Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks

Details Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks

2007-05-09

arxiv.org/abs/0705.1325v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

submitted to MNRAS

Scientific paper

We consider constraints on the planetesimal population residing in the disks of AU Microscopii, Beta Pictoris and Fomalhaut taking into account their observed thicknesses and normal disk opacities. We estimate that bodies of radius 5, 180 and 70 km are responsible for initiating the collisional cascade accounting for the dust production for AU-Mic, Beta-Pic and Fomalhaut's disks, respectively, at break radii from the star where their surface brightness profiles change slope. Larger bodies, of radius 1000km and with surface density of order 0.01 g/cm^2, are required to explain the thickness of these disks assuming that they are heated by gravitational stirring. A comparison between the densities of the two sizes suggests the size distribution in the largest bodies is flatter than that observed in the Kuiper belt. AU Mic's disk requires the shallowest size distribution for bodies with radius greater than 10km suggesting that the disk contains planetary embryos experiencing a stage of runaway growth.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris disks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-646219