Prof. Malena Rice (Yale University)

The current configurations of planetary systems each provide a snapshot in time, encoding fossilized clues about the prevalence and diversity of systems’ evolutionary pathways. Orbital architectures, therefore, offer fundamental insights into the physical processes sculpting planetary systems at both the individual and population level. In this talk, I will describe recent advances in our understanding of the 3D orbital architectures of planetary systems, outlining both observational constraints and their theoretical implications. I will discuss how the dynamic relationship between stars, planets, and minor planets informs the underlying processes shaping diverse planetary systems, drawing from the interconnected subfields of exoplanet and solar system science.