Prof. Richard Nelson Project Abstracts
BSc Project Abstracts, MSci Review Project Abstracts and MSci Research/Investigative Project Abstracts
Extrasolar planets and planet formation
Since 1995 more than 1000 confirmed planets have been discovered orbiting stars other than the Sun, with many additional discoveries being announced on a weekly basis. In this project you will review the detection methods used to discover these systems, the range of planetary system architectures that have been discovered, and our current understanding of how planetary systems form. The project will involve writing and/or running a computer code to examine one of the following issues: (i) The dynamical stability of multi- planet systems and the origins of the orbital eccentricity of extrasolar planets; (ii) Orbital migration of planets due to interaction with the protoplanetary disc in which they form and the formation of short-period extrasolar planets.