Synthetic ngVLA Observations of Ionized Gas in Massive Protostars and Future Prospects for Protoplanetary Disk Studies with ngVLA and SKA.

The study of protoplanetary disks is essential for understanding stellar evolution and the origins of planets. However, these systems present significant observational challenges due to their small angular size, low surface brightness, and complex structure. Radio interferometry provides a unique advantage by observing dust and gas at wavelengths that penetrate the dense regions where the protoplanetary disk forms. The upcoming Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) will transform protoplanetary disk studies with its unprecedented angular resolution and sensitivity in the millimeter and centimeter bands. These capabilities will allow high-fidelity imaging of disk substructures, planet-disk interactions, and dust evolution, offering critical insights into the processes shaping planetary systems. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will complement these efforts by detecting cold molecular gas, magnetic fields, and ionized material, providing additional constraints on disk dynamics and chemistry. Together, these facilities will enable a multi-scale, multi-phase perspective on planet-forming environments.

A major challenge associated with these observatories is the immense volume of data they will generate and the necessitating advanced deconvolution and imaging techniques to reconstruct high-fidelity images. In this talk, I will present results from simulated ngVLA observations of ultracompact HII regions (Jáquez-Domínguez et al. 2025) and my current work on protoplanetary disks, where I am testing the capabilities and optimal configurations of ngVLA and SKA to maximize their scientific performance. By combining state-of-the-art radiative transfer models with next-generation imaging techniques, we aim to refine strategies for future high-resolution disk studies. These efforts will be crucial for unlocking the full potential of ngVLA and its synergy with SKA and ALMA, paving the way for transformative discoveries in planet formation.