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The migration and growth of protoplanets in protostellar discs |
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| Authors: | Richard P Nelson John C B Papaloizou Frédéric Masset Willy Kley |
| Institution: | Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary &Westfield College, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS;Theoretisch-Physikalisches Institut, Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany;Max‐Planck‐Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany |
| Abstract: | We investigate the gravitational interaction of a Jovian-mass protoplanet with a gaseous disc with aspect ratio and kinematic viscosity expected for the protoplanetary disc from which it formed. Different disc surface density distributions are investigated. We focus on the tidal interaction with the disc with the consequent gap formation and orbital migration of the protoplanet. Non-linear two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations are employed using three independent numerical codes. A principal result is that the direction of the orbital migration is always inwards and such that the protoplanet reaches the central star in a near-circular orbit after a characteristic viscous time‐scale of ～10 Assuming that some process such as termination of the inner disc through a magnetospheric cavity stops the migration, the range of masses estimated for a number of close orbiting giant planets as well as their inward orbital migration can be accounted for by consideration of disc–protoplanet interactions during the late stages of giant planet formation. |
| Keywords: | accretion accretion discs methods: numerical planets and satellites: general Solar system: formation planetary systems |