Planets in Globular Clusters?
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: The discovery of planets around PSR~1257+12 suggests that planetary systems may be detected around the recycled pulsars found in globular clusters. Planetary systems in dense clusters have lifetimes to disruption due to perturbations by passing stars comparable to or shorter than the pulsar lifetime, and observations of planets in the cores of clusters may reveal planetary systems formally dynamically unstable on time scales short compared to the characteristic age, $τ_c$, of the system. Planets formed around cluster pulsars will most likely be restricted to semi--major axis of $\sim 0.1-1.0\, AU$, while "scavenged" planets may be observed in wider orbits, with no stable systems expected in the densest clusters. Observation is most probable in the cluster rich high--density pre-core collapse clusters such as 47Tuc. Detection of planets around cluster pulsars can constrain planet formation mechanisms, in particular the effects of low metallicity on planet formation in disks.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Sigurdsson, Steinn
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2997054464