo> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mn>0.2</mml:mn> </mml:math> . C 2 H and HCN have lower opacities and signal-to-noise ratios, making surface fitting more difficult, and could only be reliably constrained in AS 209, HD 163296, and MWC 480, with <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>z</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo stretchy="true">/</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi>r</mml:mi> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mo>≲</mml:mo> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mn>0.1</mml:mn> </mml:math> , i.e., relatively close to the planet-forming midplanes. We determine peak brightness temperatures of the optically thick CO isotopologues and use these to trace 2D disk temperature structures. Several CO temperature profiles and emission surfaces show dips in temperature or vertical height, some of which are associated with gaps and rings in line and/or continuum emission. These substructures may be due to local changes in CO column density, gas surface density, or gas temperatures, and detailed thermochemical models are necessary to better constrain their origins and relate the chemical compositions of elevated disk layers with those of planet-forming material in disk midplanes. This paper is part of the MAPS special issue of the Astrophysical Journal Supplement.

  DOI

Frequent coauthors

• Romane Le Gal

  Université Grenoble Alpes

  117 shared

• Karin I. Öberg

  Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

  102 shared

• Jane Huang

  86 shared

• David J. Wilner

  65 shared

• Viviana V. Guzmán

  65 shared

• Ryan A. Loomis

  60 shared

• F. Ménard

  60 shared

• L. Ilsedore Cleeves

  University of Virginia

  59 shared

Awards & honors

• NASA Sagan fellow (2019-2022)

Similar researchers at University of California, Berkeley

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