Kiersten Boley (Ohio State)

Planet formation is fundamentally linked to the chemical evolution of the galaxy. For planet formation to occur, there must first be sufficient metals within the protoplanetary disk. The multitude of planet discoveries indicate distinct planet populations implying a diversity of compositions and formation mechanisms that arise by varying the initial conditions. As more data from spectroscopy surveys becomes available, we will be able to better constrain the influence of abundances on particular planet populations. In this talk, I will discuss the impact of abundances galactic planet formation through the lens of metallicity to determine the required material for the first generations of planets to form within the Milky Way. Using lava worlds as a case study, I will also show the potential impact of volatiles on the interior structure of rocky planets discussing whether we can expect all lava worlds to be inflated.