scholarly journals A Lopsided Outer Solar System?

2021 ◽  
Vol 162 (6) ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Alexander Zderic ◽  
Maria Tiongco ◽  
Angela Collier ◽  
Heather Wernke ◽  
Aleksey Generozov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Exponential Growth ◽  
Surface Density ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
Eccentric Orbits ◽  
Gravitational Influence ◽  
Concentric Circles ◽  
Bar Formation

Abstract Axisymmetric disks of eccentric orbits in near-Keplerian potentials are unstable and undergo exponential growth in inclination. Recently, Zderic et al. showed that an idealized disk then saturates to a lopsided mode. Here we show, using N-body simulations, that this apsidal clustering also occurs in a primordial Scattered Disk in the outer solar system, which includes the orbit-averaged gravitational influence of the giant planets. We explain the dynamics using Lynden-Bell's mechanism for bar formation in galaxies. We also show surface density and line-of-sight velocity plots at different times during the instability, highlighting the formation of concentric circles and spiral arms in velocity space.

scholarly journals On the survival of resonant and non-resonant planetary systems in star clusters

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 1807-1825
Author(s):  
Katja Stock ◽  
Maxwell X Cai ◽  
Rainer Spurzem ◽  
M B N Kouwenhoven ◽  
Simon Portegies Zwart
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Planetary Systems ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Mean Motion Resonances ◽  
Orbital Parameters ◽  
Eccentric Orbits ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Exoplanet Systems

ABSTRACT Despite the discovery of thousands of exoplanets in recent years, the number of known exoplanets in star clusters remains tiny. This may be a consequence of close stellar encounters perturbing the dynamical evolution of planetary systems in these clusters. Here, we present the results from direct N-body simulations of multiplanetary systems embedded in star clusters containing N = 8k, 16k, 32k, and 64k stars. The planetary systems, which consist of the four Solar system giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, are initialized in different orbital configurations, to study the effect of the system architecture on the dynamical evolution of the entire planetary system, and on the escape rate of the individual planets. We find that the current orbital parameters of the Solar system giants (with initially circular orbits, as well as with present-day eccentricities) and a slightly more compact configuration, have a high resilience against stellar perturbations. A configuration with initial mean-motion resonances of 3:2, 3:2, and 5:4 between the planets, which is inspired by the Nice model, and for which the two outermost planets are usually ejected within the first 105 yr, is in many cases stabilized due to the removal of the resonances by external stellar perturbation and by the rapid ejection of at least one planet. Assigning all planets the same mass of 1 MJup almost equalizes the survival fractions. Our simulations reproduce the broad diversity amongst observed exoplanet systems. We find not only many very wide and/or eccentric orbits, but also a significant number of (stable) retrograde orbits.

scholarly journals Deuterium in the Solar System

1992 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 341-345
Author(s):  
T. Owen
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Condensed Matter ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
History Of

AbstractValues of D/H measured in the methane on the giant planets and Titan indicate the presence of two distinct reservoirs of deuterium in the outer solar system. The dominant reservoir is in hydrogen gas, the second, multi-component reservoir is found in the hydrogen that is bound in condensed compounds. Both reservoirs appear to have originated in the interstellar medium. In contrast, the values of D/H in water vapor on Mars and Venus (especially) exhibit a large enrichment from the “condensed matter” starting value. Interpretation of this enrichment may illuminate the history of water on these two planets.

scholarly journals Deuterium in the Solar System

1992 ◽  
Vol 150 ◽  
pp. 97-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Owen
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Condensed Matter ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
History Of

Values of D/H measured in the methane on the giant planets and Titan indicate the presence of two distinct reservoirs of deuterium in the outer solar system. The dominant reservoir is in hydrogen gas, the second, multi-component reservoir is found in the hydrogen that is bound in condensed compounds. Both reservoirs appear to have originated in the interstellar medium. In contrast, the values of D/H in water vapor on Mars and Venus (especially) exhibit a large enrichment from the “condensed matter” starting value. Interpretation of this enrichment may illuminate the history of water on these two planets.

Conclusion

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Ingersoll
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Extraterrestrial Life ◽  
Better Than

This concluding chapter discusses some of the lessons that can be learned from studying the planets and planetary climates. It first considers the general principles that turned out to be right; for example, size and distance from the Sun matter. The larger objects are able to hold on to their atmospheres better than the small objects. The outer solar system is hydrogen rich and the inner solar system is oxygen rich; as one moves away from the Sun different substances take on different roles. There are also assumptions that proved inaccurate; such was the case for Venus, Mars, and the moons of the giant planets. The chapter also asks whether the study of planetary climates provides lessons for Earth, whether the study of planets has informed us about the likelihood of extraterrestrial life, and whether it has made the development of extraterrestrial life seem more likely.

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 Scenarios of giant planet formation and evolution and their impact on the formation of habitable terrestrial planets

2014 ◽  
Vol 372 (2014) ◽  
pp. 20130072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Morbidelli
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Eccentric Orbits ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Large Eccentricity ◽  
Formation And Evolution ◽  
Orbital Instability

In our Solar System, there is a clear divide between the terrestrial and giant planets. These two categories of planets formed and evolved separately, almost in isolation from each other. This was possible because Jupiter avoided migrating into the inner Solar System, most probably due to the presence of Saturn, and never acquired a large-eccentricity orbit, even during the phase of orbital instability that the giant planets most likely experienced. Thus, the Earth formed on a time scale of several tens of millions of years, by collision of Moon- to Mars-mass planetary embryos, in a gas-free and volatile-depleted environment. We do not expect, however, that this clear cleavage between the giant and terrestrial planets is generic. In many extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date, the giant planets migrated into the vicinity of the parent star and/or acquired eccentric orbits. In this way, the evolution and destiny of the giant and terrestrial planets become intimately linked. This paper discusses several evolutionary patterns for the giant planets, with an emphasis on the consequences for the formation and survival of habitable terrestrial planets. The conclusion is that we should not expect Earth-like planets to be typical in terms of physical and orbital properties and accretion history. Most habitable worlds are probably different, exotic worlds.

scholarly journals Effects of Multiple Planetary Encounters on Kuiper Belt Objects

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 243-244
Author(s):  
Ştefan Berinde
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Diffusion Process ◽  
Statistical Approach ◽  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
Kuiper Belt Objects ◽  
Easy Task ◽  
Close Encounters ◽  
Long Time

Nowadays many attempts are made to establish a qualitative and a quantitative connection between Kuiper Belt Population and Jupiter Family Comets. Basically, this can be thought as a diffusion process throughout the outer Solar System due to multiple close encounters with the giant planets. But, following the path of a body in such a process is not an easy task to be approached analytically nor numerically, because the motion is very chaotic and spread over a long time. A statistical approach seems to be a reasonable way and is the purpose of this paper.

scholarly journals The role of dynamics on the habitability of an Earth-like planet

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Pilat-Lohinger
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Planetary System ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Dynamical Behaviour ◽  
Stability Study ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Gravitational Perturbations ◽  
Eccentric Orbits ◽  
The Earth

AbstractFrom the numerous detected planets outside the Solar System, no terrestrial planet comparable with our Earth has been discovered so far. The search for an Exo-Earth is certainly a big challenge which may require the detections of planetary systems resembling our Solar System in order to find life like on Earth. However, even if we find Solar System analogues, it is not certain that a planet in Earth position will have similar circumstances as those of the Earth. Small changes in the architecture of the giant planets can lead to orbital perturbations which may change the conditions of habitability for a terrestrial planet in the habitable zone (HZ). We present a numerical investigation where we first study the motion of test-planets in a particular Jupiter–Saturn configuration for which we can expect strong gravitational perturbations on the motion at the Earth's position according to a previous work. In this study, we show that these strong perturbations can be reduced significantly by the neighbouring planets of Earth. In the second part of our study, we investigate the motion of test-planets in inclined Jupiter–Saturn systems where we analyse changes in the dynamical behaviour of the inner planetary system. Moderate values of inclination seem to counteract the perturbations in the HZ, while high inclinations induce more chaos in this region. Finally, we carry out a stability study of the actual orbits of Venus, Earth and Mars moving in the inclined Jupiter–Saturn systems for which we used the Solar System parameters. This study shows that the three terrestrial planets will only move in low-eccentric orbits if Saturn's inclination is ≤10°. Therefore, it seems that it is advantageous for the habitability of Earth when all planets move nearly in the same plane.

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