The multifaceted planetesimal formation process

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  • Anders Johansen
  • Jürgen Blum
  • Hidekazu Tanaka
  • Chris Ormel
  • Bizzarro, Martin
  • Hans Rickman
Accumulation of dust and ice particles into planetesimals is an important step in the planet formation process. Planetesimals are the seeds of both terrestrial planets and the solid cores of gas and ice giants forming by core accretion. Left-over planetesimals in the form of asteroids, trans-Neptunian objects and comets provide a unique record of the physical conditions in the solar nebula. Debris from planetesimal collisions around other stars signposts that the planetesimal formation process, and hence planet formation, is ubiquitous in the Galaxy. The planetesimal formation stage extends from micrometer-sized dust and ice to bodies which can undergo run-away accretion. The latter ranges in size from 1 km to 1000 km, dependent on the planetesimal eccentricity excited by turbulent gas density fluctuations. Particles face many barriers during this growth, arising mainly from inefficient sticking, fragmentation and radial drift. Two promising growth pathways are mass transfer, where small aggregates transfer up to 50% of their mass in high-speed collisions with much larger targets, and fluffy growth, where aggregate cross sections and sticking probabilities are enhanced by a low internal density. A wide range of particle sizes, from mm to 10 m, concentrate in the turbulent gas flow. Overdense filaments fragment gravitationally into bound particle clumps, with most mass entering planetesimals of contracted radii from 100 to 500 km, depending on local disc properties. We propose a hybrid model for planetesimal formation where particle growth starts unaided by self-gravity but later proceeds inside gravitationally collapsing pebble clumps to form planetesimals with a wide range of sizes.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProtostars and planets VI : proceedings of a conference held in Heidelberg, Germany, July 15-20, 2013
EditorsHenrik Beuther, Ralf S. Klessen, Cornelis P. Dullemond, Thomas Henning
Number of pages24
PublisherUniversity of Arizona Press
Publication date2014
Pages547-570
ISBN (Print)978-0-8165-3124-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
EventProtostars and planets VI - Heidelberg, Germany
Duration: 15 Jul 201320 Jul 2013
Conference number: 6

Conference

ConferenceProtostars and planets VI
Nummer6
LandGermany
ByHeidelberg
Periode15/07/201320/07/2013

Bibliographical note

Final version of chapter in Protostars and Planets VI, University of Arizona Press (2014), eds. H. Beuther, R. Klessen, C. Dullemond, Th. Henning

    Research areas

  • astro-ph.EP

Links

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