The formation of planets by disc fragmentation
  I discuss the role that disc fragmentation plays in the formation of gas
giant and terrestrial planets, and how this relates to the formation of brown
dwarfs and low-mass stars, and ultimately to the process of star formation.
Protostellar discs may fragment, if they are massive enough and can cool fast
enough, but most of the objects that form by fragmentation are brown dwarfs. It
may be possible that planets also form, if the mass growth of a proto-fragment
is stopped (e.g. if this fragment is ejected from the disc), or suppressed and
even reversed (e.g by tidal stripping). I will discuss if it is possible to
distinguish whether a planet has formed by disc fragmentation or core
accretion, and mention of a few examples of observed exoplanets that are
suggestive of formation by disc fragmentation .
