The Digital Press

The exoALMA Large Program developed specialized calibration and imaging methods to detect subtle planet-induced motions in protoplanetary disks using high-resolution CO and CS emissions. This paper details the careful data processing steps needed to avoid false signals and maximize spatial information recovery.

Why it matters: Precise calibration and imaging are crucial to accurately identify embedded planets via disk kinematic deviations.

The big picture: Combining multiple antenna configurations and iterative self-calibration enhances data quality for studying protoplanetary disk dynamics.

Stunning stat: Disk sizes ranged from 2.4" to 13.8" in $^{12}$CO, requiring complex multi-configuration observations.

Quick takeaway: Alignment, flux scaling, and iterative masking minimize artifacts and biases in detecting subtle non-Keplerian motions.