Summarises current understanding of planet formation processes, and addresses major open questions and research issues.

It is just over ten years since the first planet outside our solar system was detected. Since then, much work has focussed on understanding how extrasolar planets may form, and discovering the frequency of potentially habitable Earth-like planets. This volume addresses fundamental questions concerning the formation of planetary systems in general, and of our solar system in particular. Drawing from recent advances in observational, experimental, and theoretical research, it summarises our current understanding of the planet formation processes, and addresses major open questions and research issues. Chapters are written by leading experts in the field of planet formation and extrasolar planet studies. The book is based on a meeting held at Ringberg Castle in Bavaria, where experts gathered together to present and exchange their ideas and findings. It is a comprehensive resource for graduate students and researchers, and is written to be accessible to newcomers to the field.

1. Historical notes on planet formation Bodenheimer
2. The formation and evolution of planetary systems Bouwman et al
3. Destruction of protoplanetary disks by photoevaporation Richling, Hollenbach, Yorke
4. Turbulence in protoplanetary accretion disks Klahr, Rozyczka, Dziourkevitch, Wunsch, Johansen
5. The origin of solids in the early solar system Trieloff &
Palme
6. Experiments on planetesimal formation Wurm &
Blum
7. Dust coagulation in protoplanetary disks Henning, Dullemond, Wolf, Dominik
8. The accretion of giant planet cores Thommes &
Duncan
9. Planetary transits: direct vision of extrasolar planets Lecavelier des Etangs &
Vidal-Madjar
10. The core accretion - gas capture model Hubickyj
11. Properties of exoplanets Marcy, Fischer, Butler, Vogt
12. Giant planet formation: theories meet observations Boss
13. From hot Jupiters to hot Neptures ... and below Lovis, Mayor, Udry
14. Disk-planet interaction and migration Masset &
Kley
15. The Brown Dwarf - planet relation Bate
16. From astronomy to astrobiology Brandner
17. Overview and prospective Lin.