CSU Physics Colloquium

Formation of rocky planets in the Solar System and elsewhere

Dr. Sean Raymond

CASA, University of Colorado at Boulder

Mon,  9/14

Rocky ("terrestrial") planets are thought to form in a series of dynamical steps, starting from micron-sized dust grains in gaseous protoplanetary disks. Duriing the last phase of growth, km-sized planetesimals and Moon-sized planetary embryos collide to form full-sized planets on a 100 million year timescale. It is during this phase that Earth is thought to have acquired its water budget, via collisions with primordial asteroidal material. Extrapolating to planets around other stars requires an understanding of the dynamics of extra-solar planets and the effect on terrestrial planet growth. I will discuss the propects for water-rich Earth-like planets to exist among the known extra-solar (giant) planets including in "hot Jupiter" systems which underwent giant planet migration.