Early Dynamics and Evolution of Extrasolar Planetary Systems

Citation

Goldberg, Max Elliot (2024) Early Dynamics and Evolution of Extrasolar Planetary Systems. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/cn1v-e821. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:02102024-215953210

Abstract

Of the thousands of discovered exoplanets, the vast majority were born billions of years ago. The process of their formation was only a tiny fraction of their lifespan and observing formation of new planets is very difficult with current techniques. However, these planets, and the planetary systems they are a part of, retain distinct fingerprints of how and when they formed. This thesis presents six studies that aim to uncover the environment in which planets form by investigating how the architectures of multiplanet systems are shaped by physical processes. I show that varying degrees of planet-planet interactions, planet-disk interactions, and tidal dissipation successfully reproduce many bulk features of the small planet census. Furthermore, analysis of selected individual systems can recover detailed measurements of the protoplanetary disk environment and orbital histories of the planets. Similar processes unfold in the satellite systems of giant planets, which are akin to scaled-down exoplanet systems.

Thesis Files