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How common are Earth-Moon planetary systems?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2011

Sebastian Elser
Affiliation:
Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland email: selser@physik.uzh.ch, stadel@physik.uzh.ch, moore@physik.uzh.ch
Joachim Stadel
Affiliation:
Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland email: selser@physik.uzh.ch, stadel@physik.uzh.ch, moore@physik.uzh.ch
Ben Moore
Affiliation:
Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland email: selser@physik.uzh.ch, stadel@physik.uzh.ch, moore@physik.uzh.ch
Ryuji Morishima
Affiliation:
LASP, University of Colorado, Colorado 80303-7814, USA email: ryuji.morishima@lasp.colorado.edu
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Abstract

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The Earth's comparatively massive moon, formed via a giant impact on the proto-Earth, has played an important role in the development of life on our planet. Here we study how frequently Earth-Moon planetary systems occur. We derive limits on the collision parameters that may guarantee the formation of a circumplanetary disk after a protoplanet collision that could form a satellite. Based on a large set of simulations, we observe potential moon forming impacts and conclude that giant impacts with the required energy and orbital parameters for producing a binary planetary system occur frequently with more than one in ten terrestrial planets hosting a massive moon.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2011

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