Zusammenfassung
This paper reviews our current understanding of terrestrial planets
formation. The focus is on computer simulations of the dynamical aspects of the
accretion process. Throughout the chapter, we combine the results of these
theoretical models with geochemical, cosmochemical and chronological
constraints, in order to outline a comprehensive scenario of the early
evolution of our Solar System. Given that the giant planets formed first in the
protoplanetary disk, we stress the sensitive dependence of the terrestrial
planet accretion process on the orbital architecture of the giant planets and
on their evolution. This suggests a great diversity among the terrestrial
planets populations in extrasolar systems. Issues such as the cause for the
different masses and accretion timescales between Mars and the Earth and the
origin of water (and other volatiles) on our planet are discussed at depth.
Nutzer