Highlights

Planetary Formation and Dynamics

Highlights

This distinctive world-leading sub-group is advancing knowledge of the origin and evolution of planetary systems.

Agnor and Nelson lead complementary programmes in formation studies, relevant to solar and extrasolar systems. Highlights of Nelson's work include the first ever simulations of: (i) planets interacting with turbulent protoplanetary discs; (ii) planets forming in circumbinary discs; (iii) terrestrial planet formation in exoplanet systems. Through collision modelling Agnor identified a new mode of planetary disruption. His studies of terrestrial planet formation have elucidated the role of giant planets, and explained the near-circular orbits of the terrestrial planets.

Cho is a leading exoplanet atmospheres researcher. He is a key member of the U.K.-U.S. collaboration using Spitzer to detect thermal/spectral emission from Hot Jupiters, which discovered the first day/night temperature difference on an exoplanet. His atmospheric dynamics and circulation models are key to interpreting Spitzer data. He researches atmospheric/climatic evolution of 'exo-earths' for future planet search missions. Nelson is co-I on Darwin and the group will maintain an active research programme on planet formation and atmospheres.

The group as a whole is involved in cutting-edge Solar System research. Agnor recently explained the capture of Neptune's Triton, and other irregular satellites, from binary Kuiper belt objects. Cho successfully modelled Jupiter's zonal winds and Red Spot. Murray is the sole U.K. member of the Cassini Imaging Team. Science highlights include his discovery of the moons Polydeuces and Anthe, and an explanation of the structure of Saturn's F-ring. Murray and Nelson exploit the synergy between planetary rings and protoplanetary discs, and are developing a model of F-ring evolution. Williams co-discovered 1993 SB and 1993 SC, the first in a new class of Kuiper belt objects. He is a world authority on the dynamics of meteor streams and the Kuiper belt.

The group shares expertise on analytical and numerical techniques including (magneto-)hydrodynamic codes, SPH and N-body methods. The group's state-of-the-art large-scale simulations benefit enormously from the QMUL High Performance Computing (HPC) facility.