Simulation of images of protoplanetary disks after collision with free-floating planets

TL;DR

This study simulates how protoplanetary disks appear after collisions with free-floating planets, revealing distinctive spiral arms, distortions, and gas tails observable in infrared and submillimeter images.

Contribution

It introduces a gas-dynamic simulation approach to model disk disturbances caused by planetary collisions, considering various orbital parameters and viewing angles.

Findings

Pole-on images show two spiral arms for prograde collisions.

Retrograde collisions produce one spiral arm.

Gas tails extend from the disk in the direction of the planet's motion.

Abstract

Observational manifestations of disturbances in a protoplanetary disk caused by a collision with a massive planet are studied. It is assumed that the planet moves along a parabolic trajectory that intersects the disk plane near the star. Gas-dynamic simulation is performed using the finite volume method on a long time scale. On its basis, images of the disk observed from the pole and edge-on are constructed in the infrared and submillimeter ranges. A wide range of planet orbit parameters is considered. The approach of the planet was considered both prograde and retrograde with the respect to the disk rotation. Calculations have shown that in the images of the disk seen pole-on, two spiral arms can be observed in case of the prograde fall, and one with retrograde case. In the case of observations of a disk whose plane is inclined at a small angle to the line of sight, distortions of the disk plane can be noticeable. In addition, a gas tail is extended from the disk in the direction of the planet's motion, which can also be identified in observations.