Open+Questions

Sample Open Questions in Exoplanet Science:
(If you would like to use the wiki to expand on any of these, please add a link to a separate page for discussion.)

Tides

 * dynamical tides in general
 * thermal tides & synchronization
 * pseudo-synchronization for eccentric planets
 * role of tides on stellar host
 * Tidal Q and effects (and plunging)
 * Where is the heat deposited?
 * Effects on spins of planets and stars
 * Angular momentum alignment

Formation

 * formation at large distances to explain recently directly-imaged planets
 * Planetesimal growth through the 1-meter bottleneck
 * Terrestrial, ice giant, and gas giant formation, relative fractions, and orbital distributions
 * Core accretion vs. direct collapse models of giant planet formation - evidence for dense cores
 * Brown dwarfs and brown dwarf desert( ?)
 * Distinction between BDs and EGPs (IAU vs. origins; discriminants)
 * Zodiacal light distribution (re TPF, patchiness, etc.)
 * Gravitational Instability
 * Cluster environment within which planetary systems form

Migration

 * Gas accretion during migration
 * What halts migration?
 * how can massive palnets be "pushed"?
 * role of disk turbulence (MRI, dead zones)
 * role of disk thermodynamics (horseshoe drag)
 * T-Tauri spin connection
 * Holes in Disk

Orbital Dynamics

 * generality of planet-planet scattering process (Solar System vs. exosystems)
 * "Nice" model
 * Resonances, stability
 * Architecture
 * Effect on Habitability

Planetary Structure & Evolution

 * super-Earths vs mini-Neptunes, can we tell the difference?
 * Equations of state for planets
 * Radius vs. Mass
 * Rotational effects (especially on gas giants)
 * Solid-body and gaseous convection
 * How to explain the large radii of some EGPs?
 * The dynamics - structure connection

Atmospheres

 * different approaches to circulation regimes & validation
 * Non-equilibrium atmospheric chemistry (e.g. CO_2)
 * Thermal inversions and causes (correlation with zonal winds, hot spots)
 * Zonal flows, heat redistribution
 * Day-night contrasts
 * Mechanism of dissipation in exoplanet atmospheres
 * Climate, 3D effects
 * Spectral signatures of life [biosignatures] (non-equilibrium biotic chemistry, red edge, ....)
 * Temporal variation of atmospheres and spectra
 * Evaporation

Habitability

 * Habitable zones
 * Biosignatures
 * The effects of terrestrial planet mass on habitability
 * dynamical and orbital effects on habitability

Various

 * Star-planet compositional differences
 * Lithium depletion in stellar atmospheres (and evidence for planet consumption by star)
 * Magnetic field diagnostics and effects
 * Moon and Rings