Key science questions

The following have been identified as key science questions for the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems theme:

Circumstellar disk evolution and Planet formation
- How are the temporal evolution of circumstellar disks and the formation of planets connected? What is the role of planet-disk interactions on the planetary system formation process?
- Which roles do host mass and metallicity play?
- What is the role of the star/planet formation environment (low-mass vs. high-mass star forming regions, clusters)?
- Which are the conditions that decide about predominance the planet formation scenario: Core accretion vs. Gravitational instability?
- Are there fundamental differences in the planet formation in single vs. binary/multiple systems?
- What range of terrestrial planet compositions is produced through the processes of planet formation?

Evolution of planetary systems
- Are there common criteria for the long-term stability of planetary systems?
- What is the "typical" planetary architecture, and what range is realized in nature?
- How does planet migration affect the resulting planetary architectures?
- What is the correlation of the presence of telluric planets with existence of superearths and gas giants?
- Is there a correlation between the existence and location of planetesimal belts and the existence of planets?
- Do exo-Oort’s clouds exist and what is their role in the planet formation/evolution process?
- What are the properties of potentially existing free-floating Earth-mass objects?
- Which are the major unique characteristica of the Solar System?

Habitable Zone
- Which parameters determine the region of the habitable zone in planetary systems? (Rem.: Is the term ``habitable zone’’ a good working term at all?: a) There are many parameters that play a role to provide liquid water. b) There are many further parameters — beyond the existence of liquid water — that obviously played a major role to make Earth habitable.)
- Are giant outer planets a prerequisite for inner telluric planets with habitable zones?
- How does the stellar habitable zone evolve in time?
- Which are additional criteria which determine the habitability of planetary satellites?
- Is it possible to identify / separate a galactic habitable zone (bulge, disk, halo, clusters)?
- How might the formation history and subsequent dynamical evolution affect the potential for habitability? (e.g. outgasing, loss of atmosphere, internal energy and hence plate tectonics, impacts, orbital change, stability).

The following have been identified as key science questions for the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems theme:

Circumstellar disk evolution and Planet formation
- How are the temporal evolution of circumstellar disks and the formation of planets connected? What is the role of planet-disk interactions on the planetary system formation process?
- Which roles do host mass and metallicity play?
- What is the role of the star/planet formation environment (low-mass vs. high-mass star forming regions, clusters)?
- Which are the conditions that decide about predominance the planet formation scenario: Core accretion vs. Gravitational instability?
- Are there fundamental differences in the planet formation in single vs. binary/multiple systems?
- What range of terrestrial planet compositions is produced through the processes of planet formation?

Evolution of planetary systems
- Are there common criteria for the long-term stability of planetary systems?
- What is the "typical" planetary architecture, and what range is realized in nature?
- How does planet migration affect the resulting planetary architectures?
- What is the correlation of the presence of telluric planets with existence of superearths and gas giants?
- Is there a correlation between the existence and location of planetesimal belts and the existence of planets?
- Do exo-Oort’s clouds exist and what is their role in the planet formation/evolution process?
- What are the properties of potentially existing free-floating Earth-mass objects?
- Which are the major unique characteristica of the Solar System?

Habitable Zone
- Which parameters determine the region of the habitable zone in planetary systems? (Rem.: Is the term ``habitable zone’’ a good working term at all?: a) There are many parameters that play a role to provide liquid water. b) There are many further parameters — beyond the existence of liquid water — that obviously played a major role to make Earth habitable.)
- Are giant outer planets a prerequisite for inner telluric planets with habitable zones?
- How does the stellar habitable zone evolve in time?
- Which are additional criteria which determine the habitability of planetary satellites?
- Is it possible to identify / separate a galactic habitable zone (bulge, disk, halo, clusters)?
- How might the formation history and subsequent dynamical evolution affect the potential for habitability? (e.g. outgasing, loss of atmosphere, internal energy and hence plate tectonics, impacts, orbital change, stability).

Saturday 5 September 2009 by Vincent Coudé du Foresto

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