Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jun 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002phdt.........5e&link_type=abstract
Thesis (PhD). CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Source DAI-B 63/09, p. 4215, Mar 2003, 326 pages.
Computer Science
Scientific paper
A model is developed for the subnebulae of giant planets in which the accretion of regular satellites takes place. It is expected that the subnebulae of giant planets will be composed of an optically thick inner disk that extends to several tens of planetary radii, and an optically thin outer disk that extends to a significant fraction of the planet's Hill radius. This model has Titan and Ganymede located in the inner disk, Callisto and Iapetus in the outer disk, and Hyperion in the transition region between the optically thick and optically thin regions of the accretion disk. In order to constrain the gas densities of the inner and outer disks, a “minimum mass” model is chosen of solar mixture. This model has Callisto forming in a timescale of ˜106 years, Iapetus in ˜106 107 years, Ganymede in ˜103 104 years, and Titan in ˜104 105 years. Callisto (and Iapetus) takes much longer than Ganymede (Titan) to form due to its placement in the outer disk where dynamical times are long. This model also has Hyperion forming in a region of strong density gradients which facilitate its capture into a mean motion resonance. The gas tidal torques as a function of radius are computed in the two-component subnebula and they show that, although the torque is generally negative leading to inward orbital decay of satellites, there are regions in the disk where the torque is positive. An equilibrium position where the net torque is zero is found to correspond to the positions of Callisto for Jupiter, and Iapetus for Saturn. The conditions necessary for a satellite to survive the effects of gas drag and gas tidal torques are determined. The possibility that a feedback reaction of the gas disk caused by the redistribution of gas surface density in the vicinity of a satellite of sufficient mass is considered which causes a large drop off in the drift velocity of the satellite improving the likelihood it will be left stranded following gas dissipation. It is found that such a model holds promise for explaining the survival of satellites in the subnebula.
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