What do we actually know about planet migration?

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

• Amelia Cordwell (DAMTP Cambridge)
• Thursday 20 November 2025, 12:30-13:30
• Institute of Astronomy .

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Mika Kontiainen.

Planets embedded in protoplanetary discs are predicted (classically) to migrate inward on timescales faster than the disc lifetime. This naively would imply that the vast majority of planets created are accreted into their host star — a problematic assumption given that planets exist.

I will present an overview of different migration models and attempt to establish what we do and don’t know about different regimes. I will consider the classic models of Type I and Type II migration, and show how our understanding of these has changed over the last 20 years due to the availability of high resolution 3D simulations, including the fact that most planets of observational interest will not neatly fit into either traditional category.

I will introduce how additional disc physics (e.g. dust, inviscid dynamical effects) may change this picture. I will attempt to describe where either quantitatively or qualitatively correct theory exists for different regimes, and attempt to discuss where further research is required and what models are most likely to be applicable for N-Body and population synthesis works.

As much as possible, I would like for this to be an informal and interactive talk.

This talk is part of the IoA Dynamics Lunch series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Institute of Astronomy
• IoA Dynamics Lunch

Note that ex-directory lists are not shown.