1998/08/12 by Eric L. Sandquist, Eric Sandquist, Ronald E. Taam +2 · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/311633
11 pages, 2 figures, accepted for ApJ Letters
arxiv created 1998/08/12 · openalex publication_date 1998/10/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
The evolution of a giant planet within the stellar envelope of a main-sequence star is investigated as a possible mechanism for enhancing the stellar metallicities of the parent stars of extrasolar planetary systems. Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of a planet subject to impacting stellar matter indicate that the envelope of a Jupiter-like giant planet can be completely stripped in the outer stellar convection zone of a 1 M ☉ star. In contrast, Jupiter-like and less massive Saturn-like giant planets are able to survive through the base of the convection zone of a 1.22 M ☉ star. Although strongly dependent on details of planetary interior models, partial or total dissolution of giant planets can result in significant enhancements in the metallicity of host stars with masses in the range 1.0 M ≲ M ≲1.3 M . The implications of these results with regard to planetary orbital migration are briefly discussed.