scholarly journals Embedding planetesimals into white dwarf discs from large distances

2019 ◽  
Vol 489 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeni Grishin ◽  
Dimitri Veras
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
Oort Cloud ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Exoplanetary Systems ◽  
Radial Extent ◽  
Roche Limit ◽  
History Of ◽  
Disc Size

ABSTRACT The discovery of the intact minor planet embedded in the debris disc orbiting SDSS J1228+1040 raises questions about the dynamical history of the system. Further, the recent passage of the potentially interstellar object 1I/’Oumuamua within the Solar system has re-ignited interest in minor body flux through exoplanetary systems. Here, we utilize the new analytical formalism from Grishin et al. (2019) to estimate the rate at which the gaseous components of typical white dwarf discs trap an exo-planetesimal. We compare the types of captured orbits which arise from planetesimals originating from the interstellar medium, exo-Kuiper belts, and exo-Oort clouds. We find that the rate of interstellar medium injection is negligible, whereas capture of both exo-Kuiper and exo-Oort cloud planetesimals is viable, but strongly size-dependent. For a gaseous disc which extends much beyond its Roche limit, capture is more probable than disruption at the Roche limit. We find that the capture probability linearly increases with the radial extent of the disc. Even in systems without minor planets, capture of smaller bodies will change the disc size distribution and potentially its temporal variability. Our formalism is general enough to be applied to future discoveries of embedded planetesimals in white dwarf debris discs.

scholarly journals The dynamical history of the evaporating or disrupted ice giant planet around white dwarf WD J0914+1914

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (4) ◽  
pp. 6059-6066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Veras ◽  
Jim Fuller
Keyword(s):  
White Dwarf ◽  
Circular Orbit ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
Tidal Dissipation ◽  
Current Location ◽  
History Of ◽  
Major Planet ◽  
Coupled Constraints

ABSTRACT Robust evidence of an ice giant planet shedding its atmosphere around the white dwarf WD J0914+1914 represents a milestone in exoplanetary science, allowing us to finally supplement our knowledge of white dwarf metal pollution, debris discs, and minor planets with the presence of a major planet. Here, we discuss the possible dynamical origins of this planet, WD J0914+1914 b. The very young cooling age of the host white dwarf (13 Myr) combined with the currently estimated planet–star separation of about 0.07 au imposes particularly intriguing and restrictive coupled constraints on its current orbit and its tidal dissipation characteristics. The planet must have been scattered from a distance of at least a few au to its current location, requiring the current or former presence of at least one more major planet in the system in the absence of a hidden binary companion. We show that WD J0914+1914 b could not have subsequently shrunk its orbit through chaotic f-mode tidal excitation (characteristic of such highly eccentric orbits) unless the planet was or is highly inflated and possibly had partially thermally self-disrupted from mode-based energy release. We also demonstrate that if the planet is currently assumed to reside on a near-circular orbit at 0.07 au, then non-chaotic equilibrium tides impose unrealistic values for the planet’s tidal quality factor. We conclude that WD J0914+1914 b either (i) actually resides interior to 0.07 au, (ii) resembles a disrupted ‘Super-Puff’ whose remains reside on a circular orbit, or (iii) resembles a larger or denser ice giant on a currently eccentric orbit. Distinguishing these three possibilities strongly motivates follow-up observations.

scholarly journals WD 1856 b: a close giant planet around a white dwarf that could have survived a common envelope phase

2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (1) ◽  
pp. 676-682
Author(s):  
F Lagos ◽  
M R Schreiber ◽  
M Zorotovic ◽  
B T Gänsicke ◽  
M P Ronco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Dwarf ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Orbital Energy ◽  
Current Position ◽  
Recombination Energy ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Common Envelope ◽  
History Of

ABSTRACT The discovery of a giant planet candidate orbiting the white dwarf WD 1856+534 with an orbital period of 1.4 d poses the questions of how the planet reached its current position. We here reconstruct the evolutionary history of the system assuming common envelope evolution as the main mechanism that brought the planet to its current position. We find that common envelope evolution can explain the present configuration if it was initiated when the host star was on the asymptotic giant branch, the separation of the planet at the onset of mass transfer was in the range 1.69–2.35 au, and if in addition to the orbital energy of the surviving planet either recombination energy stored in the envelope or another source of additional energy contributed to expelling the envelope. We also discuss the evolution of the planet prior to and following common envelope evolution. Finally, we find that if the system formed through common envelope evolution, its total age is in agreement with its membership to the Galactic thin disc. We therefore conclude that common envelope evolution is at least as likely as alternative formation scenarios previously suggested such as planet–planet scattering or Kozai–Lidov oscillations.

Evolution of Comets into Asteroids?

1971 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 413-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.G. Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Solar Nebula ◽  
Oort Cloud ◽  
Original Version ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Physical Difference ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The One

There has long been speculation as to whether comets evolve into asteroidal objects. On the one hand, in the original version of the Oort (1950) hypothesis, the cometary cloud was supposed to have formed initially from the same material that produced the minor planets; and an obvious corollary was that the main physical difference between comets and minor planets would be that the latter had long since lost their icy surfaces on account of persistent exposure to strong solar radiation (Öpik, 1963). However, following a suggestion by Kuiper (1951), it is now quite widely believed that, whereas the terrestrial planets and minor planets condensed in the inner regions of the primordial solar nebula, icy objects such as comets would have formed more naturally in the outer parts, perhaps even beyond the orbit of Neptune (Cameron, 1962; Whipple, 1964a). Furthermore, recent studies of the evolution of the short-period comets indicate that it is not possible to produce the observed orbital distribution from the Oort cloud, even when multiple encounters with Jupiter are considered (Havnes, 1970). We must now seriously entertain the possibility that most of the short-period orbits evolved directly from low-inclination, low-eccentricity orbits with perihelia initially in the region between, say, the orbits of Saturn and Neptune, and that these comets have never been in the traditional cloud at great distances from the Sun.

scholarly journals Comets (Existing Populations)

1994 ◽  
Vol 160 ◽  
pp. 77-94
Author(s):  
Ľ. Kresák
Keyword(s):  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Oort Cloud ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Evolutionary Time ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Evolutionary Paths

The definition, population, extent, origin and evolution of the individual subsystems of comets and transitions between them are discussed, together with presentation of the relevant statistical data and their changes with time. The largest outer subsystems are unobservable, but their existence is documented by the necessity of progressive replenishment of the observable populations, with limited survival times. There is persuasive evidence for two different evolutionary paths, one from the Oort cloud and another from the Kuiper belt. While the extent and accuracy of the data available is increasing rapidly, the Jupiter family of comets is the only one for which the evolutionary time scales do not exceed by many orders of magnitude the history of astronomical observations. The individual comet populations differ from one another not only by the distribution of orbits, but also by the size distribution and aging rate of their members. Their dynamical evolution is coupled with disintegration processes, which make it questionable whether the present state can be interpreted as a long-term average.

scholarly journals Asymmetric mass-loss from the white dwarf WD 0253+209 : Secret revealed

BIBECHANA ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Binil Aryal
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Mass Loss ◽  
Flux Density ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
Total Mass ◽  
Interstellar Dust ◽  
Mass Loss Rate ◽  
Infrared Image ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Color Temperature

Dust structures around the white dwarf WD 0253+209 is studied in 100 and 60 micron infrared image. These images are received from Infrared Astronomical Satellite Survey (IRAS Survey). The post Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) emission of the white dwarf's precursors' wind and the ambient interstellar matter is studied. The distribution of the relative flux density is studied and analyzed in the context of the dust color temperature, mass loading trend and the amount of total mass deposited due the interaction in the interstellar medium. The twisted curved emission structure at 100 micron in the region of interest is probably due to the interaction between the ambient interstellar medium and the He-flashes of the parent planetary nebula of the central white dwarf WD 0253+209. The total mass of the filamentary arc is found to be ~ 5 solar masses, as predicted. The mass loss rate of the post AGB star goes up to 10-5 solar masses per year. It is concluded that the first He-flash occurred at least ~2500 years ago.Keywords: white dwarf; interstellar medium; flux density; interstellar dust; mass of the gasDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bibechana.v8i0.4806BIBECHANA 8 (2012) 1-7

scholarly journals Host-star and exoplanet compositions: a pilot study using a wide binary with a polluted white dwarf

2021 ◽  
Vol 503 (2) ◽  
pp. 1877-1883
Author(s):  
Amy Bonsor ◽  
Paula Jofré ◽  
Oliver Shorttle ◽  
Laura K Rogers ◽  
Siyi Xu(许偲艺) ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Dwarf ◽  
Planetary System ◽  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
Wide Binary ◽  
Elemental Abundances ◽  
Exoplanetary Systems ◽  
Planetary Bodies ◽  
Refractory Composition ◽  
Observational Errors ◽  
Host Stars

ABSTRACT Planets and stars ultimately form out of the collapse of the same cloud of gas. Whilst planets, and planetary bodies, readily loose volatiles, a common hypothesis is that they retain the same refractory composition as their host star. This is true within the Solar system. The refractory composition of chondritic meteorites, Earth, and other rocky planetary bodies are consistent with solar, within the observational errors. This work aims to investigate whether this hypothesis holds for exoplanetary systems. If true, the internal structure of observed rocky exoplanets can be better constrained using their host star abundances. In this paper, we analyse the abundances of the K-dwarf, G200-40, and compare them to its polluted white dwarf companion, WD 1425+540. The white dwarf has accreted planetary material, most probably a Kuiper belt-like object, from an outer planetary system surviving the star’s evolution to the white dwarf phase. Given that binary pairs are chemically homogeneous, we use the binary companion, G200-40, as a proxy for the composition of the progenitor to WD 1425+540. We show that the elemental abundances of the companion star and the planetary material accreted by WD 1425+540 are consistent with the hypothesis that planet and host-stars have the same true abundances, taking into account the observational errors.

scholarly journals The Role of Observation With Horizontal Meridian Circle in China for Establishing an Inertial Frame

1990 ◽  
Vol 141 ◽  
pp. 142-142
Author(s):  
Li Zhi-gang ◽  
Qi Guan-Rong
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Frame ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
Meridian Circle ◽  
Horizontal Meridian ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Radio Stars

While HIPPARCOS is expected to measure positions and proper motions with more accuracy than those obtained by ground-based instruments, what can we do in the future for ground-based instruments? The observations with them still are important for establishing an inertial frame because of the long history of observations with them and improvements in the instruments. Moreover, it is necessary to have data of observations from them for research on problems related to the Earth. The horizontal meridian circle in China (DCMT) is expected to have advantage over the classical meridian circles. The DCMT will be assembled and tested this year. It should work in the following fields: (1) observing radio stars, (2) observation of minor planets, (3) absolute determinations of IRS.

scholarly journals The origin of comets among the accreting outer planets

1985 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Richard Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Oort Cloud ◽  
Reasonable Time ◽  
Outer Planets ◽  
Building Process ◽  
History Of

AbstractThe hypothesis of formation of comets as an accompaniment to formation of Uranus and Neptune from icy planetesimals is attractive for several reasons, but has suffered from long-standing problems regarding formation of the planets themselves. The history of this problem is reviewed, and recent results are described that may help solve it. Numerical simulations of planet growth show that when the system of planetesimals is no longer artificially constrained to a power-law size distribution, growth of planets may occur in reasonable time. An adeguate number of comet-sized bodies to populate the Oort cloud is not produced as collisional debris during the planet-building process. Rather, the comets are probably a remnant of the original planetesimal “building blocks” from which the planets grew.

scholarly journals The dust never settles: collisional production of gas and dust in evolved planetary systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (4) ◽  
pp. 5233-5242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Swan ◽  
Jay Farihi ◽  
Thomas G Wilson ◽  
Steven G Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Canonical Model ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
Infrared Photometry ◽  
Dust Production ◽  
Thick Disc ◽  
Observed Behaviour ◽  
Host Stars

ABSTRACT Multi-epoch infrared photometry from Spitzer is used to monitor circumstellar discs at white dwarfs, which are consistent with disrupted minor planets whose debris is accreted and chemically reflected by their host stars. Widespread infrared variability is found across the population of 37 stars with two or more epochs. Larger flux changes occur on longer time-scales, reaching several tens of per cent over baselines of a few years. The canonical model of a geometrically thin, optically thick disc is thus insufficient, as it cannot give rise to the observed behaviour. Optically thin dust best accounts for the variability, where collisions drive dust production and destruction. Notably, the highest infrared variations are seen in systems that show Ca ii emission, supporting planetesimal collisions for all known debris discs, with the most energetic occurring in those with detected gaseous debris. The sample includes the only polluted white dwarf with a circumbinary disc, where the signal of the day–night cycle of its irradiated substellar companion appears diluted by dust emission.

scholarly journals The lifetimes of planetary debris discs around white dwarfs

2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (2) ◽  
pp. 2292-2308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Veras ◽  
Kevin Heng
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
White Dwarfs ◽  
Input Parameter ◽  
Evolutionary Constraints ◽  
Minor Planets ◽  
Evolutionary Models ◽  
Tidal Disruption ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Break Up

ABSTRACT The lifetime of a planetary disc that orbits a white dwarf represents a crucial input parameter into evolutionary models of that system. Here we apply a purely analytical formalism to estimate lifetimes of the debris phase of these discs, before they are ground down into dust or are subject to sublimation from the white dwarf. We compute maximum lifetimes for three different types of white dwarf discs, formed from (i) radiative YORP break-up of exo-asteroids along the giant branch phases at 2–100 au, (ii) radiation-less spin-up disruption of these minor planets at ${\sim} 1.5\!-\!4.5\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$, and (iii) tidal disruption of minor or major planets within about $1.3\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$. We display these maximum lifetimes as a function of disc mass and extent, constituent planetesimal properties, and representative orbital excitations of eccentricity and inclination. We find that YORP discs with masses of up to 1024 kg live long enough to provide a reservoir of surviving cm-sized pebbles and m- to km-sized boulders that can be perturbed intact to white dwarfs with cooling ages of up to 10 Gyr. Debris discs formed from the spin or tidal disruption of these minor planets or major planets can survive in a steady state for up to, respectively, 1 or 0.01 Myr, although most tidal discs would leave a steady state within about 1 yr. Our results illustrate that dust-less planetesimal transit detections are plausible, and would provide particularly robust evolutionary constraints. Our formalism can easily be adapted to individual systems and future discoveries.

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