Science / Technology - Colloquium
Monday, November 28, 2005
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Olin Hall
107
Ten years ago, there was a revolution in astronomy as planets orbiting sunlike stars were first discovered in large numbers. Their properties have introduced many changes to the way in which we understand planet formation and evolution, and provide context for our own solar system.
Many of the systems now known occur in environments once thought to be incompatible with planet formation. Several planets have now been discovered orbiting stars that have additional distant stellar companions.
I will present recent results from planet searches targeting systems are known to contain stellar companions in much closer orbits, in which the second star may have significant gravitational effects on the planet system during formation. These searches probe the extent to which these interactions enhance or prohibit planet formation, and provide constraints on the timescales on which planet formation can happen. I will conclude by discussing similar results from the study of systems with three or more stars.
Cost: free
Sponsored by: WPI Physics Department
Suggested Audiences: College
E-mail:
garcia@wpi.edu
Phone: 508-831-5342
Last Modified: October 14, 2005 at 2:39 PM
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