Clumps in the outer disk by disk instability: Why they are initially gas giants and the legacy of disruption

2009/09/30 by Aaron C. Boley, T. Hayfield, Tristen Hayfield +3 · 274 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Angular momentum #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Classical mechanics #Exoplanet #Fragmentation (computing) #Gas giant #Giant planet #Gravitational instability #Instability #Mechanics #Physics #Planet #Planetary system #Spiral galaxy #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.EP

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.015

published in Icarus 207(2), 509-516 (Elsevier BV) · Accepted for publication in Icarus. The arguments have been greatly expanded (from v1) to address comments by the referees

arxiv created 2010/01/11 · openalex publication_date 2010/01/26 · arxiv updated 2015/05/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/08

Abstract

We explore the initial conditions for fragments in the extended regions (r≳50AU) of gravitationally unstable disks. We combine analytic estimates for the fragmentation of spiral arms with 3D SPH simulations to show that initial fragment masses are in the gas giant regime. These initial fragments will have substantial angular momentum, and should form disks with radii of a few AU. We show that clumps will survive for multiple orbits before they undergo a second, rapid collapse due to H2 dissociation and that it is possible to destroy bound clumps by transporting them into the inner disk. The consequences of disrupted clumps for planet formation, dust processing, and disk evolution are discussed. We argue that it is possible to produce Earth-mass cores in the outer disk during the earliest phases of disk evolution.

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