Gas disks to gas giants: Simulating the birth of planetary systems

Authors: Edward W. Thommes, Soko Matsumura, Frederic A. Rasio

(Submitted on 11 Aug 2008)

Abstract: The ensemble of now more than 250 discovered planetary systems displays a wide range of masses, orbits and, in multiple systems, dynamical interactions. These represent the end point of a complex sequence of events, wherein an entire protostellar disk converts itself into a small number of planetary bodies.

Here, we present self-consistent numerical simulations of this process, which produce results in agreement with some of the key trends observed in the properties of the exoplanets. Analogs to our own solar system do not appear to be common, originating from disks near the boundary between barren and (giant) planet-forming.

Comments: Science, August 8 issue. Published version and Supporting Online material incl. movies are at this http URL

Subjects: Astrophysics (astro-ph)

Journal reference: Science Vol. 321 (2008) no. 5890, pp. 814 - 817

DOI: 10.1126/science.1159723

Cite as: arXiv:0808.1439v1 [astro-ph]

Submission history

From: E. W. Thommes [view email]

[v1] Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:38:56 GMT (212kb)

http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.1439