Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 366
This version created on 05 October 2006

Towards a general theory of planet formation:  Classifying GQ Lupi b
and predicting COROT's planets


Guenther Wuchterl, Thueringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg

I present a new approach to planet formation theory that is centered
around a classification of the equilibria of self-gravitating gas
spheres.  A physical description based on the radiation fluid dynamics
with convection is developed and calibrated to the Sun.  The equations
are then applied to all plausible 'nebula' or 'cloud' conditions in an
effort to derive all possible resulting celestial bodies.  Thus a
general framework for star, brown dwarf and planet formation is set up
and used to derive properties of the resulting populations.  Two
applications are shown for illustration:  (1) The origin and nature of
the GQ Lupi system, (2) A prediction of the properties of COROT's
planetary population.  The new IAU definition of a planet will be set
in perspective to the planet classification that result from the new
approach.  

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