Planetary Systems in Star Clusters

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the dense environment of star clusters affects the stability and survival of planetary systems, using numerical simulations to understand the impact of stellar encounters.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the dynamical stability of planetary systems in star clusters through comprehensive numerical simulations with varied initial conditions.

Findings

Fewer planets survive in dense star clusters due to close encounters.

Planetary systems are more stable in less dense environments.

Numerical simulations reveal critical conditions for planetary system stability.

Abstract

In the solar neighborhood, where the typical relaxation timescale is larger than the cosmic age, at least 10\% to 15\% of Sun-like stars have planetary systems with Jupiter-mass planets. In contrast, dense star clusters, charactered by frequent close encounters, have been found to host very few planets. We carry out numerical simulations with different initial conditions to investigate the dynamical stability of planetary systems in star cluster environments.