2005/12/29 by Eric B. Ford, Ford, Eric B.
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrobiology #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Exoplanet #Physics #Planet #Planetary migration #Planetary system #Planetesimal #Solar System #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Terrestrial planet #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0512635
published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University) · 12 pages, to appear in Frank N. Bash Symposium 2005: New Horizons in Astronomy
arxiv created 2005/12/29 · openalex publication_date 2005/12/29 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
For centuries, our knowledge of planetary systems and ideas about planet formation were based on a single example, our solar system. During the last thirteen years, the discovery of ~170 planetary systems has ushered in a new era for astronomy. I review the surprising properties of extrasolar planetary systems and discuss how they are reshaping theories of planet formation. I focus on how multiple planet systems constrain the mechanisms proposed to explain the large eccentricities typical of extrasolar planets. I suggest that strong planet-planet scattering is common and most planetary systems underwent a phase of large eccentricities. I propose that a planetary system's final eccentricities may be strongly influenced by how much mass remains in a planetesimal disk after the last strong planet-planet scattering event.