Ways that our Solar System helps us understand the formation of other planetary systems and ways that it doesn't

Models of planetary formation can be tested by comparison of their ability to predict features of our Solar System in a consistent way, and then extrapolated to other hypothetical planetary systems by different choice of parameters. When this is done, it is found that the resulting systems are insen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astrophysics and space science 1996-01, Vol.241 (1), p.25-34
Main Author: Wetherill, G. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomical Phenomena
Astronomy
Evolution, Planetary
Extraterrestrial Environment
Gravitation
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Models, Theoretical
Planets
Solar System
Space life sciences
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Summary:Models of planetary formation can be tested by comparison of their ability to predict features of our Solar System in a consistent way, and then extrapolated to other hypothetical planetary systems by different choice of parameters. When this is done, it is found that the resulting systems are insensitive to direct effects of the mass of the star, but do strongly depend on the properties of the disk, principally its surface density. Major uncertainty results from lack of an adequate theoretical model that predicts the existence, size, and distribution of analogs of our Solar System, particularly the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Nevertheless, reasons can be found for expecting that planetary systems, including those containing biologically habitable planets similar to Earth, may be abundant in the Galaxy and Universe.
ISSN:0004-640X
1572-946X
DOI:10.1007/BF00644212