Is Our Solar System Unique

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Slide 35

Why can’t we make a huge computer simulation to explain everything?

How do you design a computer simulation?

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What models would you create?

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Slide 38

A model of planets

growing in a disk.

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Some things we’ve learned from models:

Our basic theory holds up pretty well, but .

It’s hard to get little particles to stick to each other when

they collide.

It takes a really, really long time to make planets (maybe

too long??)

It’s hard to form planetary systems as flat as ours.

Slide 42

Solar System Formation: Take-away messages

Solar system formation begins because of gravity - most stuff ends up in the sun

A disk is formed because of rotation

Planet cores form in the disk because rocks hit and/or gravitationally attract each other

If there’s ice around (> 5 AU from the star, where it’s cold) the cores are bigger. If big enough, they’ll suck gas out of the disk and form giant planets

Moons form via collision or capture or in mini disks

Theory:

Observations generally agree with theory, but it’s hard to see details. They also

show us that stars and disks are all very different from each other. And, they

gave us the surprising observation of outflows.

Simulations also agree with theory, but they can’t model everything at once, and

there are some problems (things take too long, for one)

Slide 43

Is our solar system unique?

Are there other Earth-like planets, or are we a fluke?

Under what conditions can Earth-like planets form?

Is life common or rare?