Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2012-02-24
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
5 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters
Scientific paper
We present models of giant planet migration in evolving protoplanetary discs. We show that disc clearing by EUV photoevaporation can have a strong effect on the distribution of giant planet semi-major axes. During disc clearing planet migration is slowed or accelerated in the region where photoevaporation opens a gap in the disc, resulting in "deserts" where few giant planets are found and corresponding "pile-ups" at smaller and larger radii. However, the precise locations and sizes of these features are strong functions of the efficiency of planetary accretion, and therefore also strongly dependent on planet mass. We suggest that photoevaporative disc clearing may be responsible for the pile-up of ~Jupiter-mass planets at ~1AU seen in exoplanet surveys, and show that observations of the distribution of exoplanet semi-major axes can be used to test models of both planet migration and disc clearing.
Alexander Richard D.
Pascucci Ilaria
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