Abstract
It has already been shown, using a local model, that accretion discs
with cooling times tcool ≤ 3Ω-1 fragment
into gravitationally bound objects, while those with cooling times
tcool > 3Ω-1 evolve into a quasi-steady
state. We present results of three-dimensional simulations that test if
the local result still holds globally. We find that the fragmentation
boundary is close to that determined using the local model, but that
fragmentation may occur for longer cooling times when the disc is more
massive or when the mass is distributed in such a way as to make a
particular region of the disc more susceptible to the growth of the
gravitational instability. These results have significant implications
for the formation of gaseous planets in protoplanetary discs and also
for the redistribution of angular momentum which could be driven by the
presence of relatively massive, bound objects within the disc.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings of the Conference on Towards Other Earths |
Subtitle of host publication | DARWIN/TPF and the Search for Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets, 22-25 April 2003 |
Editors | M. Fridlund, T. Henning |
Publisher | ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC |
Pages | 555-560 |
Volume | 539 |
ISBN (Print) | 92-9092-849-2, 2003 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2003 |
Keywords
- Protoplanetary Discs
- Stability