ALMA images of discs: are all gaps carved by planets?

TL;DR

This study uses 3D hydrodynamical simulations and synthetic ALMA images to investigate how planet-induced gaps and dust dynamics in protoplanetary discs can produce observable features, including potential false positives.

Contribution

It introduces the first simulation showing a self-induced dust pile-up due to fragmentation, highlighting complexities in interpreting observed gaps as planet signatures.

Findings

Self-induced dust pile-up identified at fragmentation threshold of 15 m/s.

Simulated gaps can be mistaken for multiple planets due to dust dynamics.

Caution is advised in interpreting ALMA disc gaps as definitive planet signs.

Abstract

Protoplanetary discs are now routinely observed and exoplanets, after the numerous indirect discoveries, are starting to be directly imaged. To better understand the planet formation process, the next step is the detection of forming planets or of signposts of young planets still in their disc, such as gaps. A spectacular example is the ALMA science verification image of HL Tau showing numerous gaps and rings in its disc. To study the observability of planet gaps, we ran 3D hydrodynamical simulations of a gas and dust disc containing a 5 M J gap-opening planet and characterised the spatial distribution of migrating, growing and fragmenting dust grains. We then computed the corresponding synthetic images for ALMA. For a value of the dust fragmentation threshold of 15 m s --1 for the collisional velocity, we identify for the first time a self-induced dust pile up in simulations taking fragmentation into account. This feature, in addition to the easily detected planet gap, causes a second apparent gap that could be mistaken for the signature of a second planet. It is therefore essential to be cautious in the interpretation of gap detections.