Conditions In Protoplanetary Disk Research Articles

Dust Properties of Comets Observed by Spitzer

As comets journey into the inner solar system, they deliver particulates and volatile gases into their comae that reveal the most primitive materials in the solar system. Cometary dust particles provide crucial information for assessing the physicochemical conditions in the outer disk from which they formed. Compared to the volatiles and soluble organics, the refractory dust particles are more robust and may be traceable to other small bodies. Using data from the Spitzer Heritage Archive, we present thermal dust models of 57 observations of 33 comets observed spectroscopically with the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope. This comet spectral survey offers the opportunity to study comets with data from the same instrument, reduced by the same methods, and fitted by the same thermal model using the same optical constants. The submicron dust tends to be dominated by amorphous carbon, and the submicron silicate mass tends to be dominated by amorphous silicate materials. We discuss the implications of these findings as they relate to Mg-rich crystalline silicates, which are high-temperature condensates, as well as to potential ion irradiation of amorphous Mg:Fe silicates prior to their incorporation into comets. These results impact our understanding of the protoplanetary disk conditions of planetesimal formation. Lastly, we cannot definitively conclude that a distinct difference exists in the dust composition between the Oort cloud and Jupiter-family comet dynamical population as a whole.

Dust dynamics in current sheets within protoplanetary disks

Context.Chondrules originate from the reprocessing of dust grains. They are key building blocks of telluric planets, yet their formation, which must happen in strongly localized regions of high temperature, remains poorly understood.Aims.We examine the dust spatial distribution near regions of strong local heating produced by current sheets, as a step toward exploring a potential path for chondrule formation. We further aim to investigate current sheet formation under various conditions in protoplanetary disks in the presence of ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic resistivity and the effect of current sheet morphology on dust dynamics in their vicinity.Methods.We used the RAMSES code including modules for nonideal magnetohydrodynamics and the solution of the dynamics of multiple sizes of dust grains to compute unstratified shearing box simulations of current sheet formation. Through seven models, we investigated the effect of the ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic resistivity strength, the initial density, and magnetic field, as well as the resolution and box size.Results.We find that current sheets form in all our models, with typical widths of 10−3–10−2AU, and that strong dust fraction variations occur for millimeter-sized grains. These variations are typically of an order of magnitude and up to two orders of magnitude for the most favorable cases. We also show that the box size and resolution has a strong impact on the current sheet distribution and intensity.Conclusions.The formation of current sheets that can intensely heat their surroundings near strong dynamical dust fraction variations could have important implications for chondrule formation, as it appears likely to happen in regions with a large dust fraction.

RV-detected planets around M dwarfs: Challenges for core accretion models

Context. Planet formation is sensitive to the conditions in protoplanetary disks, for which scaling laws as a function of stellar mass are known. Aims. We aim to test whether the observed population of planets around low-mass stars can be explained by these trends, or if separate formation channels are needed. Methods. We address this question by confronting a state-of-the-art planet population synthesis model with a sample of planets around M dwarfs observed by the HARPS and CARMENES radial velocity (RV) surveys. To account for detection biases, we performed injection and retrieval experiments on the actual RV data to produce synthetic observations of planets that we simulated following the core accretion paradigm. Results. These simulations robustly yield the previously reported high occurrence of rocky planets around M dwarfs and generally agree with their planetary mass function. In contrast, our simulations cannot reproduce a population of giant planets around stars less massive than 0.5 solar masses. This potentially indicates an alternative formation channel for giant planets around the least massive stars that cannot be explained with current core accretion theories. We further find a stellar mass dependency in the detection rate of short-period planets. A lack of close-in planets around the earlier-type stars (M* > 0.4 M⊙) in our sample remains unexplained by our model and indicates dissimilar planet migration barriers in disks of different spectral subtypes. Conclusions. Both discrepancies can be attributed to gaps in our understanding of planet migration in nascent M dwarf systems. They underline the different conditions around young stars of different spectral subtypes, and the importance of taking these differences into account when studying planet formation.

A numerical approach to model chemistry of complex organic molecules in a protoplanetary disk

Abstract Multiphase astrochemical modeling presents a numerical challenge especially for the simulation of objects with the wide range of physical parameters such as protoplanetary disks. We demonstrate an implementation of the analytical Jacobian for the numerical integration of the system of differential rate equations that govern chemical evolution in star-forming regions. The analytical Jacobian allowed us to greatly improve the stability of the code in protoplanetary disk conditions. We utilize the MONACO code to study the evolution of abundances of chemical species in protoplanetary disks. The chemical model includes 670 species and 6,015 reactions in the gas phase and on interstellar grains. The specific feature of the utilized chemical model is the inclusion of low-temperature chemical processes leading to the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs), included previously in the models of chemistry of COMs in prestellar clouds. To test the impact of analytical Jacobian on the stability of numerical simulations of chemical evolution in protoplanetary disks, we calculated the chemical composition of the disk using a two-phase model and four variants of the chemical reaction network, three values of the surface diffusion rates, and two types of the initial chemical composition. We also show a preliminary implementation of the analytical Jacobian to a three-phase model.

An unbiased NOEMA 2.6 to 4 mm survey of the GG Tau ring: First detection of CCS in a protoplanetary disk

Context. Molecular line surveys are among the main tools to probe the structure and physical conditions in protoplanetary disks (PPDs), the birthplace of planets. The large radial and vertical temperature as well as density gradients in these PPDs lead to a complex chemical composition, making chemistry an important step to understand the variety of planetary systems. Aims. We aimed to study the chemical content of the protoplanetary disk surrounding GG Tau A, a well-known triple T Tauri system. Methods. We used NOEMA with the new correlator PolyFix to observe rotational lines at ∼2.6 to 4 mm from a few dozen molecules. We analysed the data with a radiative transfer code to derive molecular densities and the abundance relative to 13CO, which we compare to those of the TMC1 cloud and LkCa 15 disk. Results. We report the first detection of CCS in PPDs. We also marginally detect OCS and find 16 other molecules in the GG Tauri outer disk. Ten of them had been found previously, while seven others (13CN, N2H+, HNC, DNC, HC3N, CCS, and C34S) are new detections in this disk. Conclusions. The analysis confirms that sulphur chemistry is not yet properly understood. The D/H ratio, derived from DCO+/HCO+, DCN/HCN, and DNC/HNC ratios, points towards a low temperature chemistry. The detection of the rare species CCS confirms that GG Tau is a good laboratory to study the protoplanetary disk chemistry, thanks to its large disk size and mass.

Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites as a record of protoplanetary disk conditions

AbstractChondritic meteorites, and especially the most volatile-rich chondrites, the carbonaceous chondrites, preserve a record of the solar protoplanetary disk dust component and how it has been changed both in the disk environment itself and in its asteroidal parent body. Here we review some of the key features of carbonaceous chondrites and report some new data on their organics component. These show that the nebula reached temperature of >10000C, but only very locally, to produce chondrules. Most meteoritic material underwent thermal and/or aqueous processing, but some retain delicate nebular components such as complex organic molecules and amorphous silicates.

Closed system oxygen isotope redistribution in igneous CAIs upon spinel dissolution

In several Calcium–Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs) from the CV3 chondrites Allende and Efremovka, representative of the most common igneous CAI types (type A, type B and Fractionated with Unknown Nuclear isotopic anomalies, FUN), the relationship between 16O-excesses and TiO2 content in pyroxene indicates that the latter commonly begins to crystallize with a near-terrestrial 16O-poor composition and becomes 16O-enriched during crystallization, reaching a near-solar composition. Mass balance calculations were performed to investigate the contribution of spinel to this 16O-enrichment. It is found that a back-reaction of early-crystallized 16O-rich spinel with a silicate partial melt having undergone a 16O-depletion is consistent with the O isotopic evolution of CAI minerals during magmatic crystallization. Dissolution of spinel explains the O isotopic composition (16O-excess and extent of mass fractionation) of pyroxene as well as that of primary anorthite/dmisteinbergite and possibly that of the last melilite crystallizing immediately before pyroxene. It requires that igneous CAIs behaved as closed-systems relative to oxygen from nebular gas during a significant fraction of their cooling history, contrary to the common assumption that CAI partial melts constantly equilibrated with gas. The mineralogical control on O isotopes in igneous CAIs is thus simply explained by a single 16O-depletion during magmatic crystallization. This 16O-depletion occurred in an early stage of the thermal history, after the crystallization of spinel, i.e. in the temperature range for melilite crystallization/partial melting and did not require multiple, complex or late isotope exchange. More experimental work is however required to deduce the protoplanetary disk conditions associated with this 16O-depletion.

Migration of planets into and out of mean motion resonances in protoplanetary discs: analytical theory of second-order resonances

Recent observations of Kepler multi-planet systems have revealed a number of systems with planets very close to second-order mean motion resonances (MMRs, with period ratio $1:3$, $3:5$, etc.) We present an analytic study of resonance capture and its stability for planets migrating in gaseous disks. Resonance capture requires slow convergent migration of the planets, with sufficiently large eccentricity damping timescale $T_e$ and small pre-resonance eccentricities. We quantify these requirements and find that they can be satisfied for super-Earths under protoplanetary disk conditions. For planets captured into resonance, an equilibrium state can be reached, in which eccentricity excitation due to resonant planet-planet interaction balances eccentricity damping due to planet-disk interaction. We show that this "captured" equilibrium can be overstable, leading to partial or permanent escape of the planets from the resonance. In general, the stability of the captured state depends on the inner to outer planet mass ratio $q=m_1/m_2$ and the ratio of the eccentricity damping times. The overstability growth time is of order $T_e$, but can be much larger for systems close to the stability threshold. For low-mass planets undergoing type I (non-gap opening) migration, convergent migration requires $q \lesssim 1$, while the stability of the capture requires $q\gtrsim 1$. These results suggest that planet pairs stably captured into second-order MMRs have comparable masses. This is in contrast to first-order MMRs, where a larger parameter space exists for stable resonance capture. We confirm and extend our analytical results with $N$-body simulations, and show that for overstable capture, the escape time from the MMR can be comparable to the time the planets spend migrating between resonances.

A SUPER-SOLAR METALLICITY FOR STARS WITH HOT ROCKY EXOPLANETS

ABSTRACT Host star metallicity provides a measure of the conditions in protoplanetary disks at the time of planet formation. Using a sample of over 20,000 Kepler stars with spectroscopic metallicities from the LAMOST survey, we explore how the exoplanet population depends on host star metallicity as a function of orbital period and planet size. We find that exoplanets with orbital periods less than 10 days are preferentially found around metal-rich stars ([Fe/H] ≃ 0.15 ± 0.05 dex). The occurrence rates of these hot exoplanets increases to ∼30% for super-solar metallicity stars from ∼10% for stars with a sub-solar metallicity. Cooler exoplanets, which reside at longer orbital periods and constitute the bulk of the exoplanet population with an occurrence rate of ≳90%, have host star metallicities consistent with solar. At short orbital periods, days, the difference in host star metallicity is largest for hot rocky planets ( ), where the metallicity difference is [Fe/H] ≃ 0.25 ± 0.07 dex. The excess of hot rocky planets around metal-rich stars implies they either share a formation mechanism with hot Jupiters, or trace a planet trap at the protoplanetary disk inner edge, which is metallicity dependent. We do not find statistically significant evidence for a previously identified trend that small planets toward the habitable zone are preferentially found around low-metallicity stars. Refuting or confirming this trend requires a larger sample of spectroscopic metallicities.

A possible mechanism for overcoming the electrostatic barrier against dust growth in protoplanetary disks

The coagulation of dust particles under the conditions in protoplanetary disks is investigated. The study focuses on the repulsive electrostatic barrier against growth of charged dust grains. Taking into account the photoelectric effect leads to the appearance of a layer at intermediate heights where the dust has a close to zero charge, enabling the dust grains to grow efficiently. An increase in the coagulation rate comes about not only due to the lowering of the Coulomb barrier, but also because of the electrostatic attraction between grains of opposite charge due to the non-zero dispersion of the near-zero charge. Depending on the efficiency of mixing in the disk, the acceleration of the evolution of the dust in this layer could be important, both in the quasi-stationary stage of the disk evolution and during its dispersal.

Gas line observations of disks

Gas represents the bulk of the mass content in protoplanetary disks. It is therefore observations of gas that can provide important information of physical structure and chemical evolution of disks. This involves a detailed understanding of the spectroscopic signatures of the gaseous components and the conditions under which their excitation occurs. In the following I provide an introduction to the principles of molecular spectroscopy by discussing the spectral signatures of the most abundant molecular species found in protoplanetary disks. The presentation for each molecule is supplemented by an up-to-date discussion of relevant observations and subsequent constraints on the corresponding physical conditions in protoplanetary disks. A primer to excitation diagrams as a simple but effective tool for accessing the excitation of spectral lines is presented towards the end of the chapter.

THE PHASES OF WATER ICE IN THE SOLAR NEBULA

Understanding the phases of water ice that were present in the solar nebula has implications for understanding cometary and planetary compositions as well as the internal evolution of these bodies. Here we show that amorphous ice formed more readily than previously recognized, with formation at temperatures <70 K being possible under protoplanetary disk conditions. We further argue that photodesorption and freeze-out of water molecules near the surface layers of the solar nebula would have provided the conditions needed for amorphous ice to form. This processing would be a natural consequence of ice dynamics and would allow for the trapping of noble gases and other volatiles in water ice in the outer solar nebula.

Planetesimal formation via sweep-up growth at the inner edge of dead zones

The early stages of planet formation are still not well understood. Coagulation models have revealed numerous obstacles to the dust growth, such as the bouncing, fragmentation and radial drift barriers. We study the interplay between dust coagulation and drift in order to determine the conditions in protoplanetary disk that support the formation of planetesimals. We focus on planetesimal formation via sweep-up and investigate whether it can take place in a realistic protoplanetary disk. We have developed a new numerical model that resolves spatial distribution of dust in the radial and vertical dimension. The model uses representative particles approach to follow the dust evolution in protoplanetary disk. The coagulation and fragmentation of solids is taken into account using Monte Carlo method. A collision model adopting the mass transfer effect, that can occur for different-sized dust aggregate collisions, is implemented. We focus on a protoplanetary disk including a pressure bump caused by a steep decline of turbulent viscosity around the snow line. Our results show that sufficient resolution of the vertical disk structure in dust coagulation codes is necessary to obtain adequately short growth timescales, especially in the case of a low turbulence region. We find that a sharp radial variation of the turbulence strength at the inner edge of dead zone promotes planetesimal formation in several ways. It provides a pressure bump that efficiently prevents the dust from drifting inwards. It also causes a radial variation in the size of aggregates at which growth barriers occur, favoring the growth of large aggregates via sweeping up of small particles. In our model, by employing an ad hoc alpha viscosity change near the snow line, it is possible to grow planetesimals by incremental growth on timescales of approximately 10^5 years.

Oxygen and Other Volatiles in the Giant Planets and their Satellites

Giant planet atmospheric composition and satellite densities provide insights into protoplanetary disk conditions. Abundances of condensable species and noble gases in wellmixed atmospheres can distinguish among several giant planet formation scenarios, and satellite densities are fi rst order measurements of ice:rock ratios. Recent work on protosolar abundances, relying on three-dimensional spectroscopic modeling of the solar photosphere, provides the framework for the interpretation of measurements. Model densities of protoplanetary disk condensates are shown as a function of carbon partitioning between CO, CH4 and organics. Comparison with observed satellite densities shows that Saturn’s icy satellites are inconsistent with solar composition, and must either have formed in a water-rich environment or have suffered a complex collisional history. The larger satellites of the giant planets are consistent with solar composition, with densities that speak of variation in the partitioning of carbon.

Hydraulic/Shock Jumps in Protoplanetary Disks

In this paper, we describe the nonlinear outcome of spiral shocks in protoplanetary disks. Spiral shocks, for most protoplanetary disk conditions, create a loss of vertical force balance in the postshock region and result in rapid expansion of the gas perpendicular to the disk midplane. This expansion has characteristics similar to hydraulic jumps, which occur in incompressible fluids. We present a theory to describe the behavior of these hybrids between shocks and hydraulic jumps (shock bores) and then compare the theory to three-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations. We discuss the fully three-dimensional shock structures that shock bores produce and discuss possible consequences for disk mixing, turbulence, and evolution of solids.