Astronomy Colloquium

The discovery of thousands of exoplanets revealed a huge variety in the sizes, masses, and orbital characteristics of planets outside of our solar system. What are the key parameters that shape this diverse planetary population giving rise to the intriguing patterns and trends that have been reported in modern observations? I will discuss how the physics of gas accretion and dust-gas interaction can be combined with the measured distributions of exoplanet radii, masses, and orbital periods to reveal their formation conditions, from close-in rocky planets to far-out gas giants. I will conclude by presenting pathways toward charting the full trajectory of planet formation, making a direct link between the exoplanetary population, the properties of their host stars, and the morphology and evolution of protoplanetary and debris disks.

To view this talk via YouTube, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb1880Rn0qkKFkWyROUq1kRlgCsuBTrnd