Exoplanets: Detection, Formation and Dynamics (IAU S249)

Book excerpt: In the 12 years since the first discovery of an exoplanet around a main sequence star (51 Peg), more than 270 exoplanets have been detected. The proceedings of IAU Symposium 249 present the latest theoretical and observational advances in the field of exoplanet research, including the ongoing and future projects such as CoRoT and Kepler. The volume opens with a review of exoplanet detection and orbital determination techniques, before looking at the physics of gas giant atmospheres and close-in stars. The topics of planet formation, migration and the dynamical evolution of protoplanetary disks and multi-planet systems are also covered in detail. IAU S249 is a useful reference for the graduate students and researchers working in the exciting field of exoplanet study.