An Introduction to Dust Evolution and Vertical Transport in Protoplanetary Disks

Abstract This tutorial is an introduction to observational studies of dust transport and evolution in protoplanetary disks. Spatially resolved observations of disks at multiple wavelengths can allow us to infer the distribution of various dust grains and gas species. Combining these observations offers a more complete understanding of dust structure and properties across different disk locations. For example, by better characterizing the disk's vertical structure, observations help to constrain the level of vertical settling and identify regions of high dust density, which are favorable for grain growth and planet formation. This tutorial describes various methodologies for inferring dust properties and vertical height of different tracers, as an introduction for beginners.