Resonance trapping of circumstellar dust particles by an alleged planet

The dynamical evolution of dust particles forming a circumstellar disk around Pictoris is followed by numerical simulations on a Connection Machine. The disk appears to be cleared inside a radius of about 20 AU. We integrate simultaneously the orbits of 8,000 dust particles subjected to Poynting-Robertson drag and perturbed by one alleged planet. The simulations show that a planet revolving about Pictoris at a mean distance of 20 AU with a mass of at least 2 * 10^–5 central stellar mass can confine the disk by outer resonance trapping. The azimuthal density distribution of particles which shows very strong variations. appears to be stationary in a frame rotating with the planet.     

Nonlocal density wave theory for gravitational instability of protoplanetary disks without sharp boundaries

The stability of a self‐gravitating infinitesimally thin gaseous disk rotating around a central mass is studied. Our global linear analysis concerns marginal stability, i.e. it yields the critical temperature for the onset of instability for any given ratio of the disk mass to the central mass. Both axisymmetric and low‐m nonaxisymmetric excitations are analysed. When the fractional disk mass increases, the symmetry character of the instability changes from rings (m = 0) to one‐armed trailing spirals (m = 1). The distribution of the surface density along the spiral arms is not uniform, but describes a sequence of maxima that might be identified with forming planets. The number of the mass concentrations decreases with increasing fractional disk mass. We also obtain solutions in the form of global nonaxisymmetric vortices, which are, however, never excited.     

VLA Imaging of the Disk Surrounding the Nearby Young Star TW Hydrae

The TW Hydrae system is perhaps the closest analog to the early solar nebula. We have used the Very Large Array to image TW Hya at wavelengths of 7 mm and 3.6 cm with resolutions of 0&farcs;1 ( approximately 5 AU) and 1&farcs;0 ( approximately 50 AU), respectively. The 7 mm emission is extended and appears dominated by a dusty disk of radius greater than 50 AU surrounding the star. The 3.6 cm emission is unresolved and likely arises from an ionized wind or gyrosynchrotron activity. The dust spectrum and spatially resolved 7 mm images of the TW Hya disk are fitted by a simple model with temperature and surface density described by radial power laws, T&parl0;r&parr0;~r-0.5 and Sigma&parl0;r&parr0;~r-1. These properties are consistent with an irradiated gaseous accretion disk of mass approximately 0.03 M middle dot in circle with an accretion rate approximately 10-8 M middle dot in circle yr-1 and viscosity parameter alpha=0.01. The estimates of mass and mass accretion rates are uncertain since the gas-to-dust ratio in the TW Hya disk may have evolved from the standard interstellar value.     

Density distribution in massive galactic disks with a central black hole

We developed an efficient method for determining the surface-density distribution in a self-gravitating disk with an isolated central point mass from a specified angular-velocity distribution in the disk. An upper limit for the galactic-disk mass is shown to exist at a given black-hole mass. This limit significantly depends on the choice of rotation curves.     

Accretion of terrestrial planets from oligarchs in a turbulent disk

We have investigated the final accretion stage of terrestrial planets from Mars-mass protoplanets that formed through oligarchic growth in a disk comparable to the minimum mass solar nebula (MMSN), through N-body simulation including random torques exerted by disk turbulence due to Magneto-Rotational Instability. For the torques, we used the semi-analytical formula developed by Laughlin et al. [Laughlin, G., Steinacker, A., Adams, F.C., 2004. Astrophys. J. 608, 489-496]. The damping of orbital eccentricities (in all runs) and type-I migration (in some runs) due to the tidal interactions with disk gas is also included. Without any effect of disk gas, Earth-mass planets are formed in terrestrial planet regions in a disk comparable to MMSN but with too large orbital eccentricities to be consistent with the present eccentricities of Earth and Venus in our Solar System. With the eccentricity damping caused by the tidal interaction with a remnant gas disk, Earth-mass planets with eccentricities consistent with those of Earth and Venus are formed in a limited range of disk gas surface density (∼10⁻⁴ times MMSN). However, in this case, on average, too many (?6) planets remain in terrestrial planet regions, because the damping leads to isolation between the planets. We have carried out a series of N-body simulations including the random torques with different disk surface density and strength of turbulence. We found that the orbital eccentricities pumped up by the turbulent torques and associated random walks in semimajor axes tend to delay isolation of planets, resulting in more coagulation of planets. The eccentricities are still damped after planets become isolated. As a result, the number of final planets decreases with increase in strength of the turbulence, while Earth-mass planets with small eccentricities are still formed. In the case of relatively strong turbulence, the number of final planets are 4-5 at 0.5-2 AU, which is more consistent with Solar System, for relatively wide range of disk gas surface density (∼¹⁰⁻⁴-¹⁰⁻² times MMSN).     

Magnetic star-disk interaction in classical T Tauri systems

We simulate the impact of a dipolar stellar magnetic field rooted in a classical T Tauri star on the accretion disk and the halo above using a 2.5D finite difference code. The gas is assumed resistive, and inside the disk accretion is driven by a Shakura-Sunyaev-type eddy viscosity. The rotational shear between the star and the Keplerian disk causes the magnetic field to be wound up and stretched outwards, away from the star. Part of the field lines open and an outflow is launched. Direct disk disruption by the Lorentz force only occurs for sufficient field strength. For our model system with a solar-mass central star, an accretion rate of 10^-7M⊙/a, and a viscosity parameter α_SS=0.01, a field strength of 1 kG, measured at the poles on the surface of the star, was found insufficient for disk disruption.     

Acceleration by Magnetic Mirrors and Alfven Waves in Molecular Outflows

The configuration of the magnetic field associated with a protostar surrounded by a circumstellar disk is assumed to be a kind of magnetic mirror, which reflects the particles at its throat located nearby the disk midplane, and then extracts them out of the star and the disk. Turbulent Alfven waves are excited due to anisotropic temperature distribution caused by the existing magnetic field in the environment. Accelerated by turbulent Alfven waves, the particles coming out of the young stellar object and the circumstellar disk can reach the expected velocities around 300 km s^-1 at a typical distance 0.1 pc from the central star. The wave energy is converted from the thermal energy stored in the system consisting of the early stage star associated with the disk and their environment, and a small fraction of which is enough. The coefficient η, indicating the efficiency of converting thermal energy to wave energy, is equal to 10^-11. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Effect of Tidal Interaction with a Gas Disk on Formation of Terrestrial Planets

We have performed N-body simulation on final accretion stage of terrestrial planets, including the effect of damping of eccentricity and inclination caused by tidal interaction with a remnant gas disk. As a result of runway and oligarchic accretion, about 20 Mars-sized protoplanets would be formed in nearly circular orbits with orbital separation of several to ten Hill radius. The orbits of the protoplanets would be eventually destabilized by long-term mutual gravity and/or secular resonance of giant gaseous planets. The protoplanets would coalesce with each other to form terrestrial planets through the orbital crossing. Previous N-body simulations, however, showed that the final eccentricities of planets are around 0.1, which are about 10 times higher than the present eccentricities of Earth and Venus. The obtained high eccentricities are the remnant of orbital crossing. We included the effect of eccentricity damping caused by gravitational interaction with disk gas as a drag force (“gravitational drag”) and carried out N-body simulation of accretion of protoplanets. We start with 15 protoplanets with 0.2M⊕ and integrate the orbits for 10⁷ years, which is consistent with the observationally inferred disk lifetime (in some runs, we start with 30 protoplanets with 0.1M⊕). In most runs, the damping time scale, which is equivalent to the strength of the drag force, is kept constant throughout each run in order to clarify the effects of the damping. We found that the planets' final mass, spatial distribution, and eccentricities depend on the damping time scale. If the damping time scale for a 0.2M⊕ mass planet at 1 AU is longer than 10⁸ years, planets grow to Earth's size, but the final eccentricities are too high as in gas-free cases. If it is shorter than 10⁶ years, the eccentricities of the protoplanets cannot be pumped up, resulting in not enough orbital crossing to make Earth-sized planets. Small planets with low eccentricities are formed with small orbital separation. On the other hand, if it is between 10⁶ and 10⁸ years, which may correspond to a mostly depleted disk (0.01-0.1% of surface density of the minimum mass model), some protoplanets can grow to about the size of Earth and Venus, and the eccentricities of such surviving planets can be diminished within the disk lifetime. Furthermore, in innermost and outermost regions in the same system, we often find planets with smaller size and larger eccentricities too, which could be analogous to Mars and Mercury. This is partly because the gravitational drag is less effective for smaller mass planets, and partly due to the “edge effect,” which means the innermost and outermost planets tend to remain without collision. We also carried out several runs with time-dependent drag force according to depletion of a gas disk. In these runs, we used exponential decay model with e-folding time of 3×10⁶ years. The orbits of protoplanets are stablized by the eccentricity damping in the early time. When disk surface density decays to ?1% of the minimum mass disk model, the damping force is no longer strong enough to inhibit the increase of the eccentricity by distant perturbations among protoplanets so that the orbital crossing starts. In this disk decay model, a gas disk with 10⁻⁴-10⁻³ times the minimum mass model still remains after the orbital crossing and accretional events, which is enough to damp the eccentricities of the Earth-sized planets to the order of 0.01. Using these results, we discuss a possible scenario for the last stage of terrestrial planet formation.     

Kinematics and stellar population of the lenticular galaxy NGC 4124

Results of spectroscopic and photometric studies for the locally isolated lenticular galaxy NGC 4124 are presented. A model of the mass distribution consistent with photometric data has been constructed on the basis of a kinematic analysis. In this model, the halo mass within the optical radius is almost half the diskmass. The disk is shown to be in a dynamical state close to amarginally stable one. This rules out dynamical disk heating for the galaxy through a strong external action or a merger with a massive system. However, the presence of a gaseous disk inclined to the main plane of the galaxy in the central kiloparsec region suggests probable cannibalization of a small satellite that also produced a late starburst in the central region. This is confirmed by the younger mean age (～2 Gyr) of the stellar population in the galaxy’s central region than the disk age (5–7 Gyr).     

Structure of the satellitary accretion disk of Saturn

A detailed computation on the equilibrium structure of an accretion disk around Saturn from which the regular satellites presumably originated is reported. Such a disk is the predecessor of the self-dissipating disk that is formed when the mass infall stops (Cassen and Moosman, 1981, Icarus48, 353–376). When determining the disk structure local energy balance was assumed. Convention was taken into account by introducing local energy dissipation and, in an approximate manner, sonic convection. Changes in the disk structure were investigated by varying the free parameters, i.e., the external flux from both the protosun and the protoplanet, the abundance of dust and the strength of turbulence. It has been verified that the external energy flux does not play an important role in the evolution of the disk structure. Models characterized by either longer times (?3 10³ year) or a noticeable depletion of condensable elements (10^?2 times less than the solar value) have a total mass of the order of 0.34?0.1 times the mass of the regular satellites increased by the mass of the light elements. Low turbulence models (Reynolds critical number $\text{Re}{}^1\text{= 150}$) are characterized approximately by a total mass twice as large the mass of the regular satellites. All the studied models present a temperature distribution that allows the condensation of iron, silicate, and, in the outer regions, ice grains. All models but the one with 10^?2 of the solar value of condensable elements are characterized by a wide convective region that contains the formation zone of the regular satellites.     

The specific features of the evolution of the viscous protoplanetary circumsolar disk

The problem of angular-momentum and mass transport in the disk is discussed and the disk viscosity is estimated. The evolution of the gas-dust protoplanetary disk at the stage of its formation inside the protostellar (protosolar) accretion envelope is considered. The conditions for the radial growth of the disk are estimated. For the subsequent period, when the central star (young Sun) is in the T Tauri phase, the temporal variations of the radius, mass, and the surface density of the disk, as well as the total mass flux from the disk onto the star (Sun), i.e., the mass accretion rate, are evaluated. The constraints on the initial value of the angular momentum of the protoplanetary circumsolar disk (that is, on the angular momentum of the protosolar cloud) are discussed with due regard for cosmochemical data.Translated from Astronomicheskii Vestnik, Vol. 38, No. 6, 2004, pp. 559–576.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Makalkin.     

Formation of terrestrial planets in disks with different surface density profiles

We present the results of an extensive study of the final stage of terrestrial planet formation in disks with different surface density profiles and for different orbital configurations of Jupiter and Saturn. We carried out simulations in the context of the classical model with disk surface densities proportional to \({r^{-0.5}}, {r^{-1}}\) and \({r^{-1.5}}\), and also using partially depleted, non-uniform disks as in the recent model of Mars formation by Izidoro et al. (Astrophys J 782:31, 2014). The purpose of our study is to determine how the final assembly of planets and their physical properties are affected by the total mass of the disk and its radial profile. Because as a result of the interactions of giant planets with the protoplanetary disk, secular resonances will also play important roles in the orbital assembly and properties of the final terrestrial planets, we will study the effect of these resonances as well. In that respect, we divide this study into two parts. When using a partially depleted disk (Part 1), we are particularly interested in examining the effect of secular resonances on the formation of Mars and orbital stability of terrestrial planets. When using the disk in the classical model (Part 2), our goal is to determine trends that may exist between the disk surface density profile and the final properties of terrestrial planets. In the context of the depleted disk model, results of our study show that in general, the \(\nu _5\) resonance does not have a significant effect on the dynamics of planetesimals and planetary embryos, and the final orbits of terrestrial planets. However, \(\nu _6\) and \(\nu _{16}\) resonances play important roles in clearing their affecting areas. While these resonances do not alter the orbits of Mars and other terrestrial planets, they strongly deplete the region of the asteroid belt ensuring that no additional mass will be scattered into the accretion zone of Mars so that it can maintain its mass and orbital stability. In the context of the classical model, the effects of these resonances are stronger in disks with less steep surface density profiles. Our results indicate that when considering the classical model (Part 2), the final planetary systems do not seem to show a trend between the disk surface density profile and the mean number of the final planets, their masses, time of formation, and distances to the central star. Some small correlations were observed where, for instance, in disks with steeper surface density profiles, the final planets were drier, or their water contents decreased when Saturn was added to the simulations. However, in general, the final orbital and physical properties of terrestrial planets seem to vary from one system to another and depend on the mass of the disk, the spatial distribution of protoplanetary bodies (i.e., disk surface density profile), and the initial orbital configuration of giant planets. We present results of our simulations and discuss their implications for the formation of Mars and other terrestrial planets, as well as the physical properties of these objects such as their masses and water contents.     

Meteor head echo radar data: Mass-velocity selection effects

High-power, large-aperture (HPLA) radars detect the plasma that forms in the vicinity of a meteoroid and moves approximately at its velocity; reflections from these plasmas are called head echoes. For over a decade, HPLA radars have been detecting head echoes with peak velocity distributions >50 km/s. These results have created some controversy within the field of meteor physics because previous data, including spacecraft impact cratering studies, optical and specular meteor data, indicate that the peak of the velocity distribution to a set limiting mass should be <20 km/s [Love, S.G., Brownlee, D.E., 1993. Science 262, 550-553]. Thus the question of whether HPLA radars are preferentially detecting high-velocity meteors arises. In this paper we attempt to address this question by examining both modeled and measured head echo data using the ALTAIR radar, collected during the Leonid 1998 and 1999 showers. These data comprise meteors originating primarily from the North Apex sporadic meteor source. First, we use our scattering theory to convert measured radar-cross-section (RCS) to electron line density and mass, as well as to convert modeled electron line density and mass to RCS. We subsequently compare the dependence between mass, velocity, mean-free-path, RCS and line density using both the measured and modeled data by performing a multiple, linear regression fit. We find a strong correlation between derived mass and velocity and show that line density is approximately proportional to mass times velocity^3.1. Next, we determine the cumulative mass index using subsets of our data and use this mass index, along with the results of our regression fit, to weight the velocity distribution. Our results show that while there does indeed exist a bias in the measured head echo velocity distribution, it is smaller than those calculated using traditional specular trail data due to the different scattering mechanism, and also includes a bias against the low-mass, very high-velocity meteoroids.     

Excitation of Orbital Inclinations of Asteroids during Depletion of a Protoplanetary Disk: Dependence on the Disk Configuration

The pumping up of orbital inclinations of asteroids caused by sweeping secular resonances associated with depletion of a protoplanetary disk is discussed, focusing on the dependence on the disk inclinations and surface density distribution. The asteroids have large mean inclinations that cannot be explained by present planetary perturbations alone. It has been suggested that the sweeping secular resonances caused by disk depletion are responsible for these high inclinations. Nagasawa et al. (2000, Astron. J.119, 1480-1497) showed that the inclinations of asteroids are pumped up if the disk is depleted in an inside-out manner on a time scale longer than 3×10⁵ years. Their assumed disk midplane is not on the invariant plane. However, it should be affected by the inclination of the disk plane. Here we investigate the dependence on the disk inclinations. We assume a disk depletion model in which the disk inside the jovian orbit has been removed and the residual outer disk is uniformly depleted. We calculate the locations of the secular resonances and the excitation magnitude of the inclinations with analytical methods. We found that the inclinations are pumped up to the observational level for a depletion time scale longer than 10⁶ years in the case of the disk plane that coincides with the invariant plane. The required time scale is longest (3×10⁶ years) if the disk plane coincides with the jovian orbital plane. However, it is still within the observationally inferred depletion time scale. We also studied dependence on a disk surface density gradient and found that the results do not change significantly as long as the inner disk depletion is faster than the outer disk one.     

Photometry of the low-luminosity spiral galaxy NGC 4136

Multicolor BVRI surface photometry of the low-luminosity (M _V ≈?18^m) spiral galaxy NGC 4136 is presented. The photometric parameters of its components and the color distribution over the galactic disk are estimated. The color indices and the corresponding effective ages are determined for the brightest star-forming regions. The disk-to-dark halo mass ratio is derived from the measured rotation curve of the galaxy. The disk mass dominates within the optical boundaries of the galaxy, so its disk can be considered as a self-gravitating system.     

Tidal torques and galactic warps

%We study the evolution of galactic disks subject to tidal torques motivated by cosmological N-body simulations using analytic and numerical techniques. We find that self-gravitating disks subject to these torques resemble observed warped galaxies. The warps develop at a local surface density of 70 M _⊙ pc^-2 and move out through the disk at a rate that depends on the surface density of the disk. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A gas-poor planetesimal capture model for the formation of giant planet satellite systems

Assuming that an unknown mechanism (e.g., gas turbulence) removes most of the subnebula gas disk in a timescale shorter than that for satellite formation, we develop a model for the formation of regular (and possibly at least some of the irregular) satellites around giant planets in a gas-poor environment. In this model, which follows along the lines of the work of Safronov et al. [1986. Satellites. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 89-116], heliocentric planetesimals collide within the planet's Hill sphere and generate a circumplanetary disk of prograde and retrograde satellitesimals extending as far out as ∼RH/2. At first, the net angular momentum of this proto-satellite swarm is small, and collisions among satellitesimals leads to loss of mass from the outer disk, and delivers mass to the inner disk (where regular satellites form) in a timescale ?¹⁰⁵ years. This mass loss may be offset by continued collisional capture of sufficiently small <1 km interlopers resulting from the disruption of planetesimals in the feeding zone of the giant planet. As the planet's feeding zone is cleared in a timescale ?¹⁰⁵ years, enough angular momentum may be delivered to the proto-satellite swarm to account for the angular momentum of the regular satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. This feeding timescale is also roughly consistent with the independent constraint that the Galilean satellites formed in a timescale of ¹⁰⁵-¹⁰⁶ years, which may be long enough to accommodate Callisto's partially differentiated state [Anderson et al., 1998. Science 280, 1573; Anderson et al., 2001. Icarus 153, 157-161]. In turn, this formation timescale can be used to provide plausible constraints on the surface density of solids in the satellitesimal disk (excluding satellite embryos for satellitesimals of size ∼1 km), which yields a total disk mass smaller than the mass of the regular satellites, and means that the satellites must form in several ∼10 collisional cycles. However, much more work will need to be conducted concerning the collisional evolution both of the circumplanetary satellitesimals and of the heliocentric planetesimals following giant planet formation before one can assess the significance of this agreement. Furthermore, for enough mass to be delivered to form the regular satellites in the required timescale one may need to rely on (unproven) mechanisms to replenish the feeding zone of the giant planet. We compare this model to the solids-enhanced minimum mass (SEMM) model of Mosqueira and Estrada [2003a. Icarus 163, 198-231; 2003b. Icarus 163, 232-255], and discuss its main consequences for Cassini observations of the saturnian satellite system.     

Thomson Thick X-Ray Absorption in a Broad Absorption Line Quasar, PG 0946+301

We present results of new ASCA observations of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (LLAGN) NGC 4579 obtained on 1998 December 18 and 28, and we report on the detection of variability of an iron K emission line. The X-ray luminosities in the 2-10 keV band for the two observations are nearly identical (LX approximately 2x1041 ergs s(-1)), but they are approximately 35% larger than that measured in 1995 July by Terashima et al. An Fe K emission line is detected at 6.39+/-0.09 keV (source rest frame), which is lower than the line energy 6.73+0.13-0.12 keV in the 1995 observation. If we fit the Fe lines with a blend of two Gaussians centered at 6.39 and 6.73 keV, the intensity of the 6.7 keV line decreases, while the intensity of the 6.4 keV line increases, within an interval of 3.5 yr. This variability rules out thermal plasmas in the host galaxy as the origin of the ionized Fe line in this LLAGN. The detection and variability of the 6.4 keV line indicates that cold matter subtends a large solid angle viewed from the nucleus and that it is located within approximately 1 pc from the nucleus. It could be identified with an optically thick standard accretion disk. If this is the case, a standard accretion disk is present at the Eddington ratio of Lbol/LEdd approximately 2x10-3. A broad disk-line profile is not clearly seen, and the structure of the innermost part of accretion disk remains unclear.     

Disk Planet Interactions And Early Evolution in Young Planetary Systems

We study and review disk protoplanet interactions using local shearing box simulations. These suffer the disadvantage of having potential artefacts arising from periodic boundary conditions but the advantage, when compared to global simulations, of being able to capture much of the dynamics close to the protoplanet at high resolution for low computational cost. Cases with and without self sustained MHD turbulence are considered. The conditions for gap formation and the transition from type I migration are investigated and found to depend on whether the single parameter M _p R ³/(M_* H ³), with M _p, M_*, R, and H being the protoplanet mass, the central mass, the orbital radius and the disk semi-thickness, respectively, exceeds a number of order unity. We also investigate the coorbital torques experienced by a moving protoplanet in an inviscid disk. This is done by demonstrating the equivalence of the problem for a moving protoplanet to one where the protoplanet is in a fixed orbit which the disk material flows through radially as a result of the action of an appropriate external torque. For sustainable coorbital torques to be realized a quasi steady state must be realized in which the planet migrates through the disk without accreting significant mass. In that case, although there is sensitivity to computational parameters, in agreement with earlier work by Masset and Papaloizou [2003, ApJ, 588, 494] based on global simulations, the coorbital torques are proportional to the migration speed and result in a positive feedback on the migration, enhancing it and potentially leading to a runaway. This could lead to fast migration for protoplanets in the Saturn mass range in massive disks and may be relevant to the mass period correlation for extrasolar planets which gives a preponderance of sub Jovian masses at short orbital periods.