Giant planet formation in the framework of the core instability model

TL;DR

This thesis models the formation of the Solar System's giant planets via the core instability hypothesis, incorporating detailed physics and realistic accretion processes, successfully simulating their formation within the protoplanetary disk lifetime.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive model that couples solids and gas accretion with detailed physics, accurately simulating giant planet formation within 10 million years.

Findings

Formed Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune within 10 million years

Incorporated size distribution of planetesimals in the model

Demonstrated compatibility with protoplanetary disk lifetime

Abstract

In this Thesis I studied the formation of the four giant planets of the Solar System in the framework of the nucleated instability hypothesis. The model considers that solids and gas accretion are coupled in an interactive fashion, taking into account detailed constitutive physics for the envelope. The accretion rate of the core corresponds to the oligarchic growth regime. I also considered that accreted planetesimals follow a size distribution. One of the main results of this Thesis is that I was able to compute the formation of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in less than 10 million years, which is considered to be the protoplanetary disk mean lifetime.