Description:

Thousands of exoplanets have been discovered, and showed properties that are drastically different from that in the solar system. This leads to questions regarding how exoplanetary systems form and evolve into such a variety of states, as well as how inhabitable these systems are. In this talk, we will focus on planetary system spin-axis dynamics, which provides important constraints on the habitability and formation of planetary systems. We will start with stellar spin-orbit misalignment and discuss how it informs us on the formation of close-in planets. Then, we will discuss planetary spin-axis variations and how it influences planet habitability.

Gongjie Li, Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Host: Professor Giacomo Fragione