CRA Seminar: Songhu Wang (IUB)

Title: Exoplanets: Diverse Architectures and Unified Origin

Abstract: While the exoplanetary field is replete with remarkable discoveries, perhaps the two most intriguing findings have been the detection of hot Jupiters – giant planets orbiting perilously close to their parent stars, and the startling abundance of super-Earths – a type of world entirely missing from our solar system. The mere existence of these worlds was wholly unpredicted based on the expectations that were gleaned from centuries of observation of our own solar system. This talk will delve into the demographics and orbital architectures of these exoplanets. We will explore how the sheer variety of observed exoplanetary systems can be reconciled into a unified theoretical framework.