Hot Jupiters and Central Cavities of Protoplanetary Discs

TL;DR

This study numerically examines how massive planets migrate within protoplanetary disc cavities, revealing that more massive planets tend to halt migration farther from the disc edge, potentially explaining observed mass-period correlations.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical analysis of planetary migration in disc cavities, highlighting the mass-dependent stopping distances of planets near the inner disc edge.

Findings

More massive planets stop migrating farther from the disc edge.

Planetary migration continues inward within the cavity.

The results may explain the observed mass-period correlation for close-in planets.

Abstract

We investigate numerically the orbital evolution of massive extrasolar planets within central cavities of their parent protoplanetary discs. Assuming that they arrive at the inner edge of the disc due to type II migration, we show that they spiral further in. We find that in magnetospheric cavities more massive planets stop migrating at a larger distance from the edge of the disc. This effect may qualitatively explain the correlation between masses and orbital periods found for massive planets with P shorter than 5 days.