Dr. Clémence Fontanive: The effects of binary companions on planet formation and evolution

Title: “The effects of binary companions on planet formation and evolution”

Abstract:
While numerous exoplanets have now been uncovered in stellar binaries, the impact of companion stars on planet formation and evolution is still not understood. In this talk, I will present results of population trends seen among the known sample of planets in multiple star systems, which allows us to investigate the effects of stellar binarity on the resulting planetary architectures. In particular, observations of stars hosting high-mass close-in giant planets and brown dwarfs find an excess of binary companions on intermediate separations, suggesting that such systems may provide favorable conditions for the formation of the observed inner companions. I will also show results from simulations of protoplanetary disks adapted to binary star environments, which indicate that certain binary configurations may trigger the formation of giant planets through gravitational fragmentation in otherwise-stable disks.