From The University of Nevada-Las Vegas
4.19.24
Tony Allen
Study in Nature Astronomy theorizes that dense stellar clusters may eject pairs of giant planets, which remain gravitationally bound to one another.
The recent discovery of a potential new class of distant and mysterious “free-floating” planets has intrigued astronomers since stunning new images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope were shared late last year.
These candidate planets, known as Jupiter-mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs), seem to orbit one another as they float freely in space unbound to any star – which counters prevailing theories of how planetary systems were thought to work.
Now, a groundbreaking new study by a team of astrophysicists from UNLV and Stony Brook University, published April 19 in the journal Nature Astronomy, introduces a compelling model for how these JuMBOs may have formed.
The team used advanced techniques, known as direct N-body simulations, to explore how interactions within dense stellar clusters could lead to the ejection of giant planets that remain gravitationally bound to each other as they drift through the galaxy. This significant research offers a model for how these enigmatic binaries may form, filling a critical gap in our understanding of planetary evolution.
“Our simulations demonstrate that close stellar encounters can spontaneously eject pairs of giant planets from their native systems, leading them to orbit each other in space,” said study corresponding author Yihan Wang, a postdoctoral fellow with the Nevada Center for Astrophysics at UNLV. “These findings could significantly alter our perception of planetary dynamics and the diversity of planetary systems in our universe.”
The research indicates that such events are more likely to occur within densely populated star clusters, suggesting that free-floating binary planets could be more common than previously thought. The characteristics of these planetary pairs – such as their separation and orbital eccentricity – provide new insights into the violent environmental conditions that influence planetary formation.
“It introduces dynamic stellar interactions as an important factor in the development of unusual planetary systems in dense stellar environments,” said Rosalba Perna, study co-author and professor of physics and astronomy at Stony Brook University.
According to researchers, this new work broadens what we know about planetary formation and also sets the stage for future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which could provide further evidence supporting the team’s predictions.
“Understanding the formation of JuMBOs helps us challenge and refine the prevailing theories of planet formation,” said UNLV astrophysicist and study co-author Zhaohuan Zhu. “Forthcoming observations from the JWST may help us do just that, offering new insights with each observation that will help us better formulate new theories of giant planet formation.”
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The University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada. The 332-acre (134 ha) campus is about 1.6 mi (2.6 km) east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. It includes the Shadow Lane Campus, just east of the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, which houses both School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine. UNLV’s law school, the William S. Boyd School of Law, is the only law school in the state.
It is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity”. According to the National Science Foundation, UNLV spends about $100 million annually on research and development.
UNLV offers more than 350 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in varying fields, which are taught by about 900 faculty members.
Academic schools, colleges and divisions:
School of Integrated Health Sciences
School of Architecture
School of Public Health
College of Education
Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
College of Fine Arts
Graduate College
Honors College
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
Hank Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies
College of Liberal Arts
School of Music
College of Sciences
Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
School of Public Policy and Leadership
School of Environment and Public Affairs
School of Social Work
Department of Communication Studies
Department of Criminal Justice
Professional schools:
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
Lee Business School
School of Dental Medicine
School of Nursing
William S. Boyd School of Law
UNLV research and economic development activities increased for the fourth consecutive year, according to the fiscal-year-end report from the Division of Research and Economic Development.
The College of Sciences receives the largest amount of award funding among the colleges. The College of Education posted the largest percentage gain in award funding.
UNLV’s economic development activities continue to grow. Many patents are filed annually. Licensing revenue is high.
Another measure of university research activity is the number of doctoral degrees conferred, as doctoral programs require a strong research component culminating in the doctoral dissertation.
According to the QS World University Rankings, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality’s Hotel Administration program is ranked very highly in the world.
Lee Business School’s part-time MBA program is annually ranked very highly in U.S. News & World Report’s.
The Atlantic recognized UNLV’s English department as having one of the nation’s most innovative master of fine arts programs and one of the top-five doctoral programs in creative writing.
Down Beat magazine, the internationally recognized industry standard trade publication for jazz music, recognized the work of the UNLV Jazz Ensemble as “Outstanding Large Jazz Ensemble Performance” among graduate college-level jazz bands in their annual Student Music Award issue of that year.
UNLV surpassed New York University as the most diverse university for undergraduates according to U.S. News & World Report.
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