Special Session SS35
Exoplanets and the Galactic environment
Aims and scope
When, where, and how planets form are among the most actively pursued questions in exoplanet science. The formation and evolution of planetary systems cannot be understood in isolation from their stellar and Galactic context. Stars inherit the chemical composition of the interstellar medium at the time and place of their birth, and because stars and planets form from the same material, Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) is expected to impact the formation and evolution of planetary systems. The chemical composition of the Galaxy changes through time - younger stars are metal-richer compared to their older counterparts - and varies as a function of the Galactocentric radius. Since metallicity is one of the key drivers of planet formation, exoplanet demographics are expected to reflect the GCE trends.
To fully understand where planets form, it is also necessary to account for stellar migration: a star?s present-day position may differ from its birthplace, and thus the chemical environment of its formation may not match its current location. This complicates efforts to link stellar chemistry to the diversity of exoplanetary systems but also offers an opportunity to study planet formation under different Galactic conditions. At the same time, it is still unclear whether planet-hosting stars show distinct chemical abundance patterns relative to non-hosts once the effects of GCE are removed, and also, whether planet engulfment events might show specific chemical signatures in stellar atmospheres. Disentangling these effects is crucial to determine whether abundance signatures can truly be used as fingerprints of planet formation.
This session will bring together observers and modelers from stellar astrophysics, Galactic archaeology, and exoplanet science to highlight recent advances, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and outline strategies for the next decade of discoveries. Synergies with ongoing and upcoming planet detection missions (Gaia, TESS, PLATO, Ariel, ELTs, Roman, HRMOS) and Galactic surveys (APOGEE, LAMOST, GALAH, 4MOST, WEAVE, WST, etc.) will be emphasized to ensure that the community is ready to exploit the data that will soon become available to understand the interplay between the Galactic environment, stellar evolution, and planet formation.
Topics of discussion:
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