Planet-planet scattering in planetesimal disks II: Predictions for outer extrasolar planetary systems

TL;DR

This study uses N-body simulations to predict the dynamical properties of outer extrasolar planetary systems influenced by planet-planet scattering and planetesimal disks, highlighting mass-dependent behaviors and resonance formation.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive dynamical model combining planet scattering and planetesimal interactions, providing new predictions for the eccentricity, inclination, and resonance occurrence in outer planetary systems.

Findings

High-mass planets show modest disk influence, matching observed eccentricities.

Lower-mass planets exhibit diverse behaviors including scattering and re-circularization.

Resonant chains are likely common among massive outer planets.

Abstract

We develop an idealized dynamical model to predict the typical properties of outer extrasolar planetary systems, at radii beyond 5 AU. Our hypothesis is that dynamical evolution in outer planetary systems is controlled by a combination of planet-planet scattering and planetary interactions with an exterior disk of small bodies ("planetesimals"). Using 5,000 long duration N-body simulations, we follow the evolution of three planets surrounded by a 50 Earth mass primordial planetesimal disk. For large planet masses (above that of Saturn) the influence of the disk is modest, and we recover the observed eccentricity distribution of extrasolar planets (observed primarily at smaller radii). We explain the observed mass dependence of the eccentricity by invoking strong correlations between planet masses in the same system. For lower mass planets we observe diverse dynamical behavior: strong scattering events, sudden jumps in eccentricity due to resonance crossings, and re-circularization of scattered low-mass planets in the disk. We present distributions of the final eccentricity and inclination, and discuss how they vary with planet mass and initial system architecture. We predict a transition to lower eccentricities for low mass planets at radii where disks influence the dynamics. Radial velocity measurements capable of detecting planets with K~5 m/s and periods in excess of 10 years will constrain this regime. We also study the population of resonant and non-resonant multiple planet systems. We show that, among systems with Jupiter-mass planets that avoid close encounters, the planetesimal disk acts as a damping mechanism that frequently populates mean motion resonances. Resonant chains ought to be common among massive planets in outer planetary systems.