On the dynamics of resonant super-Earths in disks with turbulence driven by stochastic forcing

TL;DR

This study uses 2D hydrodynamical simulations to explore how turbulence in protoplanetary disks affects the formation and stability of mean motion resonances between super-Earths, revealing that turbulence can disrupt or maintain resonances depending on its amplitude.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the impact of stochastic turbulence on the resonance dynamics of super-Earth systems in protoplanetary disks.

Findings

Resonant trapping is possible in low-turbulence disks with alpha ~ 10^{-3}.

Higher turbulence levels tend to break resonances and lead to alternative orbital configurations.

Moderate turbulence allows for stable resonances, especially in disks with dead zones.

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of a system of two super-Earths with masses < 4 Earth masses embedded in a turbulent protoplanetary disk. The aim is to examine whether or not resonant trapping can occur and be maintained in presence of turbulence and how this depends on the amplitude of the stochastic density fluctuations in the disk. We have performed 2D numerical simulations using a grid-based hydrodynamical code in which turbulence is modelled as stochastic forcing. We assume that the outermost planet is initially located just outside the position of the 3:2 mean motion resonance (MMR) with the inner one and we study the dependance of the resonance stability with the amplitude of the stochastic forcing. For systems of two equal-mass planets we find that in disk models with an effective viscous stress parameter {\alpha} 10^{-3}, damping effects due to type I migration can counteract the effects of diffusion of the resonant angles, in such a way that the 3:2 MMR can possibly remain stable over the disk lifetime. For systems of super-Earths with mass ratio q=m_i/m_o < 1/2, where m_i (m_o) is the mass of the innermost (outermost) planet, the 3:2 MMR is broken in turbulent disks with effective viscous stresses 2x10^{-4}< {\alpha}< 10^{-3} but the planets become locked in stronger p+1:p resonances, with p increasing as the value for {\alpha} increases. For {\alpha}> 2x10^{-3}, the evolution can eventually involve temporary capture in a 8:7 commensurability but no stable MMR is formed. Our results suggest that for values of the viscous stress parameter typical to those generated by MHD turbulence, MMRs between two super-Earths are likely to be disrupted by stochastic density fluctuations. For lower levels of turbulence however, as is the case in presence of a dead-zone, resonant trapping can be maintained in systems with moderate values of the planet mass ratio.