Cited by 194Stellar, planetary, and galactic studiesAstro and Planetary ScienceAstrophysics and Star Formation Studies

Debris disks as signposts of terrestrial planet formation

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Raymond, S. N., Armitage, P. J., Moro-Martín, A., Booth, M., Wyatt, M. C., Armstrong, J. C., Mandell, A. M., Selsis, F. +1 more·2011·Astronomy & Astrophysics

Abstract

There exists strong circumstantial evidence from their eccentric orbits that most of the known extra-solar planetary systems are the survivors of violent dynamical instabilities. Here we explore the effect of giant planet instabilities on the formation and survival of terrestrial planets. We numerically simulate the evolution of planetary systems around Sun-like stars that include three components: (i) an inner disk of planetesimals and planetary embryos; (ii) three giant planets at Jupiter-Saturn distances; and (iii) an outer disk of planetesimals comparable to estimates of the primitive Kuiper belt. We calculate the dust production and spectral energy distribution of each system by assuming that each planetesimal particle represents an ensemble of smaller bodies in collisional equilibrium. Our main result is a strong correlation between the evolution of the inner and outer parts of planetary systems, i.e. between the presence of terrestrial planets and debris disks. Strong giant planet instabilities – that produce very eccentric surviving planets – destroy all rocky material in the system, including fully-formed terrestrial planets if the instabilities occur late, and also destroy the icy planetesimal population. Stable or weakly unstable systems allow terrestrial planets to accrete in their inner regions and significant dust to be produced in their outer regions, detectable at mid-infrared wavelengths as debris disks. Stars older than ~100 Myr with bright cold dust emission (in particular at λ ~ 70 μm) signpost dynamically calm environments that were conducive to efficient terrestrial accretion. Such emission is present around ~16% of billion-year old Solar-type stars. Our simulations yield numerous secondary results: 1) the typical eccentricities of as-yet undetected terrestrial planets are ~0.1 but there exists a novel class of terrestrial planet system whose single planet undergoes large amplitude oscillations in orbital eccentricity and inclination; 2) by scaling our systems to match the observed semimajor axis distribution of giant exoplanets, we predict that terrestrial exoplanets in the same systems should be a few times more abundant at ~0.5 AU than giant or terrestrial exoplanets at 1 AU; 3) the Solar System appears to be unusual in terms of its combination of a rich terrestrial planet system and a low dust content. This may be explained by the weak, outward-directed instability that is thought to have caused the late heavy bombardment.

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Armitage, P. J. 2011, ARA&A, in press
  2. Ford, E. B., Rasio, F. A., & Yu, K. 2003, in Scientific Frontiers in Research on Extrasolar Planets, ed. D. Deming, & S. Seager, ASP Conf. Ser., 294, 181

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Authors
Raymond, S. N., Armitage, P. J., Moro-Martín, A., Booth, M., Wyatt, M. C., Armstrong, J. C., Mandell, A. M., Selsis, F., & West, A. A.
Affiliations
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (US)
  • University of Victoria (CA)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Weber State University (US)
  • Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
  • Boston University (US)
Venue
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Publisher
EDP Sciences
Published
2011-05-12
Volume
530
Pages
A62
ISSN
  • 0004-6361 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-0746
OpenAlex
W1964193027
Cited by
194
References
184
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 15
FWCI
9.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • Oskar-Bordeaux (Universite de Bordeaux) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (0807471)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX07AH08G, NNX09AB90G)
  • Purdue University
  • Weber State University
  • University of Washington
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
  • NASA Astrobiology Institute
  • Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/H00243X/1, ST/G00269X/1)
  • Division of Astronomical Sciences
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Keywords
debris disks, terrestrial planet formation, giant planet instability, dynamical instability, dust formation, mid-infrared dust emission, eccentric planets, terrestrial exoplanets, giant exoplanets, Kuiper belt analog, Late Heavy Bombardment, solar-type stars

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