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SUMMARY:Kepler\, the Architectures of Exoplanet Systems &amp\; Implication
 s for Planet Formation - Eric Ford (Penn State University)
DTSTART:20160310T160000Z
DTEND:20160310T170000Z
UID:TALK63489@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Simon Hodgkin
DESCRIPTION:For centuries\, planet formation theories were \nfine-tuned to
  explain the details of solar system.  The diversity of planetary systems 
 uncovered by Doppler surveys challenged previous theories and led to insig
 hts into planet formation\, orbital migration and the excitation of orbita
 l eccentricities and \ninclinations.  NASA's Kepler mission has identified
  450 systems with multiple transiting planet candidates\, thousands of pla
 net candidates and many small and potentially rocky planets.  I will discu
 ss how the planets identified by Kepler are enabling scientists to charact
 erize the distribution of planetary properties and the architectures of pl
 anetary systems.  In particular\, transit timing variations (TTVs) provide
  an excellent tool to characterize the masses and orbits of dozens of smal
 l planets\, including many at orbital periods beyond the reach of both Dop
 pler surveys and photoevaporation-induced atmospheric loss.  Dynamical mod
 eling of these systems has identified some "super-puffy" planets\, i.e.\, 
 low mass planets with surprisingly large radii and low densities. \n \nI w
 ill describe a few particularly interesting systems and discuss the implic
 ations for the super-puffy planets.  These systems and Kepler's other disc
 overies are inspiring a new wave of planet formation theories attempting t
 o explain new populations of systems with tightly-packed inner planets (ST
 IPs)\, and intricate orbital resonances.  I survey recent efforts to trans
 late Kepler discoveries into constraints on the formation and orbital evol
 ution of planetary systems.
LOCATION:Sackler Lecture Theatre\, IoA (tea at 3:30 pm)
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