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 Physics
2015
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.
01-12-2014Embryo 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
