Exocomets of $\beta$ Pictoris II: Two dynamical families of exocomets simulated with REBOUND

TL;DR

This study uses N-body simulations to explore the dynamical origins of two distinct exocomet populations in the $eta$ Pictoris system, revealing formation pathways linked to planetary resonances and chaotic evolution.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed simulation of $eta$ Pictoris exocomets, identifying two dynamical families and their formation mechanisms, which advances understanding of exocomet origins.

Findings

Two exocomet families identified: resonance-driven and chaotic evolution.

Resonance-driven exocomets have narrow velocity distributions, matching observations.

Chaotic exocomets exhibit wider velocity distributions, indicating different volatile contents.

Abstract

We investigate the dynamical evolution of particles in the $\beta$ Pic system to determine likely formation pathways to the present-day observed exocomet populations. We aim to relate these results to similar studies recently carried out since the discovery of the inner planet $\beta$ Pic c. We simulate the $\beta$ Pic system using the non-symplectic adaptive N-body integrator IAS15 in REBOUND. We seed the system with over 100,000 mass-less test particles that evolve for 25 Myr, and adopt initial conditions and a particle distribution that closely matches similar simulations in recent literature. Using IAS15, REBOUND resolves close-encounters between test particles and the two gas giants in the system, which is crucial for understanding aspects of the dynamical evolution. Planet-disk interactions rapidly clear most of the system within 35 AU apart from a region within the orbit of $\beta$ Pic c, and a region between 20 and 25 AU. After 10 Myr, exocomets can be sourced continuously from these regions, as well as from the inner edge of the region beyond ~35 AU where particles are stable on longer timescales. From the region interior to $\beta$ Pic c, the exocomets are formed by excitation via mean-motion resonance with $\beta$ Pic c, obtaining a narrow distribution of radial velocities, consistent with spectroscopic observations. Particles initialized in the outer system may enter onto stargrazing orbits due to disruption by the two gas giants, causing a wider radial velocity distribution, and we propose that this population corresponds to a second dynamical family previously observed via spectroscopy. These particles typically undergo chaotic dynamical evolution for $10^2$ to $10^3$ years after passing the water sublimation limit at ~8 AU until reaching the sublimation distance of calcium near 0.4 AU, implying that the two families of exocomets may have different volatile contents.