Close stellar encounters with planetesimal discs: The dynamics of asymmetry in the Beta Pictoris system

Abstract

We numerically investigate the dynamics of how a close stellar fly-by encounter of a symmetrical circumstellar planetesimal disc can give rise to the many kinds of asymmetries and substructures attributed to the edge-on dusty disc of Beta Pic. In addition we present new optical coronagraphic observations of the outer parts of Beta Pic's disc, and report that the radial extent is significantly greater than was found in previous measurements. The northeasterly extension of the disc's midplane is now measured out to 1835au from the star; the southwesterly component is measured out to 1450au. Hence we use the length asymmetry induced in a distribution of simulation test particles as the principal diagnostic feature when modelling the disc response, in order to constrain fly-by parameters. In particular we favour a low inclination prograde and near-parabolic orbit perturber of mass approximately 0.5 Solar masses. These initial conditions suggest that the perturber could have been physically associated with Beta Pic prior to the encounter. Thus we also consider the possibility that the perturber could be bound to Beta Pic: a consideration also of general interest where dust discs are known to exist in binary star systems. In some of our models, we can relate groupings of perturbed particles to the large-scale structure of the Beta Pic disc. The groupings correspond to: high eccentricity and inclination particles that reach apocentre and maximum height in the southwest, moderately eccentric and low inclination particles that reach apocentre in the northeast, and relatively unperturbed particles inside approximately 200au radius.