Habitable Planet Formation in Extreme Planetary Systems: Systems with Multiple Stars and/or Multiple Planets
Abstract
Understanding the formation and dynamical evolution of habitable planets in extrasolar planetary systems is a challenging task. In this respect, systems with multiple giant planets and/or multiple stars present special complications. The formation of habitable planets in these environments is strongly affected by the dynamics of their giant planets and/or their stellar companions. These objects have profound effects on the structure of the disk of planetesimals and protoplanetary objects in which terrestrial-class planets are formed. To what extent the current theories of planet formation can be applied to such "extreme" planetary systems depends on the dynamical characteristics of their planets and/or their binary stars. In this paper, I present the results of a study of the possibility of the existence of Earth-like objects in systems with multiple giant planets (namely Upsilon Andromedae, 47 UMa, GJ 876, and 55 Cnc) and discuss the dynamics of the newly discovered Neptune-size object in 55 Cnc system. I will also review habitable planet formation in binary systems and present the results of a systematic search of the parameter-space for which Earth-like objects can form and maintain long-term stable orbits in the habitable zones of binary stars.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0712.2489,
title = {Habitable Planet Formation in Extreme Planetary Systems: Systems with Multiple Stars and/or Multiple Planets},
author = {Nader Haghighipour},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0712.2489},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the 249th IAU Meeting: "Exoplanets: Detection, Formation and Dynamics" (Suzhou, China)