Dr Craig Agnor
Senior Lecturer in Physics
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Research
celestial mechanics/ planets and satellites, solar system evolution, planets and satellites formation, planetary dynamics, planetary systems, accretion
Interests
The aim of my research is to understand the origin of planets and satellites. I am principally interested in how gravitational dynamics determine the orbital structure of planetary systems and how giant collisions may account for the development of particular planetary characteristics (e.g. large obliquities, satellite formation, thermal excess/deficits). In this work I utilise a combination of analytic theory and numerical simulation (e.g., N-body orbital integrations, hydrodynamic calculations of planetary collisions) to examine the collisional and dynamical evolution of planets.
In the past my work has addressed a variety of topics in solar system evolution including: the formation of the terrestrial planets and the origin of the Earth/Moon system, the capture of Neptune's large retrograde moon Triton, `Giant Impacts' between planets and the origin of planetary characteristics, and understanding the implications of large-scale orbital migration of the solar system's giant planets.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Fundamental Physics
2015
The EChO science caseTinetti G Drossart P Eccleston P Hartogh P Isaak K Linder M Lovis C Micela G et al.
In
Echo - Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory,
Springer Nature 449-511.
29-11-2015 
The EChO science caseTinetti G Drossart P Eccleston P Hartogh P Isaak K Linder M Lovis C Micela G et al.
In
Arxiv 19-02-20152014
Neptune and Triton: Essential pieces of the Solar System puzzleMasters A Achilleos N Agnor CB Campagnola S Charnoz S Christophe B Coates AJ Fletcher LN et al.
Planetary and Space Science,
Elsevier vol. 104, 108-121.
01-12-2014 The science case for an orbital mission to Uranus: Exploring the origins and evolution of ice giant planetsArridge CS Achilleos N Agarwal J Agnor CB Ambrosi R André N Badman SV Baines K et al.
Planetary and Space Science,
Elsevier vol. 104, 122-140.
01-12-2014 Neptune and triton: Essential pieces of the solar system puzzleMasters A Achilleos N Agnor CB Campagnola S Charnoz S Christophe B Fletcher LN Jones GH et al.
Planetary and Space Science. vol. 104 (PA), 108-121.
01-12-2014 Embryo impacts and gas giant mergers – II. Diversity of hot Jupiters’ internal structureLiu S-F Lin DNC
Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical Society,
Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 446 (2), 1685-1702.
20-11-2014 Embryo impacts and gas giant mergers II: Diversity of Hot Jupiters' internal structureLiu S-F Agnor CB Lin DNC
In
Arxiv 24-10-2014 2013
Possible scenarios for eccentricity evolution in the extrasolar planetary system HD 181433Campanella G Nelson RP Agnor CB
In
Arxiv 31-05-2013 Possible scenarios for eccentricity evolution in the extrasolar planetary system HD 181433Campanella G Nelson RP Agnor CB
Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical Society vol. 433 (4), 3190-3207.
01-01-2013 2012
ON THE MIGRATION OF JUPITER AND SATURN: CONSTRAINTS FROM LINEAR MODELS OF SECULAR RESONANT COUPLING WITH THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETSAgnor CB
Astrophysical Journal vol. 745 (2)
01-02-2012 Uranus Pathfinder: exploring the origins and evolution of Ice Giant planetsArridge CS Agnor CB Andre N Baines KH Fletcher LN Gautier D Hofstadter MD Jones GH et al.
Experimental Astronomy vol. 33 (2-3), 753-791.
01-01-2012 EChOTinetti G Beaulieu JP Henning T Meyer M Micela G Ribas I Stam D Swain M et al.
Experimental Astronomy vol. 34 (2), 311-353.
01-01-2012 2011
EChO - Exoplanet Characterisation ObservatoryTinetti G Beaulieu JP Henning T Meyer M Micela G Ribas I Stam D Swain M et al.
In
Arxiv 12-12-2011 On the Migration of Jupiter and Saturn: Constraints from Linear Models of Secular Resonant Coupling with the Terrestrial PlanetsAgnor CB
In
Arxiv 23-10-2011 The science of EChOTinetti G Cho JYK Griffith CA Grasset O Grenfell L Guillot T Koskinen TT Moses JI et al.
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. vol. 6, 359-370.
01-01-2011 2010
EMBRYO IMPACTS AND GAS GIANT MERGERS. I. DICHOTOMY OF JUPITER AND SATURN'S CORE MASSLi SL Agnor CB
Astrophys J vol. 720 (2), 1161-1173.
10-09-2010 Three-body capture of irregular satellites: Application to JupiterPhilpott CM Agnor CB
Icarus vol. 208 (2), 824-836.
01-08-2010 DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY AND MOONLET FORMATION IN SATURN's RINGSBeurle K Murray CD Williams GA Evans MW Cooper NJ Agnor CB
Astrophys J Lett vol. 718 (2), L176-L180.
01-08-2010 Embryo impacts and gas giant mergers I: Dichotomy of Jupiter and Saturn's core massLi SL Agnor CB
In
Arxiv 27-07-2010 2009
Three-Body Capture of Irregular Satellites: Application to JupiterPhilpott C Hamilton DP Agnor CB
In
Arxiv 06-11-2009 2008
Dynamical and thermal implications of Martian core formation timescalesNimmo F
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA. vol. 72 (12), A684-A684.
01-07-2008 Implications of an impact origin for the martian hemispheric dichotomy.Nimmo F Hart SD Korycansky DG
Nature vol. 453 (7199), 1220-1223.
26-06-2008 2007
Giant impact, planetary merger, and diversity of planetary-core massLi S-L Agnor C
Proceedings of The International Astronomical Union,
Cambridge University Press (Cup) vol. 3 (S249), 301-303.
01-10-2007 2006
Meteoritical and planetological consequences of hit and run non-accretionary giant impactsAsphaug E Agnor CB Scott ERD
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE. vol. 41 (8), A18-A18.
01-08-2006 Neptune's capture of its moon Triton in a binary-planet gravitational encounterAgnor CB
Nature vol. 441 (7090), 192-194.
11-05-2006 Isotopic outcomes of N-body accretion simulations: Constraints on equilibration processes during large impacts from HfAV observationsNimmo F
Earth Planet Sc Lett vol. 243 (1-2), 26-43.
15-03-2006 Hit-and-run planetary collisionsAsphaug E Williams Q
Nature vol. 439 (7073), 155-160.
12-01-2006 2004
Accretion efficiency during planetary collisionsAgnor C
Astrophys J vol. 613 (2), L157-L160.
01-10-2004 2003
The Role of Giant Planets in Terrestrial Planet FormationAGNOR CB
Astronomical Journal vol. 125, 2692-2713.
01-05-2003 TIDAL DISRUPTION OF PRIMORDIAL ASTEROIDS: A NEW PATHWAY FOR METEORITE PETROGENESISAsphaug E Agnor C Petit JM
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE. vol. 38 (7), A28-A28.
01-01-2003 2002
Damping of terrestrial-planet eccentricities by density-wave interactions with a remnant gas diskAgnor CB Ward WR
Astrophys J vol. 567 (1), 579-586.
01-03-2002 2001
On the accretion of distant planetsWard WR Agnor CB Tanaka H VonHippel T Simpson C Manset N
ASTROPHYSICAL AGES AND TIME SCALES. vol. 245, 111-120.
01-01-2001
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Fundamental Physics
Research Group
PhD Students
- Ali Reza Barlas
Natural Satellite Origin and Evolution - Alex Hughes
Probing Early Stellar and Planetary Evolution Using Ngts Time Series Photometry
