2,435 research outputs found
KH15D: a star eclipsed by a large scale dusty vortex?
We propose that the large photometric variations of KH15D are due to an
eclipsing swarm of solid particles trapped in giant gaseous vortex rotating at
\~0.2 AU from the star. The efficiency of the capture-in-vortex mechanism
easily explains the observed large optical depth. The weaker opacity at
mid-eclipse is consistent with a size segregation of the particles toward the
center of the vortex. This dusty structure must extend over ~1/3 of an orbit to
account for the long eclipse duration. The estimated size of the trapped
particles is found to range from 1 to 10cm, consistent with the gray extinction
of the star. The observations of KH15D support the idea that giant vortices can
grow in circumstellar disks and play a central role in planet formation.Comment: Accepted in ApJ Letters - 4 pages - 2 figure
Large-scale Vortices in Protoplanetary Disks: On the observability of possible early stages of planet formation
We investigate the possibility of mapping large-scale anti-cyclonic vortices,
resulting from a global baroclinic instability, as pre-cursors of planet
formation in proto-planetary disks with the planned Atacama Large Millimeter
Array (ALMA). On the basis of three-dimensional radiative transfer simulations,
images of a hydrodynamically calculated disk are derived which provide the
basis for the simulation of ALMA. We find that ALMA will be able to trace the
theoretically predicted large-scale anti-cyclonic vortex and will therefore
allow testing of existing models of this very early stage of planet formation
in circumstellar disks.Comment: Accepted by ApJ (Letters section). A preprint version with
high-quality figures can be downloaded from
http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/swolf/homepage/public/preprints/
vortex.ps.g
The Formation and Role of Vortices in Protoplanetary Disks
We carry out a two-dimensional, compressible, simulation of a disk, including
dust particles, to study the formation and role of vortices in protoplanetary
disks. We find that anticyclonic vortices can form out of an initial random
perturbation of the vorticity field. Vortices have a typical decay time of the
order of 50 orbital periods (for a viscosity parameter alpha=0.0001 and a disk
aspect ratio of H/r = 0.15). If vorticity is continuously generated at a
constant rate in the flow (e.g. by convection), then a large vortex can form
and be sustained (due to the merger of vortices).
We find that dust concentrates in the cores of vortices within a few orbital
periods, when the drag parameter is of the order of the orbital frequency.
Also, the radial drift of the dust induces a significant increase in the
surface density of dust particles in the inner region of the disk. Thus,
vortices may represent the preferred location for planetesimal formation in
protoplanetary disks.
We show that it is very difficult for vortex mergers to sustain a relatively
coherent outward flux of angular momentum.Comment: Sumitted to the Astrophysical Journal, October 20, 199
Baroclinic Vorticity Production in Protoplanetary Disks; Part I: Vortex Formation
The formation of vortices in protoplanetary disks is explored via
pseudo-spectral numerical simulations of an anelastic-gas model. This model is
a coupled set of equations for vorticity and temperature in two dimensions
which includes baroclinic vorticity production and radiative cooling. Vortex
formation is unambiguously shown to be caused by baroclinicity because (1)
these simulations have zero initial perturbation vorticity and a nonzero
initial temperature distribution; and (2) turning off the baroclinic term halts
vortex formation, as shown by an immediate drop in kinetic energy and
vorticity. Vortex strength increases with: larger background temperature
gradients; warmer background temperatures; larger initial temperature
perturbations; higher Reynolds number; and higher resolution. In the
simulations presented here vortices form when the background temperatures are
and vary radially as , the initial vorticity
perturbations are zero, the initial temperature perturbations are 5% of the
background, and the Reynolds number is . A sensitivity study consisting
of 74 simulations showed that as resolution and Reynolds number increase,
vortices can form with smaller initial temperature perturbations, lower
background temperatures, and smaller background temperature gradients. For the
parameter ranges of these simulations, the disk is shown to be convectively
stable by the Solberg-H{\o}iland criteria.Comment: Originally submitted to The Astrophysical Journal April 3, 2006;
resubmitted November 3, 2006; accepted Dec 5, 200
CoRoT's first seven planets: An overview
The up to 150 day uninterrupted high-precision photometry of about 100000
stars - provided so far by the exoplanet channel of the CoRoT space telescope -
gave a new perspective on the planet population of our galactic neighbourhood.
The seven planets with very accurate parameters widen the range of known planet
properties in almost any respect. Giant planets have been detected at low
metallicity, rapidly rotating and active, spotted stars. CoRoT-3 populated the
brown dwarf desert and closed the gap of measured physical properties between
standard giant planets and very low mass stars. CoRoT extended the known range
of planet masses down to 5 Earth masses and up to 21 Jupiter masses, the radii
to less than 2 Earth radii and up to the most inflated hot Jupiter found so
far, and the periods of planets discovered by transits to 9 days. Two CoRoT
planets have host stars with the lowest content of heavy elements known to show
a transit hinting towards a different planet-host-star-metallicity relation
then the one found by radial-velocity search programs. Finally the properties
of the CoRoT-7b prove that terrestrial planets with a density close to Earth
exist outside the Solar System. The detection of the secondary transit of
CoRoT-1 at the -level and the very clear detection of the 1.7 Earth
radii of CoRoT-7b at relative flux are promising evidence of
CoRoT being able to detect even smaller, Earth sized planets.Comment: 8 pages, 19 figures and 3 table
Formation of Giant Planets by Concurrent Accretion of Solids and Gas inside an Anti-Cyclonic Vortex
We study the formation of a giant gas planet by the core--accretion
gas--capture process, with numerical simulations, under the assumption that the
planetary core forms in the center of an anti-cyclonic vortex. The presence of
the vortex concentrates particles of centimeter to meter size from the
surrounding disk, and speeds up the core formation process. Assuming that a
planet of Jupiter mass is forming at 5 AU from the star, the vortex enhancement
results in considerably shorter formation times than are found in standard
core--accretion gas--capture simulations. Also, formation of a gas giant is
possible in a disk with mass comparable to that of the minimum mass solar
nebula.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures, ApJ in pres
Extrasolar Trojans: The Viability and Detectability of Planets in the 1:1 Resonance
We explore the possibility that extrasolar planets might be found in the 1:1
mean-motion resonance. There are a variety of stable co-orbtial configurations,
and we specifically examine three different versions of the 1:1 resonance.
These include tadpole and horseshoe type orbits, as well as a more exotic
configuration which occurs when one planet has a highly eccentric orbit while
the other planet moves on a nearly circular orbit. We show that pairs of
planets in 1:1 resonance yield characteristic radial velocity signatures which
are not prone to the sin(i) degeneracy. Indeed, Keplerian fits to the radial
velocities cannot reveal the presence of two planets in the 1:1 resonance. We
discuss a dynamical fitting method for such systems, and illustrate its use
with a simulated data set. Finally, we argue that hydrodynamical simulations
and torqued three-body calculations indicate that 1:1 resonant pairs might
readily form and migrate within protostellar disks.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, Submitted to Astronomical Journa
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