Orbital migration of low-mass planets in evolutionary radiative models: Avoiding catastrophic infall

TL;DR

This study investigates how low-mass planets can avoid catastrophic inward migration in evolving protoplanetary disks by analyzing their interaction with migrating equilibrium radii and disk depletion processes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that low-mass planets can decouple from inward-moving equilibrium radii before significant migration occurs, explaining their survival in evolving disks.

Findings

Low-mass planets avoid migrating into the star due to disk evolution.

Higher mass planets can open gaps and halt migration during late disk stages.

Results support reduced migration rates used in planet population models.

Abstract

Outward migration of low-mass planets has recently been shown to be a possibility in non-barotropic disks. We examine the consequences of this result in evolutionary models of protoplanetary disks. Planet migration occurs towards equilibrium radii with zero torque. These radii themselves migrate inwards because of viscous accretion and photoevaporation. We show that as the surface density and temperature fall, the planet orbital migration and disk depletion timescales eventually become comparable, with the precise timing depending on the mass of the planet. When this occurs, the planet decouples from the equilibrium radius. At this time, however, the gas surface density is already too low to drive substantial further migration. A higher mass planet, of 10 Earth masses, can open a gap during the late evolution of the disk, and stops migrating. Low mass planets, with 1 or 0.1 Earth masses, released beyond 1 AU in our models, avoid migrating into the star. Our results provide support for the reduced migration rates adopted in recent planet population synthesis models.