Planet Formation and Exoplanets
We study how planets form, evolve, and acquire the properties of the planetary systems we observe today. Our research spans the full range of planetary evolution, from young protoplanets embedded in their natal disks to mature exoplanetary systems. By combining observations with theoretical models and numerical simulations, we investigate how the processes governing planet formation shape the diversity and architecture of planetary systems. We connect this work to the study of star formation, which determines the environments in which planets emerge, and to laboratory experiments exploring the chemistry of dust and complex organic molecules relevant to the origin of life. We also develop state-of-the-art astronomical instruments for ground-based telescopes and space missions, enabling observations at the forefront of the field.
How do planets form, and why are planetary systems so diverse? We investigate the processes that transform microscopic dust grains in protoplanetary disks into pebbles, planetesimals, and ultimately rocky and giant planets. We study how young planets interact with their natal disks, carve gaps and other structures, migrate through their environments, and acquire the chemical compositions that influence their subsequent evolution. We also develop new techniques to directly image and characterize exoplanets, revealing the properties and architectures of planetary systems. By linking observations of young systems to those of mature worlds, we seek to understand how the earliest stages of planet formation shape the planetary systems we observe today.
Planet formation is closely tied to the formation of stars themselves. We study star formation across a range of environments, from massive clusters to more isolated groups of low-mass stars, to understand how the conditions surrounding young stars influence the emergence and evolution of planetary systems. Complementing these astronomical studies, our laboratory experiments reproduce conditions found in interstellar clouds and protoplanetary disks. We investigate how prebiotic molecules form and evolve on cold dust grains, providing insights into the chemical pathways that may supply young planets with the ingredients for life.
Addressing these questions requires a combination of complementary approaches. We bring together multi-wavelength observations from major ground-based telescopes and space-based infrared observatories with theoretical models, large-scale numerical simulations, and laboratory experiments. Observing faint planets next to bright stars and resolving the innermost regions of protoplanetary disks pushes the limits of angular resolution, contrast, and spectral resolving power. We therefore play an active role in designing and building the advanced astronomical instruments needed to meet these challenges, with particular expertise in adaptive optics and interferometry for ground-based observations, as well as highly sensitive infrared instrumentation for space missions.
