What process, observed in exoplanet systems, suggests large planets may not have formed in their current orbital positions?

Answer

Planetary migration inward due to gas disk interactions

While the classical nebular model suggested that planets formed precisely where they are currently observed, modern observations of numerous exoplanet systems indicate a more dynamic history, particularly for massive planets. The concept of planetary migration is introduced to account for this. This phenomenon suggests that large planets can form farther out in the cooler regions of the protoplanetary disk but subsequently interact gravitationally with the remaining dense gas in the disk. These interactions cause the planet's orbit to decay over time, leading to a slow but significant migration inward toward the central star. Such migration helps explain the observed distribution and characteristics of orbital architectures in other star systems.

What process, observed in exoplanet systems, suggests large planets may not have formed in their current orbital positions?

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