arXiv subjects

D. N. C. Lin

Publications and source records attributed to D. N. C. Lin.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Attenuation of Millimeter Emission from Circumstellar Disks Induced by the Rapid Dust Accretion

From millimeter observations of classical T Tauri stars, it is suggested that dust grains in circumstellar disks have grown to millimeter size or larger. However, gas drag on such large grains induces rapid accretion of the dust. We examine the evolution of dust disks composed of millimeter sized grains, and show that rapid accretion of the dust disk causes attenuation of millimeter continuum emission. If a dust disk is composed mainly of grains of 1 cm to 1 m, its millimeter emission goes off within 10^6 yr. Hence, grains in this size range cannot be a main population of the dust. Considering our results together with grain growth suggested by the millimeter continuum observations, we expect that the millimeter continuum emission of disks comes mainly from grains in a narrow size range of [1 mm -1 cm]. This suggests either that growth of millimeter sized grains to centimeter size takes more than 10^6 yr, or that millimeter sized grains are continuously replenished. In the former case, planet formation is probably difficult, especially in the outer disks. In the latter case, reservoirs of millimeter grains are possibly large (> 10 m) bodies, which can reside in the disk more than 10^6 yr. Constraints on the grain growth time-scale are discussed for the above two cases.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Differential Lifetimes of Protostellar Gas and Dust Disks

We construct a protostellar disk model that takes into account the combined effect of viscous evolution, photoevaporation and the differential radial motion of dust grains and gas. For T Tauri disks, the lifetimes of dust disks that are mainly composed of millimeter sized grains are always shorter than the gas disks' lifetimes, and become similar only when the grains are fluffy (density < 0.1 g cm^{-3}). If grain growth during the classical T Tauri phase produces plenty of millimeter sized grains, such grains completely accrete onto the star in 10^7 yr, before photoevaporation begins to drain the inner gas disk and the star evolves to the weak line T Tauri phase. In the weak line phase, only dust-poor gas disks remain at large radii (> 10 AU), without strong signs of gas accretion nor of millimeter thermal emission from the dust. For Herbig AeBe stars, the strong photoevaporation clears the inner disks in 10^6 yr, before the dust grains in the outer disk migrate to the inner region. In this case, the grains left behind in the outer gas disk accumulate at the disk inner edge (at 10-100 AU from the star). The dust grains remain there even after the entire gas disk has been photoevaporated, and form a gas-poor dust ring similar to that observed around HR 4796A. Hence, depending on the strength of the stellar ionizing flux, our model predicts opposite types of products around young stars. For low mass stars with a low photoevaporation rate, dust-poor gas disks with an inner hole would form, whereas for high mass stars with a high photoevaporation rate, gas-poor dust rings would form. This prediction should be examined by observations of gas and dust around weak line T Tauri stars and evolved Herbig AeBe stars.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Towards a deterministic model of planetary formation. III. Mass distribution of short-period planets around stars of various masses

The origin of a recently discovered close-in Neptune-mass planet around GJ436 poses a challenge to the current theories of planet formation. Based on the sequential accretion hypothesis and the standard theory of gap formation and orbital migration, we show that around M dwarf stars, close-in Neptune-mass ice-giant planets may be relatively common, while close-in Jupiter-mass gas-giant planets are relatively rare. The mass distribution of close-in planets generally has two peaks at about Neptune mass and Jupiter mass. The lower-mass peak takes the maximum frequency for M dwarfs. Around more massive solar-type stars (G dwarfs), the higher-mass peak is much more pronounced. These are because planets tend to undergo type II migration after fully accreting gas around G dwarfs while they tend to migrate faster than gas accretion around M stars. Close-in Neptune-mass planets may also exist around G dwarfs, though they tend to be mostly composed of silicates and iron cores and their frequency is expected to be much smaller than that of Neptune-mass planets around M dwarfs and that of gas giants around G dwarfs. We also show that the conditions for planets' migration due to their tidal interaction with the disk and the stellar-mass dependence in the disk-mass distribution can be calibrated by the mass distribution of short-period planets around host stars with various masses.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Radial Velocity Detectability of Low Mass Extrasolar Planets in Close Orbits

Detection of Jupiter mass companions to nearby solar type stars with precise radial velocity measurements is now routine, and Doppler surveys are moving towards lower velocity amplitudes. The detection of several Neptune-mass planets with orbital periods less than a week has been reported. The drive toward the search for close-in Earth-mass planets is on the agenda. Successful detection or meaningful upper limits will place important constraints on the process of planet formation. In this paper, we quantify the statistics of detection of low-mass planets in-close orbits, showing how the detection threshold depends on the number and timing of the observations. In particular, we consider the case of a low-mass planet close to but not on the 2:1 mean motion resonance with a hot jupiter. This scenario is a likely product of the core-accretion hypothesis for planet formation coupled with migration of jupiters in the protoplanetary disk. It is also advantageous for detection because the orbital period is well-constrained. Detection of few Earth mass rocky cores will require ~ 1 m/s velocity precision, and most importantly, a much better understanding of stellar radial velocity jitter.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Apparent Stellar Wobble by a Planet in a Circumstellar Disk: Limitations on Planet Detection by Astrometry

Astrometric detection of a stellar wobble on the plane of the sky will provide us a next breakthrough in searching extrasolar planets. The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) is expected to achieve a high-precision astrometry as accurate as 1 micro-as, which is precise enough to discover a new-born Jupiter mass planet around a pre-main-sequence (PMS) star in the Taurus-Auriga star forming region. PMS stars, however, have circum-stellar disks that may be obstacles to the precise measurement of the stellar position. We present results on disk influences to the stellar wobble. The density waves excited by a planet move both of the disk's mass center and the photo-center. The motion of the disk mass center induces an additional wobble of the stellar position, and the motion of the disk photo-center causes a contamination in the measurement of the stellar position. We show that the additional stellar motion dynamically caused by the disk's gravity is always negligible, but that the contamination of the disk light can interfere with the precise measurement of the stellar position, if the planet's mass is smaller than ~10 Jupiter mass. The motion of the disk photo-center is sensitive to a slight change in the wave pattern and the disk properties. Measurements by interferometers are generally insensitive to extended sources such as disks. Because of this property SIM will not suffer significant contaminations of the disk light, even if the planet's mass is as small as 1 Jupiter mass.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Spin-Orbit Evolution Of Short-Period Planets

The negligible eccentricity of all extra solar planets with periods less than six days can be accounted for by dissipation of tidal disturbances within their envelopes which are induced by their host stars. In the period range of 7-21 days, planets with circular orbits coexist with planets with eccentric orbits. These will be referred to as the borderline planets. We propose that this discrepancy can be attributed to the variation in spin-down rates of young stars. In particular, prior to spin-down, dissipation of a planet's tidal disturbance within the envelope of a sufficiently rapidly spinning star can excite eccentricity growth, and for a more slowly spinning star, at least reduce the eccentricity damping rate. In contrast, tidal dissipation within the envelope of a slowly spinning low-mass mature star can enhance the eccentricity damping process. Based on these results, we suggest that short-period planets around relatively young stars may have a much larger dispersion in eccentricity than those around mature stars. We also suggest that because the rate of angular momentum loss from G and K dwarfs via stellar winds is much faster than the tidal transfer of angular momentum between themselves and their very-short (3-4 days) period planets, they cannot establish a dynamical configuration in which the stellar and planetary spins are approximately parallel and synchronous with the orbital frequency. In principle, however, such configurations may be established for planets (around G and K dwarfs) with orbital periods of up to several weeks. In contrast to G and K dwarfs, the angular momentum loss due to stellar winds is much weaker in F dwarfs. It is therefore possible for synchronized short-period planets to exist around such stars. The planet around Tau Boo is one such example.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

The formation and retention of gas giant planets around stars with a range of metallicities

The apparent dependence of detection frequency of extrasolar planets on the metallicity of their host stars is investigated with Monte Carlo simulations using a deterministic core-accretion planet formation model. According to this model, gas giants formed and acquired their mass $M_{\rm p}$ through planetesimal coagulation followed by the emergence of cores onto which gas is accreted. These protoplanets migrate and attain their asymptotic semi-major axis $a$ through their tidal interaction with their nascent disk. Based on the observed properties of protostellar disks, we generate $M_{\rm p}$-$a$ distribution. Our results reproduce the observed lack of planets with intermediate mass $M_{\rm p} = 10$--100$M_{\oplus}$ and $a \la 3$AU and with large mass $M_{\rm p} \ga 10^3 M_{\oplus}$ and $a \la 0.2$AU. Based on the simulated $M_{\rm p}$-$a$ distributions, we also evaluate the metallicity dependence of fraction of stars harboring planets that are detectable with current radial velocity survey. If protostellar disks attain the same fraction of heavy elements which are contained in their host stars, the detection probability around metal-rich stars would be greatly enhanced because protoplanetary cores formed in them can grow to several Earth masses prior to their depletion. These large masses are required for the cores to initiate rapid gas accretion and to transform into giant planets. The theoretically extrapolated metallicity dependence is consistent with the observation. This correlation does not arise naturally in the gravitational-instability scenario. We also suggest other metallicity dependence of the planet distributions that can be tested by on-going observations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

On the Survival of Short-Period Terrestrial Planets

The currently feasible method of detection of Earth-mass planets is transit photometry, with detection probability decreasing with a planet's distance from the star. The existence or otherwise of short-period terrestrial planets will tell us much about the planet formation process, and such planets are likely to be detected first if they exist. Tidal forces are intense for short-period planets, and result in decay of the orbit on a timescale which depends on properties of the star as long as the orbit is circular. However, if an eccentric companion planet exists, orbital eccentricity ($e_i$) is induced and the decay timescale depends on properties of the short-period planet, reducing by a factor of order $10^5 e_i^2$ if it is terrestrial. Here we examine the influence companion planets have on the tidal and dynamical evolution of short-period planets with terrestrial structure, and show that the relativistic potential of the star is fundamental to their survival.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Star Formation and Feedback in Dwarf Galaxies

We examine the star formation history and stellar feedback effects of dwarf galaxies under the influence of extragalactic ultraviolet radiation. We consider the dynamical evolution of gas in dwarf galaxies using a one-dimensional, spherically symmetric, Lagrangian numerical scheme to compute the effects of radiative transfer and photoionization. We include a physically-motivated star formation recipe and consider the effects of feedback. Our results indicate that star formation in the severe environment of dwarf galaxies is a difficult and inefficient process. For intermediate mass systems, such as the dSphs around the Galaxy, star formation can proceed with in early cosmic epochs despite the intense background UV flux. Triggering processes such as merger events, collisions, and tidal disturbance can lead to density enhancements, reducing the recombination timescale, allowing gas to cool and star formation to proceed. However, the star formation and gas retention efficiency may vary widely in galaxies with similar dark matter potentials, because they depend on many factors, such as the baryonic fraction, external perturbation, IMF, and background UV intensity. We suggest that the presence of very old stars in these dwarf galaxies indicates that their initial baryonic to dark matter content was comparable to the cosmic value. This constraint suggests that the initial density fluctuation of baryonic matter may be correlated with that of the dark matter. For the more massive dwarf elliptical galaxies, the star formation efficiency and gas retention rate is much higher. Their mass to light ratio is regulated by star formation feedback, and is expected to be nearly independent of their absolute luminosity. The results of our theoretical models reproduce the observed $M/L-M_v$ correlation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Towards a Deterministic Model of Planetary Formation I: a Desert in the Mass and Semi Major Axis Distributions of Extra Solar Planets

We examine the accretion of cores of giant planets from planetesimals, gas accretion onto the cores, and their orbital migration. We adopt a working model for nascent protostellar disks with a wide variety of surface density distributions in order to explore the range of diversity among extra solar planetary systems. If some cores can acquire more mass than a critical value of several Earth masses during the persistence of the disk gas, they would be able to rapidly accrete gas and evolve into gas giant planets. The gas accretion process is initially regulated by the Kelvin-Helmholtz contraction of the planets' gas envelope. Based on the assumption that the exponential decay of the disk-gas mass occurs on the time scales $\sim 10^{6}-10^{7}$ years and that the disk mass distribution is comparable to those inferred from the observations of circumstellar disks of T Tauri stars, we carry out simulations to predict the distributions of masses and semi major axes of extra solar planets. Since planets' masses grow rapidly from $10 M_{\oplus}$ to $100 M_{\oplus}$, the gas giant planets rarely form with asymptotic masses in this intermediate range. Our model predicts a paucity of extra solar planets with mass in the range 10-$100 M_{\oplus}$ and semi major axis less than 3AU. We refer to this deficit as a ``planet desert''. The effect of migration is to sharpen the boundaries and to enhance the contrast of the planet desert. The mass and semi major axis distributions generated in our simulations for the gas giants are consistent with those of the known extra solar planets.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Tidal dissipation in rotating giant planets

[Abridged] Tides may play an important role in determining the observed distributions of mass, orbital period, and eccentricity of the extrasolar planets. In addition, tidal interactions between giant planets in the solar system and their moons are thought to be responsible for the orbital migration of the satellites, leading to their capture into resonant configurations. We treat the underlying fluid dynamical problem with the aim of determining the efficiency of tidal dissipation in gaseous giant planets. In cases of interest, the tidal forcing frequencies are comparable to the spin frequency of the planet but small compared to its dynamical frequency. We therefore study the linearized response of a slowly and possibly differentially rotating planet to low-frequency tidal forcing. Convective regions of the planet support inertial waves, while any radiative regions support generalized Hough waves. We present illustrative numerical calculations of the tidal dissipation rate and argue that inertial waves provide a natural avenue for efficient tidal dissipation in most cases of interest. The resulting value of Q depends in a highly erratic way on the forcing frequency, but we provide evidence that the relevant frequency-averaged dissipation rate may be asymptotically independent of the viscosity in the limit of small Ekman number. In short-period extrasolar planets, if the stellar irradiation of the planet leads to the formation of a radiative outer layer that supports generalized Hough modes, the tidal dissipation rate can be enhanced through the excitation and damping of these waves. These dissipative mechanisms offer a promising explanation of the historical evolution and current state of the Galilean satellites as well as the observed circularization of the orbits of short-period extrasolar planets.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

On the Formation of Brown Dwarfs

The observational properties of brown dwarfs pose challenges to the theory of star formation. Because their mass is much smaller than the typical Jeans mass of interstellar clouds, brown dwarfs are most likely formed through secondary fragmentation processes, rather than through the direct collapse of a molecular cloud core. In order to prevent substantial post-formation mass accretion, young brown dwarfs must leave the high density formation regions in which they form. We propose here that brown dwarfs are formed in the circumbinary disks. Through post-formation dynamical interaction with their host binary stars, young brown dwarfs are either scattered to large distance or removed, with modest speed, from their cradles.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The White Dwarf Deficit in Open Clusters: Dynamical Processes

In Galactic open clusters, there is an apparent paucity of white dwarfs compared to the number expected assuming a reasonable initial mass function and that main-sequence stars with initial mass <= 8 M_sun become white dwarfs. We suggest that this lack of white dwarfs is due at least in part to dynamical processes. Non-spherically symmetric mass loss during the post-main-sequence evolution would lead to a few km/s isotropic recoil speed for the white dwarf remnant. This recoil speed can cause a substantial fraction of the white dwarfs formed in a cluster to leave the system. We investigate this dynamical process by carrying out high-precision N-body simulations of intermediate-mass open clusters, where we apply an isotropic recoil speed to the white dwarf remnants. Our models suggest that almost all white dwarfs would be lost from the cluster if the average recoil speed exceeds twice the velocity dispersion of the cluster.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Individual and collective behavior of dust particles in a protoplanetary nebula

We study the interaction between gas and dust particles in a protoplanetary disk, comparing analytical and numerical results. We first calculate analytically the trajectories of individual particles undergoing gas drag in the disk, in the asymptotic cases of very small particles (Epstein regime) and very large particles (Stokes regime). Using a Boltzmann averaging method, we then infer their collective behavior. We compare the results of this analytical formulation against numerical computations of a large number of particles. Using successive moments of the Boltzmann equation, we derive the equivalent fluid equations for the average motion of the particles; these are intrinsically different in the Epstein and Stokes regimes. We are also able to study analytically the temporal evolution of a collection of particles with a given initial size-distribution provided collisions are ignored.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Surface Outflow in Optically Thick Dust Disks by the Radiation Pressure

We study the outflow of dust particles on the surface layers of optically thick disks. At the surface of disks around young stars, small dust particles (size < 10 micron) experience stellar radiation pressure support and orbit more slowly than the surrounding gas. The resulting tail-wind imparts energy and angular momentum to the dust particles, moving them outward. This outflow occurs in the thin surface layer of the disk that is exposed to starlight, and the outward mass flux is carried primarily by particles of size ~0.1 micron. Beneath the irradiated surface layer, dust particles experience a head-wind, which drives them inward. For the specific case of a minimum-mass-solar-nebula, less than a thousandth of the dust mass experiences outward flow. If the stellar luminosity is 15 times brighter than the sun, however, or if the gas disk mass is as small as ~100 M_earth, then the surface outflow can dominate the inward flux in certain radial ranges, leading to the formation of rings or gaps in the dust disks.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

On the Radii of Extrasolar Giant Planets

We have computed evolutionary models for extrasolar planets which range in mass from 0.1 to 3.0 Jovian Masses, and which range in equilibrium temperature from 113 K to 2000 K. We present four sequences of models, designed to show the structural effects of a solid core and of internal heating due to the conversion of kinetic to thermal energy at pressures of tens of bars. The model planetary radii are intended for comparisons with radii derived from observations of transiting extrasolar planets. To provide such comparisons, we expect that of order 10 transiting planets with orbital periods less than 200 days can be detected around bright (V<10) main-sequence stars for which accurate, well-sampled radial velocity measurements can be readily accumulated. Through these observations, structural properties of the planets will be derivable, particularly for low-mass, high-temperature planets. Implications regarding the transiting companion to OGLE-TR-56 recently announced by Konacki et al. are discussed. With regard to the confirmed transiting planet, HD 209458b, we find, in accordance with other recent calculations, that models without internal heating predict a radius that is 35 percent smaller than the observed radius. We explore the possibility that HD 209458b owes its large size to dissipation of energy arising from ongoing tidal circularization of the orbit. We show that residual scatter in the current radial velocity data set for HD 209458b is consistent with the presence of an as-of-yet undetected second companion, and that further radial velocity monitoring of the star is indicated.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Eccentricity Evolution of Extrasolar Multiple Planetary Systems due to the Depletion of Nascent Protostellar Disks

Most extrasolar planets are observed to have eccentricities much larger than those in the solar system. Some of these planets have sibling planets, with comparable masses, orbiting around the same host stars. In these multiple planetary systems, eccentricity is modulated by the planets' mutual secular interaction as a consequence of angular momentum exchange between them. For mature planets, the eigenfrequencies of this modulation are determined by their mass and semi-major axis ratios. But, prior to the disk depletion, self gravity of the planets' nascent disks dominates the precession eigenfrequencies. We examine here the initial evolution of young planets' eccentricity due to the apsidal libration or circulation induced by both the secular interaction between them and the self gravity of their nascent disks. We show that as the latter effect declines adiabatically with disk depletion, the modulation amplitude of the planets' relative phase of periapse is approximately invariant despite the time-asymmetrical exchange of angular momentum between planets. However, as the young planets' orbits pass through a state of secular resonance, their mean eccentricities undergo systematic quantitative changes. For applications, we analyze the eccentricity evolution of planets around Upsilon Andromedae and HD168443 during the epoch of protostellar disk depletion. We find that the disk depletion can change the planets' eccentricity ratio. However, the relatively large amplitude of the planets' eccentricity cannot be excited if all the planets had small initial eccentricities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

The Interesting Dynamics of the 55 Cancri System

Recent studies of the 55 Cancri system suggest the existence of three planets with periods of ~15 days, ~45 days, and ~5500 days (Marcy et al. 2002). The inner two planets are near the 3:1 mean motion commensurability and it is likely that these two planets became trapped in the resonance while farther from the star and migrated together. As the innermost planet begins to dissipate energy through tides the planets break out of the resonance. The final state of the system gives important information about its past history, such as the migration timescale that led to capture.

astro-ph↗