The interplay between X-ray photoevaporation and planet formation

TL;DR

This paper explores how planet formation can trigger early disc dispersal via X-ray photoevaporation, leading to larger transition disc holes and offering insights into observed disc features.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of planet formation induced photoevaporation (PIPE), showing how planets can accelerate disc dispersal and produce larger holes than standard photoevaporation models.

Findings

Planet formation reduces accretion flow, leading to earlier disc dispersal.

PIPE can produce larger holes in transition discs compared to standard models.

The process may explain some observed large-hole, accreting transition discs.

Abstract

We assess the potential of planet formation instigating the early formation of a photoevaporation driven gap, up to radii larger than typical for photoevaporation alone. For our investigation we make use of hydrodynamics models of photoevaporating discs with a giant planet embedded. We find that, by reducing the mass accretion flow onto the star, discs that form giant planets will be dispersed at earlier times than discs without planets by X-ray photoevaporation. By clearing the portion of the disc inner of the planet orbital radius, planet formation induced photoevaporation (PIPE) is able to produce transition disc that for a given mass accretion rate have larger holes when compared to standard X-ray photoevaporation. This constitutes a possible route for the formation of the observed class of accreting transition discs with large holes, which are otherwise difficult to explain by planet formation or photoevaporation alone. Moreover, assuming that a planet is able to filter dust completely, PIPE produces a transition disc with a large hole and may provide a mechanism to quickly shut down accretion. This process appears to be too slow however to explain the observed desert in the population of transition disc with large holes and low mass accretion rates.