Three-lane and multi-lane signatures of planets in planetesimal disks

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates through numerical experiments that planets in planetesimal disks create distinctive multi-lane signatures, which can simplify to three lanes with specific resonant gaps, potentially explaining observed disk patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework linking planet-induced multi-lane signatures to observable disk features, including the specific case of three-lane patterns with resonant gaps.

Findings

Massive planets produce multi-lane signatures in disks.

Large planets create a three-lane pattern with resonant gaps.

The model explains observed features in the HL Tau disk.

Abstract

In massive numerical experiments we show that a planet embedded in a planetesimal disk induces a characteristic multi-lane "planetosignature" representing a pattern of several stellar-centric rings. If the planet's mass is large enough, the multi-lane signature degenerates to a three-lane one: then it consists of three rings, one bright coorbital with the planet, and two dark gaps in the radial distribution of the particles. The gaps correspond to orbital resonances 2:1 and 1:2 with the planet. This theoretical prediction may explain recent ALMA observations of the disk of HL Tau.