scholarly journals Can narrow discs in the inner Solar system explain the four terrestrial planets?

2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (3) ◽  
pp. 3688-3699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patryk Sofia Lykawka
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
System Model ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
P System ◽  
Orbital Mass ◽  
System A ◽  
System 2

ABSTRACT A successful Solar system model must reproduce the four terrestrial planets. Here, we focus on (1) the likelihood of forming Mercury and the four terrestrial planets in the same system (a 4-P system); (2) the orbital properties and masses of each terrestrial planet; and (3) the timing of Earth’s last giant impact and the mass accreted by our planet thereafter. Addressing these constraints, we performed 450 N-body simulations of terrestrial planet formation based on narrow protoplanetary discs with mass confined to 0.7–1.0 au. We identified 164 analogue systems, but only 24 systems contained Mercury analogues, and eight systems were 4-P ones. We found that narrow discs containing a small number of embryos with individual masses comparable to that of Mars and the giant planets on their current orbits yielded the best prospects for satisfying those constraints. However, serious shortcomings remain. The formation of Mercury analogues and 4-P systems was too inefficient (5 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively), and most Venus-to-Earth analogue mass ratios were incorrect. Mercury and Venus analogues also formed too close to each other (∼0.15–0.21 au) compared to reality (0.34 au). Similarly, the mutual distances between the Venus and Earth analogues were greater than those observed (0.34 versus 0.28 au). Furthermore, the Venus–Earth pair was not reproduced in orbital-mass space statistically. Overall, our results suggest serious problems with using narrow discs to explain the inner Solar system. In particular, the formation of Mercury remains an outstanding problem for terrestrial planet formation models.

scholarly journals Forming terrestrial planets and delivering water

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (A29B) ◽  
pp. 427-430
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Planet Formation ◽  
Semimajor Axis ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Asteroid Belt ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Building Models ◽  
Rich Material

AbstractBuilding models capable of successfully matching the Terrestrial Planet's basic orbital and physical properties has proven difficult. Meanwhile, improved estimates of the nature of water-rich material accreted by the Earth, along with the timing of its delivery, have added even more constraints for models to match. While the outer Asteroid Belt seemingly provides a source for water-rich planetesimals, models that delivered enough of them to the still-forming Terrestrial Planets typically failed on other basic constraints - such as the mass of Mars.Recent models of Terrestrial Planet Formation have explored how the gas-driven migration of the Giant Planets can solve long-standing issues with the Earth/Mars size ratio. This model is forced to reproduce the orbital and taxonomic distribution of bodies in the Asteroid Belt from a much wider range of semimajor axis than previously considered. In doing so, it also provides a mechanism to feed planetesimals from between and beyond the Giant Planet formation region to the still-forming Terrestrial Planets.

scholarly journals Terrestrial planet formation in extra-solar planetary systems

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S249) ◽  
pp. 233-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean N. Raymond
Keyword(s):  
Final Stage ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Circumstellar Disks ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Rocky Planets

AbstractTerrestrial planets form in a series of dynamical steps from the solid component of circumstellar disks. First, km-sized planetesimals form likely via a combination of sticky collisions, turbulent concentration of solids, and gravitational collapse from micron-sized dust grains in the thin disk midplane. Second, planetesimals coalesce to form Moon- to Mars-sized protoplanets, also called “planetary embryos”. Finally, full-sized terrestrial planets accrete from protoplanets and planetesimals. This final stage of accretion lasts about 10-100 Myr and is strongly affected by gravitational perturbations from any gas giant planets, which are constrained to form more quickly, during the 1-10 Myr lifetime of the gaseous component of the disk. It is during this final stage that the bulk compositions and volatile (e.g., water) contents of terrestrial planets are set, depending on their feeding zones and the amount of radial mixing that occurs. The main factors that influence terrestrial planet formation are the mass and surface density profile of the disk, and the perturbations from giant planets and binary companions if they exist. Simple accretion models predicts that low-mass stars should form small, dry planets in their habitable zones. The migration of a giant planet through a disk of rocky bodies does not completely impede terrestrial planet growth. Rather, “hot Jupiter” systems are likely to also contain exterior, very water-rich Earth-like planets, and also “hot Earths”, very close-in rocky planets. Roughly one third of the known systems of extra-solar (giant) planets could allow a terrestrial planet to form in the habitable zone.

scholarly journals Terrestrial Planet Formation: The Solar System and Other Systems

2004 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
pp. 159-166
Author(s):  
Shigeru Ida ◽  
Eiichiro Kokubo
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Final Stage ◽  
Extrasolar Planets ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
The Other ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Giant Impacts ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Jovian Planet

Accretion of terrestrial planets and solid cores of jovian planets is discussed, based on the results of our N-body simulations. Protoplanets accrete from planetesimals through runaway and oligarchic growth until they become isolated. The isolation mass of protoplanets in terrestrial planet region is about 0.2 Earth mass, which suggests that in the final stage of terrestrial planet formation giant impacts between the protoplanets occur. On the other hand, the isolation mass in jovian planet region is about a few to 10 Earth masses, which may be massive enough to form a gas giant. Extending the above arguments to disks with various initial masses, we discuss diversity of planetary systems. We predict that the extrasolar planets so far discovered may correspond to the systems formed from disks with large initial masses and that the other disks with smaller masses, which are the majority of the disks, may form Earth-like planets.

scholarly journals The Grand Tack model: a critical review

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (S310) ◽  
pp. 194-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean N. Raymond ◽  
Alessandro Morbidelli
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Protoplanetary Disk ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Asteroid Belt ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Saturn’S Satellites ◽  
Internal Inconsistency ◽  
Solar System Bodies ◽  
Gas Accretion

AbstractThe “Grand Tack” model proposes that the inner Solar System was sculpted by the giant planets' orbital migration in the gaseous protoplanetary disk. Jupiter first migrated inward then Jupiter and Saturn migrated back outward together. If Jupiter's turnaround or “tack” point was at ~ 1.5 AU the inner disk of terrestrial building blocks would have been truncated at ~ 1 AU, naturally producing the terrestrial planets' masses and spacing. During the gas giants' migration the asteroid belt is severely depleted but repopulated by distinct planetesimal reservoirs that can be associated with the present-day S and C types. The giant planets' orbits are consistent with the later evolution of the outer Solar System.Here we confront common criticisms of the Grand Tack model. We show that some uncertainties remain regarding the Tack mechanism itself; the most critical unknown is the timing and rate of gas accretion onto Saturn and Jupiter. Current isotopic and compositional measurements of Solar System bodies – including the D/H ratios of Saturn's satellites – do not refute the model. We discuss how alternate models for the formation of the terrestrial planets each suffer from an internal inconsistency and/or place a strong and very specific requirement on the properties of the protoplanetary disk.We conclude that the Grand Tack model remains viable and consistent with our current understanding of planet formation. Nonetheless, we encourage additional tests of the Grand Tack as well as the construction of alternate models.

scholarly journals Lunar and terrestrial planet formation in the Grand Tack scenario

2014 ◽  
Vol 372 (2024) ◽  
pp. 20130174 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Jacobson ◽  
A. Morbidelli
Keyword(s):  
Total Mass ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Giant Impact ◽  
Modal Mass ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Impact Phase ◽  
Geochemical Constraints

We present conclusions from a large number of N -body simulations of the giant impact phase of terrestrial planet formation. We focus on new results obtained from the recently proposed Grand Tack model, which couples the gas-driven migration of giant planets to the accretion of the terrestrial planets. The giant impact phase follows the oligarchic growth phase, which builds a bi-modal mass distribution within the disc of embryos and planetesimals. By varying the ratio of the total mass in the embryo population to the total mass in the planetesimal population and the mass of the individual embryos, we explore how different disc conditions control the final planets. The total mass ratio of embryos to planetesimals controls the timing of the last giant (Moon-forming) impact and its violence. The initial embryo mass sets the size of the lunar impactor and the growth rate of Mars. After comparing our simulated outcomes with the actual orbits of the terrestrial planets (angular momentum deficit, mass concentration) and taking into account independent geochemical constraints on the mass accreted by the Earth after the Moon-forming event and on the time scale for the growth of Mars, we conclude that the protoplanetary disc at the beginning of the giant impact phase must have had most of its mass in Mars-sized embryos and only a small fraction of the total disc mass in the planetesimal population. From this, we infer that the Moon-forming event occurred between approximately 60 and approximately 130 Myr after the formation of the first solids and was caused most likely by an object with a mass similar to that of Mars.

scholarly journals The Mg/Fe ratio of silicate minerals in the meteoritic materials and in the circumstellar environment: A case study for the chondritic-like composition

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Péter Futó ◽  
József Vanyó ◽  
Irakli Simonia ◽  
János Sztakovics ◽  
Mihály Nagy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Crystallization Process ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
Protoplanetary Disk ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
System A ◽  
Circumstellar Environment

Abstract Kaba meteorite as a reference material (one of a least metamorphosed and most primitive carbonaceous chondrites fell on Earth) was chosen for this study providing an adequate background for study of the protoplanetary disk or even the crystallization processes of the Early Solar System. Its olivine minerals (forsterite and fayalite) and their Mg/Fe ratio can help us to understand more about the planet formation mechanism and whether or not the metallic constitutes of the disk could be precursors for the type of planets in the Solar System. A multiple methodological approach such as a combination of the scanning electron microscope, optical microscope, Raman spectroscopy and electron microprobe of the olivine grains give the Fe/Mg ratio database. The analyses above confirmed that planet formation in the protoplanetary disk is driven by the mineralogical precursors of the crystallization process. On the other hand, four nebulae mentioned in this study provide the astronomical data confirming that the planet formation in the protoplanetary disk is dominated or even driven by the metallic constituents.

Formation, Frequency and Spacing of Habitable Planets

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 289-297
Author(s):  
Jack J. Lissauer
Keyword(s):  
Planet Formation ◽  
Orbital Stability ◽  
Young Stars ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
Planetary Orbits ◽  
Rocky Planets

AbstractModels of planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss estimates of the abundance of habitable planets which may orbit stars within our galaxy. Modern theories of star and planet formation, which are based upon observations of the Solar System and of young stars and their environments, predict that most single stars should have rocky planets in orbit about them. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets orbiting within or near the habitable zone could either prevent terrestrial planets from forming, destroy such planets or remove them from habitable zones. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed.

scholarly journals The Abundant Irregular Satellites of the Giant Planets

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 898-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott S. Sheppard ◽  
David C. Jewitt
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Special Interest ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Population Statistics ◽  
Satellite Systems ◽  
Irregular Satellites ◽  
Eccentric Orbits ◽  
Heliocentric Orbit

AbstractIrregular satellites have eccentric orbits that can be highly inclined or even retrograde relative to the equatorial planes of their planets. These objects cannot have formed by circumplanetary accretion as did the regular satellites which follow un-inclined, nearly circular, pro-grade orbits. Instead, they are likely products of early capture from heliocentric orbit. The study of the irregular satellites provides a unique window on processes operating in the young solar system. Recent discoveries around Jupiter (45 new satellites), Saturn (13), Uranus (9), and Neptune (5) have almost increased the number of known irregular satellites by a factor of ten and suggest that the gas and ice giant planets all have fairly similar irregular satellite systems. Dynamical groupings were most likely produced by collisional shattering of precursor objects after capture by their planets. Jupiter is considered as a case of special interest. Its proximity allows us to probe the fainter, smaller irregular satellites to obtain large population statistics in order to address the questions of planet formation and capture.

scholarly journals A new view on planet formation

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S276) ◽  
pp. 101-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Nayakshin
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Standard Picture ◽  
Opposite Point ◽  
Rocky Planets ◽  
Parent Star

AbstractThe standard picture of planet formation posits that giant gas planets are over-grown rocky planets massive enough to attract enormous gas atmospheres. It has been shown recently that the opposite point of view is physically plausible: the rocky terrestrial planets are former giant planet embryos dried of their gas “to the bone” by the influences of the parent star. Here we provide a brief overview of this “Tidal Downsizing” hypothesis in the context of the Solar System structure.

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