Program: GN-2024B-Q-322

The recent observations from JWST have brought about a significant revolution in our understanding of planet formation. In contrast to the traditional notion that gas dissipates within 3-10 million years in protoplanetary systems, JWST/NIRSpec observations have unveiled the persistent presence of gas within older planetary systems, known as debris disks, spanning from 10 to 40 million years old. These observations have led to the identification of a novel population of warm CO gas through UV fluorescence emission, providing valuable insights into the terrestrial planet zones within debris disks. However, JWST observations, optimized for faint targets, overlook a crucial parameter space in debris disk studies, particularly where stars are exceptionally bright. To address this limitation and capitalize on the unique capabilities of Gemini GNIRS HR-IFU to explore inaccessible parameter spaces, we propose a pilot survey program named CACTUS (CO caught in ACTion: UV Fluorescence CO emission in debris disks Survey). This program aims to utilize a combination of GNIRS HR-IFU and long-slit spectroscopy in the M band to map the spatial distribution of CO emission in the terrestrial planet zone of the brightest debris disks for the first time. Additionally, CACTUS serves as a pioneering initiative for ground-based CO emission mapping in debris disks, paving the way for future studies in this field.