120 research outputs found
Formation of giant planets around stars with various masses
We examine the predictions of the core accretion - gas capture model
concerning the efficiency of planet formation around stars with various masses.
First, we follow the evolution of gas and solids from the moment when all
solids are in the form of small grains to the stage when most of them are in
the form of planetesimals. We show that the surface density of the planetesimal
swarm tends to be higher around less massive stars. Then, we derive the minimum
surface density of the planetesimal swarm required for the formation of a giant
planet both in a numerical and in an approximate analytical approach. We
combine these results by calculating a set of representative disk models
characterized by different masses, sizes, and metallicities, and by estimating
their capability of forming giant planets. Our results show that the set of
protoplanetary disks capable of giant planet formation is larger for less
massive stars. Provided that the distribution of initial disk parameters does
not depend too strongly on the mass of the central star, we predict that the
percentage of stars with giant planets should increase with decreasing stellar
mass. Furthermore, we identify the radial redistribution of solids during the
formation of planetesimal swarms as the key element in explaining these
effects.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 9 pages, 9 figure
Formation of giant planets in disks with different metallicities
We present the first results from simulations of processes leading to planet
formation in protoplanetary disks with different metallicities. For a given
metallicity, we construct a two-dimensional grid of disk models with different
initial masses and radii (, ). For each disk, we follow the evolution
of gas and solids from an early evolutionary stage, when all solids are in the
form of small dust grains, to the stage when most solids have condensed into
planetesimals. Then, based on the core accretion - gas capture scenario, we
estimate the planet-bearing capability of the environment defined by the final
planetesimal swarm and the still evolving gaseous component of the disk. We
define the probability of planet-formation, , as the normalized fractional
area in the (, ) plane populated by disks that have formed
planets inside 5 AU. With such a definition, and under the assumption that the
population of planets discovered at 5 AU is not significantly
contaminated by planets that have migrated from 5 AU, our results agree
fairly well with the observed dependence between the probability that a star
harbors a planet and the star's metal content. The agreement holds for the disk
viscosity parameter ranging from to , and it
becomes much poorer when the redistribution of solids relative to the gas is
not allowed for during the evolution of model disks.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 6 pages, 6 figure
Measurement of the rate of water flow in plants.
A non-destructive thermo-electric method is described for the measurement of water flow in the stems of plants such as wheat and potatoes. The 2 temp. sensors are 10 or 20 mm apart. The miniature sensing is made by evaporation techniques. The sensor is suitable for laboratory as well as for field work. Flow rate in the stem can be monitored for several wk at relatively low cost. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission
Models of the formation of the planets in the 47 UMa system
Formation of planets in the 47 UMa system is followed in an evolving
protoplanetary disk composed of gas and solids. The evolution of the disk is
calculated from an early stage, when all solids, assumed to be high-temperature
silicates, are in the dust form, to the stage when most solids are locked in
planetesimals. The simulation of planetary evolution starts with a solid embryo
of ~1 Earth mass, and proceeds according to the core accretion -- gas capture
model. Orbital parameters are kept constant, and it is assumed that the
environment of each planet is not perturbed by the second planet. It is found
that conditions suitable for both planets to form within several Myr are easily
created, and maintained throughout the formation time, in disks with . In such disks, a planet of 2.6 Jupiter masses (the minimum for
the inner planet of the 47 UMa system) may be formed at 2.1 AU from the star in
\~3 Myr, while a planet of 0.89 Jupiter masses (the minimum for the outer
planet) may be formed at 3.95 AU from the star in about the same time. The
formation of planets is possible as a result of a significant enhancement of
the surface density of solids between 1.0 and 4.0 AU, which results from the
evolution of a disk with an initially uniform gas-to-dust ratio of 167 and an
initial radius of 40 AU.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 10 pages, 10 figure
An alternative look at the snowline in protoplanetary disks
We have calculated an evolution of protoplanetary disk from an extensive set
of initial conditions using a time-dependent model capable of simultaneously
keeping track of the global evolution of gas and water-ice. A number of
simplifications and idealizations allows for an embodiment of gas-particle
coupling, coagulation, sedimentation, and evaporation/condensation processes.
We have shown that, when the evolution of ice is explicitly included, the
location of the snowline has to be calculated directly as the inner edge of the
region where ice is present and not as the radius where disk's temperature
equals the evaporation temperature of water-ice. The final location of the
snowline is set by an interplay between all involved processes and is farther
from the star than implied by the location of the evaporation temperature
radius. The evolution process naturally leads to an order of magnitude
enhancement in surface density of icy material.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 8 pages, 4 figure
AMBER/VLTI observations of 5 giant stars
While the search for exoplanets around main sequence stars more massive than
the Sun have found relatively few such objects, surveys performed around giant
stars have led to the discovery of more than 30 new exoplanets. The interest in
studying planet hosting giant stars resides in the possibility of investigating
planet formation around stars more massive than the Sun. Masses of isolated
giant stars up to now were only estimated from evolutionary tracks, which led
to different results depending on the physics considered. To calibrate the
theory, it is therefore important to measure a large number of giant star
diameters and masses as much as possible independent of physical models. We aim
in the determination of diameters and effective temperatures of 5 giant stars,
one of which is known to host a planet. AMBER/VLTI observations with the ATs
were executed in low resolution mode on 5 giant stars. In order to measure high
accurate calibrated squared visibilities, a calibrator-star-calibrator
observational sequence was performed. We measured the uniform disk and
limb-darkened angular diameters of 4 giant stars. The effective temperatures
were also derived by combining the bolometric luminosities and the
interferometric diameters. Lower effective temperatures were found when
compared to spectroscopic measurements. The giant star HD12438 was found to
have an unknown companion star at an angular separation of ~ 12 mas. Radial
velocity measurements present in the literature confirm the presence of a
companion with a very long orbital period (P ~ 11.4 years).}Comment: accepted for publication in A&
The structure of cool accretion disc in semidetached binaries
We present the results of qualitative consideration of possible changes
occurring during the transition from the hot accretion disc to the cool one. We
argue the possible existence of one more type of spiral density waves in the
inner part of the disc where gasdynamical perturbations are negligible. The
mechanism of formation of such a wave as well as its parameters are considered.
We also present the results of 3D gasdynamical simulation of cool accretion
discs. These results confirm the hypothesis of possible formation of the spiral
wave of a new, "precessional" type in the inner regions of the disc. Possible
observational manifestations of this wave are discussed.Comment: LaTeX, 16 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Astron. Z
Wall shear stress as measured in vivo: consequences for the design of the arterial system
Based upon theory, wall shear stress (WSS), an important determinant of endothelial function and gene expression, has been assumed to be constant along the arterial tree and the same in a particular artery across species. In vivo measurements of WSS, however, have shown that these assumptions are far from valid. In this survey we will discuss the assessment of WSS in the arterial system in vivo and present the results obtained in large arteries and arterioles. In vivo WSS can be estimated from wall shear rate, as derived from non-invasively recorded velocity profiles, and whole blood viscosity in large arteries and plasma viscosity in arterioles, avoiding theoretical assumptions. In large arteries velocity profiles can be recorded by means of a specially designed ultrasound system and in arterioles via optical techniques using fluorescent flow velocity tracers. It is shown that in humans mean WSS is substantially higher in the carotid artery (1.1–1.3 Pa) than in the brachial (0.4–0.5 Pa) and femoral (0.3–0.5 Pa) arteries. Also in animals mean WSS varies substantially along the arterial tree. Mean WSS in arterioles varies between about 1.0 and 5.0 Pa in the various studies and is dependent on the site of measurement in these vessels. Across species mean WSS in a particular artery decreases linearly with body mass, e.g., in the infra-renal aorta from 8.8 Pa in mice to 0.5 Pa in humans. The observation that mean WSS is far from constant along the arterial tree implies that Murray’s cube law on flow-diameter relations cannot be applied to the whole arterial system. Because blood flow velocity is not constant along the arterial tree either, a square law also does not hold. The exponent in the power law likely varies along the arterial system, probably from 2 in large arteries near the heart to 3 in arterioles. The in vivo findings also imply that in in vitro studies no average shear stress value can be taken to study effects on endothelial cells derived from different vascular areas or from the same artery in different species. The cells have to be studied under the shear stress conditions they are exposed to in real life
Planet Populations as a Function of Stellar Properties
Exoplanets around different types of stars provide a window into the diverse
environments in which planets form. This chapter describes the observed
relations between exoplanet populations and stellar properties and how they
connect to planet formation in protoplanetary disks. Giant planets occur more
frequently around more metal-rich and more massive stars. These findings
support the core accretion theory of planet formation, in which the cores of
giant planets form more rapidly in more metal-rich and more massive
protoplanetary disks. Smaller planets, those with sizes roughly between Earth
and Neptune, exhibit different scaling relations with stellar properties. These
planets are found around stars with a wide range of metallicities and occur
more frequently around lower mass stars. This indicates that planet formation
takes place in a wide range of environments, yet it is not clear why planets
form more efficiently around low mass stars. Going forward, exoplanet surveys
targeting M dwarfs will characterize the exoplanet population around the lowest
mass stars. In combination with ongoing stellar characterization, this will
help us understand the formation of planets in a large range of environments.Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Handbook of Exoplanet
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