Exoplanet system architecture: Planets on peculiar orbits

Abstract: The architectures of systems harboring extra solar planets are diverse and surprising. This variation poses an interesting challenge to our understanding of planet formation and evolution. This talk will focus on recent results pertaining to one specific aspect of exoplanet system architecture: the host star obliquity, the angle between the rotation axis of the host star and its orbital angular momentum. i) We found a system where the planets were born on retrograde orbits in a highly misaligned protoplanetary disk. This unusual architecture was caused by a companion star. ii) We also revealed a possible preponderance of perpendicular planets. These are planets which orbit over the poles of their host stars. So far it is unclear what might cause such a peculiar architecture. iii) I will also remark on the highest quality obliquity observations from the last three years and how these can help us to solve an outstanding riddle in the field.

• Date:
  Nov. 30, 2023, 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  
  
• Location:

  Schwarzschildhaus Lecture Hall

  
  
• Contact:
  Julián Alvarado-Gómez