Long Term Evolution of Compact Planetary Systems

Mon, February 09, 2015

The origin of the recently discovered population of planetary systems composed of multiple low mass planets in compact configurations is a subject of active debate. A proper consideration of this question must also account for various processes that sculpt the configurations between their origin and observation.

 

I will describe a set of calculations to study how the effects of tidal damping are transmitted through a planetary system by secular interactions and the resulting effect on planetary spacing, eccentricities and inclinations. I will show how this can manifest itself in known systems. In some cases, such as in the 55 Cancri system, this can lead to potentially dramatic effects.