Resonance Capture and the Formation of the Outer Planets

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Scientific paper

In this paper we study a possible process for the formation of the outer planets, in which resonance capture induces the accretion of the planetary cores near exterior mean-motion commensurabilities of existing bodies. A two-dimensional N-body simulation is performed to test this hypothesis in the case of Saturn. Initial conditions consist of a swarm of 1000 equal-mass planetesimals distributed over a planar ring with extrema at 6.5 and 15 au. All bodies are originally in circular orbits. For the dynamical evolution of the population, the following interactions are considered: mutual gravitation between the bodies, physical collisions, gravitational perturbations from an existing Jupiter (present mass and orbit) and gas drag. The simulation is followed until a single body remains. The results show a single planetary core in a stable orbit with elements a =9.78 au and e =0.086, well in accord with the presentday Saturn. We also discuss the possible extension of these results to the formation of the other major planets. Key words: accretion, accretion discs - methods: numerical - celestial mechanics, stellar dynamics - planets and satellites: general - Solar system: formation.

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