Related papers: Setting the Stage: Planet formation and Volatile D…
Giant planets are expected to form within circumstellar disks, which shape their formation history and the local environment. Here, we consider the formation and structure of circumplanetary disks that arise during the late stages of giant…
The ring-like structures in protoplanetary discs that are observed in the cold dust emission by ALMA, might be explained by dust aggregates trapped aerodynamically in pressure maxima. The effect of a transient pressure maximum is…
Detailed characterization of an extrasolar planet's atmosphere provides the best hope for distinguishing the makeup of its outer layers, and the only hope for understanding the interplay between initial composition, chemistry, dynamics &…
Circumstellar disks are the sites of planet formation, and the very high incidence of extrasolar planets implies that most of them actually form planetary systems. Studying the structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks can thus place…
Vortices are believed to greatly help the formation of km sized planetesimals by collecting dust particles in their centers. However, vortex dynamics is commonly studied in non-self-gravitating disks. The main goal here is to examine the…
Conventional planet formation theory suggests that chondritic materials have delivered crucial atmospheric and hydrospheric elements such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and hydrogen (H) onto primitive Earth. However, recent measurements…
Understanding processes that determine the global circulation of the atmosphere is necessary for long-term weather forecasting and climate studies which are critical for ensuring energy security. Processes in the atmosphere depend on many…
According to the canonical planet formation theory, planets form "in-situ" within a planetesimal disk via runaway and oligarchic growth. This theory, however, cannot naturally account for the formation timescale of ice giants or the…
Volatile molecules containing hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen are key components of planetary atmospheres. In the pebble accretion model for rocky planet formation, these volatile species are accreted during the main planetary formation…
The nucleosynthetic heterogeneity between different asteroids and planets is well established. These isotopic variations manifest themselves at the part per millions level or larger, in isotopes that were synthesised in various stellar…
In this article we present results from three on-going projects related to the formation of protoplanets in protostellar discs. We present the results of simulations that model the interaction between embedded protoplanets and disc models…
The growth and composition of Earth is a direct consequence of planet formation throughout the Solar System. We discuss the known history of the Solar System, the proposed stages of growth and how the early stages of planet formation may be…
Exoplanetary science continues to excite and surprise with its rich diversity. We discuss here some key aspects potentially influencing the range of exoplanetary terrestrial-type atmospheres which could exist in nature. We are motivated by…
The diversity of planetary systems that have been discovered are revealing the plethora of possible architectures, providing insights into planet formation and evolution. They also increase our understanding of system parameters that may…
Following the groundbreaking discovery of the first extrasolar planet orbiting a sun-like star, 51 Pegasi b in 1995, the field of planet formation has become a cornerstone of modern astrophysics. This is in part due to the revelation of an…
The recent detection of planets around very low mass stars raises the question of the formation, composition and potential habitability of these objects. We use planetary system formation models to infer the properties, in particular their…
The formation of life is an automatic stage in the consolidation of rocky or "terrestrial" planets. The organic (=carbonaceous) matter, light elements, gases, and water must "float" toward the surface and the heavier metals must sink toward…
Interactions between the winds of stars and the magnetospheres and atmospheres of planets involve many processes, including the acceleration of particles, heating of upper atmospheres, and a diverse range of atmospheric loss processes.…
To explain important properties of extrasolar planetary systems (eg. close-in hot Jupiters, resonant planets) an evolutionary scenario which allows for radial migration of planets in disks is required. During their formation protoplanets…
We examine the consequences of a model for the circulation of solids in a protoplanetary nebula in which aerodynamic drag is counterbalanced by the recycling of material to the outer disc by a protostellar outflow or a disc wind. This…