Numerically Predicted Indirect Signatures of Terrestrial Planet Formation

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the intermediate stages of terrestrial planet formation can be indirectly observed through dust emissions resulting from planetesimal collisions, using advanced numerical simulations and synthetic observations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining N-body simulations with a detailed collision model to predict observable signatures of planet formation.

Findings

Planetary embryo formation may be detectable with ALMA.

Dust production correlates with collision activity.

Surface area of planetesimal evolution influences observability.

Abstract

The intermediate phases of planet formation are not directly observable due to lack of emission from planetesimals. Planet formation is, however, a dynamically active process resulting in collisions between the evolving planetesimals and the production of dust. Thus, indirect observation of planet formation may indeed be possible in the near future. In this paper we present synthetic observations based on numerical N-body simulations of the intermediate phase of planet formation including a state-of-the-art collision model, EDACM, which allows multiple collision outcomes, such as, accretion, erosion, and bouncing events. We show that the formation of planetary embryos may be indirectly observable by a fully functioning ALMA telescope if the surface area involved in planetesimal evolution is sufficiently large and/or the amount of dust produced in the collisions is sufficiently high in mass.