Hydrodynamic outcomes of planet scattering in transitional discs

TL;DR

This study uses hydrodynamic and n-body simulations to explore how planet scattering in transitional discs affects planetary system architectures, revealing complex interactions and the formation of stable configurations with implications for observed exoplanet eccentricities.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed hydrodynamic simulations of planet scattering during disc clearing, comparing outcomes with gas-free models to understand the influence of gas on planetary dynamics.

Findings

Hydrodynamics and n-body results are similar for one- and two-planet final states.

Hydrodynamics produce more low-eccentricity three-planet stable systems.

Few systems enter mean-motion resonances after scattering.

Abstract

A significant fraction of unstable multiple planet systems likely scatter during the transitional disc phase as gas damping becomes ineffectual. Using an ensemble of FARGO hydrodynamic simulations and MERCURY n-body integrations, we directly follow planet-disc and planet-planet interactions through the clearing phase and on through 50 Myr of dynamical evolution. Disc clearing occurs via X-ray driven photoevaporation. The hydrodynamic evolution of individual scattering systems is complex, and involves phases in which massive planets orbit within eccentric gaps, or accrete directly from the disc without a gap. Comparing the results to a gas-free model, we find that the n-body dynamics and hydrodynamics of scattering into one- and two-planet final states are almost identical. The eccentricity distributions in these channels are almost unaltered by the presence of gas. The hydrodynamic simulations, however, also form low eccentricity three-planet systems in long-term stable configurations, and the admixture of these systems results in modestly lower eccentricities in hydrodynamic as opposed to gas-free simulations. The incidence of these three-planet systems is likely a function of the initial conditions; different planet setups (number or spacing) may change the character of this result. We analyze the properties of surviving multiple planet systems, and show that only a small fraction (a few percent) enter mean-motion resonances after scattering, while a larger fraction form stable resonant chains and avoid scattering entirely. Our results remain consistent with the hypothesis that exoplanet eccentricity results from scattering, though the detailed agreement between observations and gas-free simulation results is likely coincidental. We discuss the prospects for testing scattering models by observing planets or non-axisymmetric gas structure in transitional discs.