Dr Craig Agnor
Senior Lecturer in Physics
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
celestial mechanics - planets and satellites, solar system evolution, planets and satellites - formation, planetary dynamics, planetary systems, accretion
Interests
The aim of my research is to understand the origin of planets and satellites. I am principally interested in how gravitational dynamics determine the orbital structure of planetary systems and how giant collisions may account for the development of particular planetary characteristics (e.g. large obliquities, satellite formation, thermal excess/deficits). In this work I utilise a combination of analytic theory and numerical simulation (e.g., N-body orbital integrations, hydrodynamic calculations of planetary collisions) to examine the collisional and dynamical evolution of planets.In the past my work has addressed a variety of topics in solar system evolution including: the formation of the terrestrial planets and the origin of the Earth/Moon system, the capture of Neptune's large retrograde moon Triton, `Giant Impacts' between planets and the origin of planetary characteristics, and understanding the implications of large-scale orbital migration of the solar system's giant planets.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Fundamental Physics2015
The EChO science caseTinetti G, Drossart P, Eccleston P, Hartogh P, Isaak K, Linder M, Lovis C, Micela G, Ollivier M, Puig L, Ribas I, Snellen I, Swinyard B, Allard F, Barstow J, Cho J, Coustenis A, Cockell C, Correia A, Decin L, et al.
In Echo - Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory, Springer Nature 449-511.
29-11-2015
2014
Neptune and Triton: Essential pieces of the Solar System puzzleMasters A, Achilleos N, Agnor CB, Campagnola S, Charnoz S, Christophe B, Coates AJ, Fletcher LN, Jones GH, Lamy L, Marzari F, Nettelmann N, Ruiz J, Ambrosi R, Andre N, Bhardwaj A, Fortney JJ, Hansen CJ, Helled R, Moragas-Klostermeyer G, et al.
Planetary and Space Science, Elsevier vol. 104, 108-121.
01-12-2014
The science case for an orbital mission to Uranus: Exploring the origins and evolution of ice giant planetsArridge CS, Achilleos N, Agarwal J, Agnor CB, Ambrosi R, André N, Badman SV, Baines K, Banfield D, Barthélémy M, Bisi MM, Blum J, Bocanegra-Bahamon T, Bonfond B, Bracken C, Brandt P, Briand C, Briois C, Brooks S, Castillo-Rogez J, et al.
Planetary and Space Science, Elsevier vol. 104, 122-140.
01-12-2014
Neptune and triton: Essential pieces of the solar system puzzleMasters A, Achilleos N, Agnor CB, Campagnola S, Charnoz S, Christophe B, Coates AJ, Fletcher LN, Jones GH, Lamy L, Marzari F, Nettelmann N, Ruiz J, Ambrosi R, Andre N, Bhardwaj A, Fortney JJ, Hansen CJ, Helled R, Moragas-Klostermeyer G, et al.
Planetary and Space Science. vol. 104 (PA), 108-121.
01-12-2014
Embryo impacts and gas giant mergers – II. Diversity of hot Jupiters’ internal structureLiu S-F, Agnor CB, Lin DNC and Li S-L
Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical Society, Oxford University Press (Oup) vol. 446 (2), 1685-1702.
20-11-2014
2013
Possible scenarios for eccentricity evolution in the extrasolar planetary system HD 181433Campanella G, Nelson RP and Agnor CB
Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical Society vol. 433 (4), 3190-3207.
01-01-2013
2012
ON THE MIGRATION OF JUPITER AND SATURN: CONSTRAINTS FROM LINEAR MODELS OF SECULAR RESONANT COUPLING WITH THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETSAgnor CB and Lin DNC
Astrophysical Journal vol. 745 (2)
01-02-2012
Uranus Pathfinder: exploring the origins and evolution of Ice Giant planetsArridge CS, Agnor CB, Andre N, Baines KH, Fletcher LN, Gautier D, Hofstadter MD, Jones GH, Lamy L, Langevin Y, Mousis O, Nettelmann N, Russell CT, Stallard T, Tiscareno MS, Tobie G, Bacon A, Chaloner C, Guest M, Kemble S, et al.
Experimental Astronomy vol. 33 (2-3), 753-791.
01-01-2012
EChOTinetti G, Beaulieu JP, Henning T, Meyer M, Micela G, Ribas I, Stam D, Swain M, Krause O, Ollivier M, Pace E, Swinyard B, Aylward A, van Boekel R, Coradini A, Encrenaz T, Snellen I, Zapatero-Osorio MR, Bouwman J, Cho JY-K, et al.
Experimental Astronomy vol. 34 (2), 311-353.
01-01-2012
2011
The science of EChOTinetti G, Cho JYK, Griffith CA, Grasset O, Grenfell L, Guillot T, Koskinen TT, Moses JI, Pinfield D, Tennyson J, Tessenyi M, Wordsworth R, Aylward A, van Boekel R, Coradini A, Encrenaz T, Snellen I, Zapatero-Osorio MR, Bouwman J, du Foresto VC, et al.
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. vol. 6, 359-370.
01-01-2011
2010
EMBRYO IMPACTS AND GAS GIANT MERGERS. I. DICHOTOMY OF JUPITER AND SATURN'S CORE MASSLi SL, Agnor CB and Lin DNC
Astrophys J vol. 720 (2), 1161-1173.
10-09-2010
Three-body capture of irregular satellites: Application to JupiterPhilpott CM, Hamilton DP and Agnor CB
Icarus vol. 208 (2), 824-836.
01-08-2010
DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY AND MOONLET FORMATION IN SATURN's RINGSBeurle K, Murray CD, Williams GA, Evans MW, Cooper NJ and Agnor CB
Astrophys J Lett vol. 718 (2), L176-L180.
01-08-2010
2008
Dynamical and thermal implications of Martian core formation timescalesNimmo F and Agnor CB
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA. vol. 72 (12), A684-A684.
01-07-2008
Implications of an impact origin for the martian hemispheric dichotomy.Nimmo F, Hart SD, Korycansky DG and Agnor CB
Nature vol. 453 (7199), 1220-1223.
26-06-2008
2007
Giant impact, planetary merger, and diversity of planetary-core massLi S-L, Agnor C and Lin DNC
Proceedings of The International Astronomical Union, Cambridge University Press (Cup) vol. 3 (S249), 301-303.
01-10-2007
2006
Meteoritical and planetological consequences of hit and run non-accretionary giant impactsAsphaug E, Agnor CB, Scott ERD and Williams QC
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE. vol. 41 (8), A18-A18.
01-08-2006
Neptune's capture of its moon Triton in a binary-planet gravitational encounterAgnor CB and Hamilton DP
Nature vol. 441 (7090), 192-194.
11-05-2006
Isotopic outcomes of N-body accretion simulations: Constraints on equilibration processes during large impacts from HfAV observationsNimmo F and Agnor CB
Earth Planet Sc Lett vol. 243 (1-2), 26-43.
15-03-2006
Hit-and-run planetary collisionsAsphaug E, Agnor CB and Williams Q
Nature vol. 439 (7073), 155-160.
12-01-2006
2004
Accretion efficiency during planetary collisionsAgnor C and Asphaug E
Astrophys J vol. 613 (2), L157-L160.
01-10-2004
2003
The Role of Giant Planets in Terrestrial Planet FormationAGNOR CB and Levison HF
Astronomical Journal vol. 125, 2692-2713.
01-05-2003
TIDAL DISRUPTION OF PRIMORDIAL ASTEROIDS: A NEW PATHWAY FOR METEORITE PETROGENESISAsphaug E, Agnor C, Petit JM, Rivkin AS and Williams Q
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE. vol. 38 (7), A28-A28.
01-01-2003
2002
Damping of terrestrial-planet eccentricities by density-wave interactions with a remnant gas diskAgnor CB and Ward WR
Astrophys J vol. 567 (1), 579-586.
01-03-2002
2001
On the accretion of distant planetsWard WR, Agnor CB and Tanaka H
ASTROPHYSICAL AGES AND TIME SCALES. vol. 245, 111-120. Editors: VonHippel T, Simpson C and Manset N.
01-01-2001
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Fundamental PhysicsHeliospheric and Planetary Research 2023-2026David Burgess, Christopher Chen and Craig Agnor
£868,380 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC)
01-04-2023 - 31-03-2027
Heliospheric and Planetary Research 2020 - 2023David Burgess, Craig Agnor, Carl Murray and Christopher Chen
£626,070 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC)
01-04-2020 - 31-03-2024
Astromony Researc h at QMRichard Nelson, Craig Agnor, Guillem Anglada Escude, Timothy Clifton, Karim Malik, Sijme-Jan Paardekooper and Chris Clarkson
£1,289,230 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC)
01-04-2017 - 31-03-2021