Angular Momentum Transfer in a Protolunar Disk

Abstract

We numerically calculated angular momentum transfer processes in a dense particulate disk within the Roche limit by global N-body simulations, up to N = 105, for parameters corresponding to a protolunar disk generated by a giant impact on a proto-Earth. In the simulations, both self-gravity and inelastic physical collisions are included. We first formalized expressions for angular momentum transfer rate including self-gravity and calculated the transfer rate with the results of our N-body simulations. Spiral structure is formed within the Roche limit by self-gravity and energy dissipation of inelastic collisions, and angular momentum is effectively transferred outward. Angular momentum transfer is dominated by both gravitational torque due to the spiral structure and particles' collective motion associated with the structure. Since formation and evolution of the spiral structure is regulated by the disk surface density, the angular momentum transfer rate depends on surface density, but not on particle size or number, so that the timescale of evolution of a particulate disk is independent of the number of particles (N) that is used to represent the disk, if N is large enough to represent the spiral structure. With N = 105, the detailed spiral structure is resolved, while it is only poorly resolved with N = 103; however, we found that calculated angular momentum transfer does not change as long as N ≳ 103.