Coupled Map Lattice for Astronomical Object Formation: A Scenario for Evolution from Star to Disk, Arms, and Companions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a coupled map lattice model to simulate the dynamic formation of stars, disks, arms, and companions, providing a new perspective on planetary system development through chaotic and gravitational interactions.

Contribution

The study presents a novel CML-based model that captures complex astronomical object formation processes without relying on traditional gravitational instability theories.

Findings

Successfully reproduces star, disk, arms, and companions consistent with observations

Demonstrates a new arm-crossing mechanism for companion formation

Highlights chaotic ejection as a key process in object evolution

Abstract

We present a new dynamic formation model of a star, a disk, arms, and companions using a coupled map lattice (CML), a complex systems approach. This CML simulates the viscoelastic and chaotic dynamics and evolution of gas clumps containing a little dust with a minimal set of one Eulerian procedure for the flow formation of gas clumps due to gravitational interaction, and one Lagrangian procedure for the collision and mixture of gas clumps due to viscoelastic advection. Despite its simplicity, this CML successfully obtains four typical astronomical objects consistent with protoplanetary disk observations: a central star, Keplerian disk, spiral arms, and even stellar, substellar, and planetary companions. All these formation processes are truly dynamic, with the central star "starring" in them, and they are not based on the conventional disk gravitational instability but on the central star gravitational instability with high-dimensional chaotic gas ejection, namely the chaotic itinerancy. Of particular note is the process in which diverse companions are formed due to the rapid density increase caused by the intersection of spiral arms. This suggests a novel companion formation scenario that should be called "arm-crossing companion formation" with a view to planet formation, which may overcome the radial drift barrier and angular momentum problem.