The unseen planets of double belt debris disk systems

TL;DR

This paper uses N-body simulations to relate the properties of unseen planets to observed gaps in debris disks, providing equations to estimate planet masses and numbers based on disk observations and system age.

Contribution

It introduces a method to infer the minimum mass and number of planets responsible for creating gaps in debris disks, integrating simulation results with observational constraints.

Findings

Derived equations for minimum planet mass and number based on system age and gap properties.

Showed how to combine simulation-based estimates with direct imaging limits to infer unseen planets.

Provided a framework for estimating unseen planetary systems in debris disk systems.

Abstract

The gap between two component debris disks is often taken to be carved by intervening planets scattering away the remnant planetesimals. We employ N-body simulations to determine how the time needed to clear the gap depends on the location of the gap and the mass of the planets. We invert this relation, and provide an equation for the minimum planet mass, and another for the expected number of such planets, that must be present to produce an observed gap for a star of a given age. We show how this can be combined with upper limits on the planetary system from direct imaging non-detections (such as with GPI or SPHERE) to produce approximate knowledge of the planetary system.