The Compositional Dimension of Planet Formation

TL;DR

This paper discusses how the chemical compositions of planets, combined with diverse formation and evolution processes, can help decode their histories and origins within planetary systems.

Contribution

It provides a unifying perspective linking planetary chemical compositions to their formation environments and evolutionary paths.

Findings

Chemical composition reveals planetary formation histories.

Multiple formation paths can produce similar planetary architectures.

Integrating diverse fields enhances understanding of planetary origins.

Abstract

The great diversity of the thousands of planets known to date is proof of the multitude of ways in which formation and evolution processes can shape the life of planetary systems. Multiple formation and evolution paths, however, can result in the same planetary architecture. Because of this, unveiling the individual histories of planetary systems and their planets can prove a challenging task. The chemical composition of planets provides us with a guiding light for navigate this challenge, but to understand the information it carries we need to properly link it to the chemical composition and characteristics of the environments in which the planets formed. To achieve this goal it is necessary to combine the information and perspectives provided by a growing number of different fields of study, spanning the whole lifecycle of stars and their planetary systems. The aim of this chapter is to provide the unifying perspective needed to understand and connect such diverse information, and illustrate the process through which we can decode the message contained into the composition of planetary bodies.