Recent Study Presents New Theory on Planetary Formation at National Astronomy Meeting 2023
A groundbreaking study presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2023 (NAM2023) has introduced a new theory on planetary formation, challenging previous assumptions about how planets are formed in protoplanetary disks. This study, which has also been submitted for peer-review to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, has the potential to not only provide insight into planet formation but also the possibility of life existing on these planets.
The researchers behind this study have analyzed data from observations and models, leading them to propose a phenomenon they call “sandwiched planet formation.” According to their findings, two large protoplanets, still undergoing the process of gathering dust from the disk called accretion, can create a smaller planet between them. This discovery suggests that the two larger planets limit the inflow of dust into the inner regions of the protoplanetary disk, resulting in the formation of a smaller planet between them, like the filling of a sandwich.
Dr. Farzana Meru, an Associate Professor and Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow at the University of Warwick, explained the significance of this new formation concept, stating, “This is very different to the conventional view of planet formation, where we typically expect that the planets form sequentially from the inside to the outside of the disk and get more and more massive further out.” The researcher also highlighted that there are examples in exoplanet observations that support this “sandwiched” planet architecture, where the middle planet is less massive than its neighbors.
While further research is required to fully comprehend this new formation process, it may provide explanations for the existence of certain planets in our own solar system such as Mars and Uranus. Mars, a smaller planet, is positioned between the Earth and the larger planet Jupiter. Similarly, Uranus is situated between the larger planet Saturn and the similar-sized Neptune. By studying this new theory, scientists hope to gain insights into the formation of these planets and their unique characteristics.
The current understanding of our solar system suggests that it formed from a massive cloud of gas and dust approximately 4.6 billion years ago. This cloud collapsed from the shockwave of a nearby supernova, giving birth to a spinning disk called a solar nebula. As gravity took over, material began to accumulate at the center of the disk, leading to the formation of the Sun and its protoplanetary disk.
Over millions of years, the terrestrial planets of the inner solar system and the gas giants of the outer solar system were formed through the gathering of gas and dust in the protoplanetary disk. This process may explain the positioning of Mars and Uranus between larger planets in our own solar system. The remaining gas and dust in the disk formed asteroids and comets, which make up the asteroid belt, Kuiper Belt, and Oort Cloud.
As scientists continue to explore protoplanetary disks and delve into the new theory of “sandwiched planet formation,” exciting discoveries lie ahead. The studies conducted in the coming years and decades may revolutionize our understanding of planet formation and the potential for habitable worlds beyond our own.