Circumstellar Disk Collisions May Form Free-Floating Planets

A study in Science Advances proposes a new formation mechanism for free-floating planetary-mass objects (PMOs). Led by Dr. DENG Hongping from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, the research suggests PMOs can arise from violent interactions between circumstellar disks in young star clusters. High-resolution simulations show colliding disks form tidal bridges, fragmenting into PMOs. Up to 14% of PMOs may form in binary systems with close separations. PMOs inherit material from the outer edges of circumstellar disks, giving them a unique composition. Many PMOs retain vast gas disks, potentially forming moons or planets. Researchers aim to further investigate PMO chemical composition and disk structures.