Evolution of $\alpha$ Centauri B's protoplanetary disc
Rebecca G. Martin, Jack J. Lissauer, Billy Quarles

TL;DR
This study uses hydrodynamical and N-body simulations to analyze the evolution of a protoplanetary disc around $ ext{α}$ Centauri B, revealing how binary interactions influence disc eccentricity and implications for planet formation.
Contribution
It provides new insights into the eccentricity evolution of protoplanetary discs in binary systems and the conditions favorable for planet formation around $ ext{α}$ Centauri B.
Findings
Disc eccentricity oscillates with binary orbit and damps to a steady state.
Higher viscosity leads to higher disc eccentricity.
Planet formation is more feasible with low viscosity and within 2.5 au.
Abstract
With hydrodynamical simulations we examine the evolution of a protoplanetary disc around Centauri B including the effect of the eccentric orbit binary companion Centauri A. The initially circular orbit disc undergoes two types of eccentricity growth. First, the eccentricity oscillates on the orbital period of the binary, , due to the eccentricity of the binary orbit. Secondly, for a sufficiently small disc aspect ratio, the disc undergoes global forced eccentricity oscillations on a time-scale of around . These oscillations damp out through viscous dissipation leaving a quasi-steady eccentricity profile for the disc that oscillates only on the binary orbital period. The time-averaged global eccentricity is in the range 0.05-0.1, with no precession in the steady state. The periastrons of the gas particles are aligned to one another. The…
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