Disc lifetime distribution as a function of the mass of host star

TL;DR

This study derives the distribution of protoplanetary disc lifetimes as a function of host star mass, revealing significant variability and mass dependence, which informs planet formation models.

Contribution

It introduces a methodology to determine mass-dependent disc lifetime distributions and provides initial estimates for their parameters based on observational data.

Findings

Disc lifetime distribution peaks at 3.72 Myr for high-mass stars.

Distribution peaks at 7.20 Myr for low-mass stars.

Initial disc fractions vary with stellar mass, being lower for higher-mass stars.

Abstract

The lifetime of protoplanetary discs is a critical factor for planet formation. Although the mean disc lifetime provides an estimate of the typical period available for planet formation, it does not capture the substantial variability in individual disc lifetimes or their dependence on host star mass. This study addresses these limitations by deriving the disc lifetime distribution as a function of stellar mass. Our results reveal a pronounced mass-dependence. Performing a phenomenological fit using a Weibull distribution, we find the maxima of the distributions at $t_{max}^H =$3.72 Myr for high-mass stars ($\approx$ 1.00--3.00 $M_{\odot}$) and $t_{max}^L =$ 7.20 Myr for low-mass stars ($\approx$ 0.01--0.20 $M_{\odot}$) assuming an initial disc fraction of $f_{init} = 0.8$. All distributions are broad (typically 3.2 Myr $< \sigma <$ 4.7 Myr), with the distribution for low-mass stars being somewhat broader. Our analysis indicates that not all stars are initially surrounded by a disc (60% $< f_{init} <$ 90% at cluster zero age), and that the initial disc fraction is even lower ($f_{init} \approx$ 40%) for higher-mass stars. The potential mechanisms responsible for the observed spread and mass-dependence of disc lifetime distributions and initial disc fractions are discussed. Our primary aim is to demonstrate the methodology; more robust constraints will require improved data on mass-dependent disc fractions. Nevertheless, the derived mass-dependent disc lifetime distributions can already serve as a valuable input or a benchmark for planet-formation synthesis models.