Scientists have discovered a chain reaction mechanism, dubbed the “domino effect,” where the formation of one planet around a star can trigger the creation of others farther out. This finding comes from a new study published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, which observed young star PDS 70, 367 light-years away.
Researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array radio astronomy site to study the system’s rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding the star. They found a clump of dust at the outer edge of two existing planets’ orbits, which is believed to be being shepherded into place by their gravitational influence.
This “domino effect” suggests that planets may form in sequence around stars, with each planet’s development influencing the formation of the next. The study’s findings support this theory and could explain how multi-planet systems like our own solar system formed.
However, it remains unclear whether the solar system formed through this process. Scientists note that gravitational forces and collisions of young planets likely introduced complexity to the process, making it difficult to pinpoint a single mechanism for planetary formation.
The study’s observations were made possible by the Atacama Observatory’s 6.5-meter aperture telescope, which specializes in infrared observations and can see through cosmic dust. The findings are expected to revolutionize ground-based astronomy and provide new insights into planet formation around young stars like PDS 70.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2024/12/13/planets-form-in-a-domino-effect-around-stars-scientists-say