PF-10-0003

The effects of binary companions on planet formation and evolution

Clemence Fontanive

While numerous exoplanets have now been uncovered in stellar binaries, the impact of companion stars on planet formation and evolution is still not understood. I present results of population trends seen among the known sample of planets in multiple star systems, which allows us to investigate the effects of stellar binarity on the resulting planetary architectures. In particular, observations of stars hosting high-mass close-in giant planets find an excess of binary companions on few hundred AU separations, suggesting that such systems may provide favourable conditions for the formation of the observed inner companions. In addition, new results from simulations of circumstellar disks adapted to binary star environments indicate that certain binary configurations may help trigger the formation of giant planets through gravitational fragmentation in otherwise-stable disks.