Origins of Giant Planets: Physics, Chemistry, and Chronology of Giant Planet Formation

Origins of Giant Planets is a comprehensive overview of giant planet formation aimed at new researchers in the field. With the capability of the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to push the mass limit for direct imaging of young planets down to Saturn's scale, observations within the next ten years are likely to bring meaningful constraints to models of giant planet formation.

Volume one covers protoplanetary disk theory, dynamics of planet-forming dust and ice, collisional grain growth, and planetesimal formation. All theoretical models are benchmarked against empirical knowledge gleaned from disk observations, laboratory research, meteoritics, and solar system dynamics. After reading this book, students and postdocs will be ready to start their own original research into planet formation. Origins of Giant Planets is also a useful reference for senior researchers seeking interdisciplinary connections between astrophysics, planetary science, and cosmochemistry.

Key Features:

• Provides a comprehensive overview of giant planet formation
• All theories are compared with observational constraints
• Suggests productive avenues for future research
• Includes discussions of chemistry as well as gravitational dynamics and thermal physics
• Well timed to be available to JWST observers