Primitive Planetesimals from the Solar System and Beyond — Bin Yang (UDP)

Comets are remnant planetesimals from the primordial protoplanetary disk, offering invaluable insights into the origins of our Solar System, planet formation, and the emergence of life on Earth. However, a significant challenge remains in distinguishing whether the properties observed in comets are intrinsic or the result of evolutionary processes. Recent discoveries of distant comets active beyond the 5 AU water sublimation zone and, in some cases, extending past Uranus, suggest that these objects are remarkably pristine, having experienced minimal solar heating and thermal alteration. These comets provide a unique opportunity to study well-preserved planetesimals from the early Solar System and to connect their observed properties to the primordial conditions of the protoplanetary disk around the young Sun. At the same time, recent studies of interstellar objects have opened a new frontier by enabling direct investigation of planetesimals formed around other stars. In this talk, I will review recent JWST studies of comets and highlight the major findings. I will also present recent observations of the newly discovered third interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, and discuss the implications of these studies for our understanding of planet formation and the early evolution of planetary systems.

Horarios: 2 Jun 2026

Publicado por: Gijs Mulders