Supervised by Daniel Fabrycky of the University of Chicago
What are we resonance chains?
Systems with multiple planet pairs each locked in a mean motion resonance (MMR) are known as resonance chains. These resonances are a theorized consequence of planetary migration. According to standard theories of planet formation, after planets are spawned in protoplanetary disks, they create gravitational wakes, which torque the planets' orbits. Before overtaking each other, the planets interact strongly through resonant effects, which can transfer torque among planets on a timescale even faster than the disk torques each planet. This effect gives rise to resonant trapping phenomena, in which planets migrate in lock-step, with integer-ratio orbital periods. The eventual draining and photoevaporation of the disk can leave behind resonant planets as a fossil record of this evolution. As a result, resonance chains present an exciting oppurtunity to study dynamics and system formation.
Contact Information: siegeljc [at] uchicago [dot] edu
