Dr Craig Agnor
Senior Lecturer in Physics
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
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 Physics2015
Tinetti G, Drossart P, Eccleston P, Hartogh P, Isaak K, Linder M, Lovis C, Micela G, Ollivier M, Puig L, Ribas I, Snellen I, Swinyard B, Allard F, Barstow J, Cho J, Coustenis A, Cockell C, Correia A, Decin L, et al. (2015). The EChO science case. EChO - Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory 449-511. 29-11-2015
2014
Masters A, Achilleos N, Agnor CB, Campagnola S, Charnoz S, Christophe B, Coates AJ, Fletcher LN, Jones GH, Lamy L, Marzari F, Nettelmann N, Ruiz J, Ambrosi R, Andre N, Bhardwaj A, Fortney JJ, Hansen CJ, Helled R, Moragas-Klostermeyer G, et al. (2014). Neptune and Triton: Essential pieces of the Solar System puzzle. Planetary and Space Science, Elsevier vol. 104, 108-121. 01-12-2014
Arridge CS, Achilleos N, Agarwal J, Agnor CB, Ambrosi R, André N, Badman SV, Baines K, Banfield D, Barthélémy M, Bisi MM, Blum J, Bocanegra-Bahamon T, Bonfond B, Bracken C, Brandt P, Briand C, Briois C, Brooks S, Castillo-Rogez J, et al. (2014). The science case for an orbital mission to Uranus: Exploring the origins and evolution of ice giant planets. Planetary and Space Science, Elsevier vol. 104, 122-140. 01-12-2014
Masters A, Achilleos N, Agnor CB, Campagnola S, Charnoz S, Christophe B, Coates AJ, Fletcher LN, Jones GH, Lamy L, Marzari F, Nettelmann N, Ruiz J, Ambrosi R, Andre N, Bhardwaj A, Fortney JJ, Hansen CJ, Helled R, Moragas-Klostermeyer G, et al. (2014). Neptune and triton: Essential pieces of the solar system puzzle. 01-12-2014
Liu S-F, Agnor CB, Lin DNC and Li S-L (2014). Embryo impacts and gas giant mergers – II. Diversity of hot Jupiters’ internal structure. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 446 (2), 1685-1702. 20-11-2014
2013
Campanella G, Nelson RP and Agnor CB (2013). Possible scenarios for eccentricity evolution in the extrasolar planetary system HD 181433. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY vol. 433 (4), 3190-3207. 01-01-2013
2012
Agnor CB and Lin DNC (2012). ON THE MIGRATION OF JUPITER AND SATURN: CONSTRAINTS FROM LINEAR MODELS OF SECULAR RESONANT COUPLING WITH THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL vol. 745 (2) 01-02-2012
Arridge CS, Agnor CB, Andre N, Baines KH, Fletcher LN, Gautier D, Hofstadter MD, Jones GH, Lamy L, Langevin Y, Mousis O, Nettelmann N, Russell CT, Stallard T, Tiscareno MS, Tobie G, Bacon A, Chaloner C, Guest M, Kemble S, et al. (2012). Uranus Pathfinder: exploring the origins and evolution of Ice Giant planets. EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY vol. 33 (2-3), 753-791. 01-01-2012
Tinetti G, Beaulieu JP, Henning T, Meyer M, Micela G, Ribas I, Stam D, Swain M, Krause O, Ollivier M, Pace E, Swinyard B, Aylward A, van Boekel R, Coradini A, Encrenaz T, Snellen I, Zapatero-Osorio MR, Bouwman J, Cho JY-K, et al. (2012). EChO. EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY vol. 34 (2), 311-353. 01-01-2012
2011
Tinetti G, Cho JYK, Griffith CA, Grasset O, Grenfell L, Guillot T, Koskinen TT, Moses JI, Pinfield D, Tennyson J, Tessenyi M, Wordsworth R, Aylward A, van Boekel R, Coradini A, Encrenaz T, Snellen I, Zapatero-Osorio MR, Bouwman J, du Foresto VC, et al. (2011). The science of EChO. 01-01-2011
2010
Li SL, Agnor CB and Lin DNC (2010). EMBRYO IMPACTS AND GAS GIANT MERGERS. I. DICHOTOMY OF JUPITER AND SATURN'S CORE MASS. ASTROPHYS J vol. 720 (2), 1161-1173. 10-09-2010
Philpott CM, Hamilton DP and Agnor CB (2010). Three-body capture of irregular satellites: Application to Jupiter. ICARUS vol. 208 (2), 824-836. 01-08-2010
Beurle K, Murray CD, Williams GA, Evans MW, Cooper NJ and Agnor CB (2010). DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY AND MOONLET FORMATION IN SATURN's RINGS. ASTROPHYS J LETT vol. 718 (2), L176-L180. 01-08-2010
2008
Nimmo F and Agnor CB (2008). Dynamical and thermal implications of Martian core formation timescales. 01-07-2008
Nimmo F, Hart SD, Korycansky DG and Agnor CB (2008). Implications of an impact origin for the martian hemispheric dichotomy. Nature vol. 453 (7199), 1220-1223. 26-06-2008
2007
Li S-L, Agnor C and Lin DNC (2007). Giant impact, planetary merger, and diversity of planetary-core mass. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, Cambridge University Press (CUP) vol. 3 (S249), 301-303. 01-10-2007
2006
Asphaug E, Agnor CB, Scott ERD and Williams QC (2006). Meteoritical and planetological consequences of hit and run non-accretionary giant impacts. 01-08-2006
Agnor CB and Hamilton DP (2006). Neptune's capture of its moon Triton in a binary-planet gravitational encounter. NATURE vol. 441 (7090), 192-194. 11-05-2006
Nimmo F and Agnor CB (2006). Isotopic outcomes of N-body accretion simulations: Constraints on equilibration processes during large impacts from HfAV observations. EARTH PLANET SC LETT vol. 243 (1-2), 26-43. 15-03-2006
Asphaug E, Agnor CB and Williams Q (2006). Hit-and-run planetary collisions. NATURE vol. 439 (7073), 155-160. 12-01-2006
2004
Agnor C and Asphaug E (2004). Accretion efficiency during planetary collisions. ASTROPHYS J vol. 613 (2), L157-L160. 01-10-2004
2003
AGNOR CB and Levison HF (2003). The Role of Giant Planets in Terrestrial Planet Formation. Astronomical Journal vol. 125, 2692-2713. 01-05-2003
Asphaug E, Agnor C, Petit JM, Rivkin AS and Williams Q (2003). TIDAL DISRUPTION OF PRIMORDIAL ASTEROIDS: A NEW PATHWAY FOR METEORITE PETROGENESIS. 01-01-2003
2002
Agnor CB and Ward WR (2002). Damping of terrestrial-planet eccentricities by density-wave interactions with a remnant gas disk. ASTROPHYS J vol. 567 (1), 579-586. 01-03-2002
2001
Ward WR, Agnor CB and Tanaka H (2001). On the accretion of distant planets., Editors: VonHippel T, Simpson C and Manset N. 01-01-2001
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Fundamental PhysicsHeliospheric and Planetary Research 2023-2026David Burgess, Christopher Chen and Craig Agnor
£868,380 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC) (01-04-2023 - 31-03-2027)
Heliospheric and Planetary Research 2020 - 2023David Burgess, Craig Agnor, Carl Murray and Christopher Chen
£626,070 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC) (01-04-2020 - 31-03-2024)
Astromony Researc h at QMRichard Nelson, Craig Agnor, Guillem Anglada Escude, Timothy Clifton, Karim Malik, Sijme-Jan Paardekooper and Chris Clarkson
£1,289,230 Science & Technology Research Council (STFC) (01-04-2017 - 31-03-2021)