Planet formation in stellar binaries II: overcoming the fragmentation barrier in alpha Centauri and gamma Cephei-like systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that planet formation in eccentric binary systems like alpha Centauri and gamma Cephei can occur despite the fragmentation barrier, especially in massive, low-eccentricity, aligned protoplanetary disks, challenging previous assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel secular dynamics model including disk gravity and gas drag, showing conditions under which planetesimals can grow in binary systems.

Findings

Planet formation is possible in AU-scale orbits within ~20 AU binaries with massive, low-eccentricity disks.

Disk alignment with the binary orbit reduces fragmentation, aiding planetesimal growth.

Terrestrial and Neptune-like planets can form at small radii in such systems.

Abstract

Planet formation in small-separation (~20 AU) eccentric binaries such as gamma Cephei or alpha Centauri is believed to be adversely affected by the presence of the stellar companion. Strong dynamical excitation of planetesimals by the eccentric companion can result in collisional destruction (rather than growth) of 1-100 km objects, giving rise to the "fragmentation barrier" for planet formation. We revise this issue using a novel description of secular dynamics of planetesimals in binaries, which accounts for the gravity of the eccentric, coplanar protoplanetary disk, as well as gas drag. By studying planetesimal collision outcomes we show, in contrast to many previous studies, that planetesimal growth and subsequent formation of planets (including gas giants) in AU-scale orbits within ~20 AU separation binaries may be possible, provided that the protoplanetary disks are massive (>10^{-2}M_\odot) and only weakly eccentric (disk eccentricity <0.01). These requirements are compatible with both the existence of massive (several M_J) planets in gamma Cep-like systems and the results of recent simulations of gaseous disks in eccentric binaries. Terrestrial and Neptune-like planets can also form in lower-mass disks at small (sub-AU) radii. We find that fragmentation barrier is less of a problem in eccentric disks which are apsidally aligned with the binary orbit. Alignment gives rise to special locations, where (1) relative planetesimal velocities are low and (2) the timescale of their drag-induced radial drift is long. This causes planetesimal pileup at such locations in the disk and promotes their growth.