How Binary Star Systems May Launch Rogue Jupiters
Aleksandra Ćalović and collaborators show that Jupiter-like free-floating planets may be ejected from young binary systems formed by disc fragmentation. Their 3D simulations reveal that as a secondary star grows, its gravitational interactions with nearby planets often fling them into interstellar space. These ejections are most common in massive binaries and could explain the abundance of rogue Jupiters observed in young star clusters.
The Journey of Lonely Planets: How Planet-Planet Scattering Creates Free-Floating Worlds
Planet-planet scattering can eject planets from their systems, creating free-floating planets (FFPs). Simulations reveal that 40-80% of planets are ejected, often within 100 million years, with speeds of 2-6 km/s. Collisions reduce ejections, and bound planets end up on eccentric orbits. To match observed FFPs, 5-10 planets must form per star, highlighting scattering as a key mechanism in their creation.