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This lecture series focuses on two important topics of modern exoplanet physics: the research of exoplanetary
atmospheres and formation of exoplanetary systems. Therefore, it is complementary to the “Exoplanets” course
(NAST041). The first block of lectures will focus on characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres and the
Rossiter-McLaughlin effect which enables to determine orbital inclinations and contributes to understanding
orbital migration. The second block of lectures will cover the evolution of the dusty component in protoplanetary
disks, accretion processes...
Last update: Ďurech Josef, doc. Mgr., Ph.D. (02.06.2025)
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Exoplanet research is a relatively recent discipline of planetary sciences. Understanding formation of exoplanets and their physical properties is one of the major research objectives of the world’s leading observatories (ALMA, Keck, Gemini, ...) and space missions (TESS, PLATO, JWST, ...). The goal of this lecture series is to introduce students to various planet formation scenarios and to recent advances concerning accretion processes and early orbital evolution. Students will study modern exoplanet detection and analysis methods, gain understanding of physical and chemical atmospheric processes, and acquire insight into ongoing and planned research projects, including open questions in this branch of astronomy. Last update: Ďurech Josef, doc. Mgr., Ph.D. (02.06.2025)
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Students can take their final exam in two possible forms: A/ classical exam based on the topics of the syllabus; B/ semestral project using a selected freely available numerical software for atmospheric characterization and R-M effect (TauREx, petitRADTRANS, allesfitter, apod) or modeling planet formation (Fargo3D, Rebound, DustPy, etc). Last update: Ďurech Josef, doc. Mgr., Ph.D. (02.06.2025)
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[1] Armitage P.J., 2020, Astrophysics of planet formation (2nd ed), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9781108344227 [2] Protostars and planets VII, 2023, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series, eds. Inutsuka S., Aikawa Y., Muto T., Tomida K., and Tamura M., ISBN 978-1-58381-955-5 [3] Perryman, M., 2018, The Exoplanet Handbook (2nd ed), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9781108304160 [4] Raymond S. and Morbidelli A, 2022, Planet Formation: Key Mechanisms and Global Models, in Demographics of Exoplanetary Systems (ISBN: 978-3-030-88123-8) [5] Lanza A.F., 2022, The Role of Interactions Between Stars and Their Planets, in Demographics of Exoplanetary Systems (ISBN: 978-3-030-88123-8) [6] Johansen A. and Lambrechts M., 2017, Forming planets via pebble accretion, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, vol. 45, issue 1, pp. 359-387 [7] Kley W. and Nelson R.P., 2012, Planet-Disk Interaction and Orbital Evolution, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 50, p.211-249 [8] Heng, K., 2017, Exoplanetary Atmospheres: Theoretical Concepts and Foundations (ISBN 978-0-691-16698-8) [9] Madhusudhan, N., 2019, Exoplanetary Atmospheres: Key Insights, Challenges, and Prospects, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 57, p.617-663 [10] Seager, S., 2010, Exoplanet Atmospheres: Physical Processes (ISBN: 978-1-4008-3530-0) [11] Dawson, R., Johnson, J. A., 2018, Origins of Hot Jupiters, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 56, p.175-221 [12] Albrecht, S., Dawson, R., Winn, J., 2022, Stellar Obliquities in Exoplanetary Systems, PASP Review, vol. 134, p. 082001 Last update: Ďurech Josef, doc. Mgr., Ph.D. (02.06.2025)
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Exoplanet atmospheres
1) Methods for Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets - Description of detection methods (radial velocities, transits, direct imaging, microlensing, astrometry, transit timing variations - TTVs). Planetary parameters determination: mass, radius, density. Mass-Radius relationship. Equations of State (EoS). Open questions and challenges in exoplanetary detection and characterization.
2) Exoplanet Demographics and Star-Planet Interactions - Statistics and distribution of exoplanets, types of exoplanets (hot Jupiters, super-Earths, mini-Neptunes). The "radius valley" and its interpretation. The principle "Know thy star, know thy planet" - the influence of host star properties. Star-planet interactions: Influence of stellar age and host star metallicity, Tidal forces and their consequences (e.g., tidal locking, orbital evolution), Stellar spin-up due to planets. Stellar activity and its impact on planets and their atmospheres. Tools for studying dynamics and stability of planetary systems (e.g., SPOCK, MEGNO, NAMD).
3) Stellar and Planetary Inclinations - The Rossiter-McLaughlin Effect (RMe) Principle of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. Measurement of the RMe and interpretation (prograde, retrograde, polar orbits). Doppler tomography. Degeneracies and caveats in RMe measurements. Study of planetary systems with binary stars. Influence of stellar differential rotation and stellar convection. Planetary obliquity.
4) Exoplanetary Atmospheres - Theory, Vertical Structure Temperature-pressure profile (T-P profile). Opacity. Chemical composition: equilibrium and non-equilibrium chemistry. General Circulation Models (GCMs). Types of atmospheric observations: Transit spectroscopy, Eclipse spectroscopy, Phase curves. Characterization of atmospheres using low-resolution spectroscopy data.
5) Exoplanetary Atmospheres - Aerosols: Formation, Composition, Impact on Observations. Characterization of atmospheres using high-resolution spectroscopy data: Detection of individual molecular and atomic species, Measurement of wind speeds, planetary rotation. Effects of atmospheric asymmetry (day/night side, terminator). Removal of telluric contamination from observations. Importance of isotopes and isotopologues. Atmospheric escape and its mechanisms.
6) Planetary Evolution and Migration Mechanisms - Connection between current planetary properties and their evolutionary history. Planet migration mechanisms: Migration in the protoplanetary disk, Gravitational scattering, Kozai-Lidov mechanism and secular evolution. Planets in resonance and their significance for the dynamical history of systems. Degeneracies in planetary evolution models. Brown dwarfs.
7) Habitability, Biosignatures, and the Outlook - The concept of the habitable zone and factors influencing habitability. Biosignatures: the search for signs of life in exoplanet atmospheres. The Fermi paradox and its possible solutions. Upcoming and future missions for exoplanet research (ARIEL, PLATO, HWO). Lessons learnt from Solar System planet research to the study of exoplanets.
Exoplanet formation
8) From dust to planetesimals - the role of dust in protoplanetary disks, dust dynamics in gas, vertical settling, radial drift, coagulation, material and dynamical growth barriers of dust grains, size-distribution modeling, streaming instability and similar instabilities.
9-10) Accretion processes - planetesimal accretion, pebble accretion, giant impacts, giant-planet core formation, gas accretion, gravitational instability.
11-12) Planet migration in protoplanetary disks - basics of the linear perturbation analysis of hydrodynamic equations, principles of migration-inducing torques, thermal mass, resonant torques (Lindblad and corotation), migration types (I, II, III), the role of the structure and properties of protoplanetary disks (turbulent viscosity, thermophysical processes, heat transfer), eccentricity and inclination evolution, advances in modeling planet migration.
13) Signatures of disk-embedded protoplanets - gap opening in dust and gas, kinematic perturbations in gas flows, circumplanetary envelopes and disks, observational implications (sub-mm thermal continuum, molecular CO emission, scattered light).
14) Origin scenarios of the main exoplanetary populations - inside-out planet formation, breaking-chains scenario, the role of the inner disk edge (sublimation front of dust grains, magnetospheric cavity), pressure maxima, protoplanetary disk dispersal, high-eccentricity migration. Last update: Ďurech Josef, doc. Mgr., Ph.D. (02.06.2025)
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