Alessandro Morbidelli
Determinism and stochasticity in planetary formation processes
A history of the origins and structure of the Solar System, placing it in the context of the diversity of known planetary systems.
For centuries, it was thought that all planetary systems, by virtue of the universality of physical laws, resembled our own. However, the discovery of numerous extrasolar planets has revealed their great diversity.
This book presents the current state of knowledge on the structure of known planetary systems, while situating our own Solar System in this vast context. How can universal laws give rise to such diversity ? Some of the processes involved in planet formation are apparently deterministic, while others are more complex and can lead to stochastic behaviour. This sensitivity of planetary formation to contingencies invites us to reflect on the probability of the existence of planets similar to our own elsewhere in the galaxy, as well as on the possibility of the development of life on exotic worlds.
Morbidelli A., Déterminisme et stochasticité des processus de formation planétaire, Paris, Collège de France, coll. " Leçons inaugurales ",no 327, June 2024, 72 p.
ISBN : 978-2-7226-0662-3
Price : €12
Publication : 20 June 2024
