Planet formation in binaries: dynamics of planetesimals perturbed by the eccentric protoplanetary disk and the secondary

TL;DR

This paper develops a secular theory for planetesimal eccentricity evolution in eccentric protoplanetary disks within binary systems, revealing how disk gravity influences planet formation and identifying conditions that mitigate destructive collisions.

Contribution

It introduces the first analytical model for eccentricity evolution of planetesimals perturbed by an eccentric disk and the companion, expanding understanding of planet formation in binary systems.

Findings

Massive eccentric disks set a lower limit on planetesimal eccentricities.

Rapid disk precession or self-gravity can reduce eccentricity, aiding planet growth.

Eccentric disk gravity often dominates over companion perturbations in planetesimal dynamics.

Abstract

Detections of planets in eccentric, close (separations of ~20 AU) binary systems such as \alpha Cen or \gamma Cep provide an important test of planet formation theories. Gravitational perturbations from the companion are expected to excite high planetesimal eccentricities resulting in destruction, rather than growth, of objects with sizes of up to several hundred km in collisions of similar-size bodies. It was recently suggested that gravity of a massive axisymmetric gaseous disk in which planetesimals are embedded drives rapid precession of their orbits, suppressing eccentricity excitation. However, disks in binaries are themselves expected to be eccentric, leading to additional planetesimal excitation. Here we develop secular theory of eccentricity evolution for planetesimals perturbed by the gravity of an elliptical protoplanetary disk (neglecting gas drag) and the companion. For the first time we derive an expression for the disturbing function due to an eccentric disk, which can be used for a variety of other astrophysical problems. We obtain explicit analytical solutions for planetesimal eccentricity evolution and delineate four different regimes of dynamical excitation. We show that in systems with massive (>10^{-2}M_Sun) disks, planetesimal eccentricity is usually determined by the gravity of the eccentric disk alone, and is comparable to the disk eccentricity. As a result, the latter imposes a lower limit on collisional velocities of solids, making their growth problematic. This fragmentation barrier can be removed if the gaseous disk rapidly precesses or if its own self-gravity is efficient at lowering disk eccentricity.