Academia Sinica Logo

Abstract:

The discovery of exoplanets (planets outside of the Solar System) has revolutionized our understanding of planet formation and habitability. Particularly, it revealed the prevalence of close-in planets, which are absent in our own Solar System. How do these planets form, and how habitable are they? In this talk, we will discuss high-eccentricity migration, a key mechanism in the formation of close-in planets, and the coupling between planetary interior structural with orbital migration. We will show how a planet’s internal structure influences the migration process — and how migration, in turn, affects planetary structure. Additionally, we will explore the spin dynamics of close-in habitable zone planets, which may lead to chaotic day-night cycles and trigger snowball phases.