Description:

Abstract: A large number of close-in super-Earths have now been discovered.
How they form, and how they relate to other classes of planets, remain unsolved. In this talk, I will discuss recent progress regarding their masses, their composition, and their companion planets, leading to the conclusion that super-Earths make up a surprisingly uniform population. This uniformity is unpredicted, and brings new insights to the theory of planet formation. As an aside, the census also indicates that planetary systems like our own, with low-mass terrestrials inside and cold giants outside, are likely rare in the Milky Way.

Speaker: Yanqin Wu, University of Toronto

Host: Yoram Lithwick

Keywords: Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics