arXiv subjects

Zhaohuan Zhu

Publications and source records attributed to Zhaohuan Zhu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Puffed-up Inner Rings and Razor-thin Outer Rings in Structured Protoplanetary Disks

The vertical distribution of pebbles in protoplanetary disks is a fundamental property influencing planet formation, from dust aggregation to the assembly of planetary cores. In the outer region of protoplanetary disks, the intensity of the optically thin but geometrically thick dust ring decreases along the minor axis due to reduced line-of-sight optical depth. Multi-ring disks thus provide an excellent opportunity to study the radial variation of the vertical properties of dust. We investigate the vertical dust distribution in 6 protoplanetary disks with resolved double rings, using high-resolution ALMA Band 6 continuum observations. By modeling the azimuthal intensity variations in these rings, we constrain the dust scale heights for each ring. Our results reveal a dichotomy: inner rings exhibit puffed-up dust layers with heights comparable to the gas scale height, while outer rings are significantly more settled, with dust scale heights less than 20\% of the gas scale height. This suggests a radial dependence in dust settling efficiency within the disks, potentially driven by localized planetary interactions or the global radial dependence of the Vertical Shear Instability (VSI). We discuss the implications of these findings for dust trapping, planet formation, and protoplanetary disk evolution. Our work highlights the importance of vertical dust distribution in understanding the early stages of planet formation and suggests that outer ($>80$~au), settled rings are preferred sites for planet formation over inner ($<80$~au), turbulent rings.

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arXiv2025

Hydrodynamical Simulations of Planet Rebound Migration in Photo-evaporating Disks

This study investigates the orbital migration of a planet located near the truncated edge of protoplanetary disks, induced by X-ray photo-evaporation originating from the central star. The combined effects of turbulent viscous accretion and stellar X-ray photo-evaporation give rise to the formation of a cavity in the central few astronomical units in disks. Once the cavity is formed, the outer disk experiences rapid mass loss and the cavity expands inside out. We have conducted 2D hydrodynamical simulations of planet-disk interaction for various planet masses and disk properties. Our simulations demonstrate that planets up to about Neptune masses experience a strong positive corotation torque along the cavity edge that leads to sustained outward migration -- a phenomenon previously termed {\it rebound} migration. Rebound migration is more favorable in disks with moderate stellar photo-evaporation rates of ${\sim}10^{-8} ~ \rm M_{\odot}\,yr^{-1}$. Saturn-mass planets only experience inward migration due to significant gas depletion in their co-orbital regions. In contrast, Jupiter-mass planets are found to undergo modest outward migration as they cause the residual disk to become eccentric. This work presents the first 2D hydrodynamical simulations that confirm the existence and viability of rebound outward migration during the inside-out clearing in protoplanetary disks.

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arXiv2025

The ODYSSEUS Survey. Using accretion and stellar rotation to reveal the star-disk connection in T Tauri stars

Classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) exhibit strong variability over timescales of minutes to decades. However, much theoretical work assumes that CTTS are in stable spin states. Here, we test expectations for CTTS angular momentum regulation by comparing star and disk rotation. We measure stellar rotation periods and disk corotation radii ($R_{\rm co}$) for 47 CTTS from the HST ULLYSES sample. We compare $R_{\rm co}$ to the magnetospheric truncation radii ($R_{\rm i}$) and show that most CTTS are in the spin-up regime based on model predictions, which may indicate efficient angular momentum loss processes. We find evidence of magnetospheric outflows and episodic accretion, and our observations are consistent with the presence of accretion-powered stellar winds. We confirm predictions that $R_{\rm i}$ is variable over timescales of days, causing some CTTS to cross accretion stability regime boundaries. We characterize light curve morphologies and confirm that our inclined CTTS with $R_{\rm i}\sim R_{\rm co}$ show dipper light curves, consistent with expectations from disk warp models. However, dippers occur at all values of $R_{\rm i}/R_{\rm co}$, suggesting that they do not need to be near the propeller regime. Finally, we show that our measured $R_{\rm i}$ locations are consistent with observed ultra-short-period planet (USP) semi-major axes. If USPs are stable against tidal dissipation, as has been suggested in the literature, then our work provides a plausible USP formation channel. These results show that the star-disk connection produces a large variety of accretion and stellar spin configurations, most of which are likely not in equilibrium.

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arXiv2025

Discovery of H$α$ Emission from a Protoplanet Candidate Around the Young Star 2MASS J16120668-3010270 with MagAO-X

2MASS J16120668-3010270 (hereafter 2MJ1612) is a young M0 star that hosts a protoplanetary disk in the Upper Scorpious star-forming region. Recent ALMA observations of 2MJ1612 show a mildly inclined disk ($i$=37$^\circ$) with a large dust-depleted gap (R$_\text{cav}\approx$0.4" or 53 au). We present high-contrast H$α$ observations from MagAO-X on the 6.5m Magellan Telescope and new high resolution sub-mm dust continuum observations with ALMA of 2MJ1612. On both 2025 April 13 and 16, we recovered a point source with H$α$ excess with SNR $\gtrsim$5 within the disk gap in our MagAO-X Angular and Spectral Differential (ASDI) images at a separation of 141.96$\pm$2.10 mas (23.45$\pm$0.29 au deprojected) from the star and position angle (PA)= 159.00$\pm$0.55$^\circ$. Furthermore, this H$α$ source is within close proximity to a K band point source in SPHERE/IRDIS observation taken on 2023 July 21 \citep{sphere2025sub}. The astrometric offset between the K band and H$α$ source can be explained by orbital motion of a bound companion. Thus our observations can be best explained by the discovery of an accreting protoplanet, 2MJ1612 b, with an estimated mass of 4$M_\text{Jup}$ and H$α$ line flux ranging from (29.7 $\pm$7.5)$\times$10$^{-16}$ ergs/s/cm$^2$ to (8.2$\pm$3.4)$\times$10$^{-16}$ ergs/s/cm$^2$. 2MJ1612 b is likely the third example of an accreting H$α$ protoplanet responsible for carving the gap in its host disk, joining PDS 70b and c. Further study is necessary to confirm and characterize this protoplanet candidate and to identify any additional protoplanets that may also play a role in shaping the gap.

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arXiv2025

Primordial planet spin driven by boundary layer effects in a decretion disc

Accretion of material from a protoplanetary disc on to a forming giant planet can spin the planet up to close to its breakup rate, $Ω_{\rm b}=(G M_{\rm p}/R_{\rm p}^3)$, where $M_{\rm p}$ is the mass and $R_{\rm p}$ is the radius of the planet. After the protoplanetary disc dissipates, the rapidly rotating planet may eject a decretion (outflowing) disc in a similar way to a Be star. Boundary layer effects in a hydrodynamic disc allow for decretion disc formation at spin rates below the breakup spin rate of the planet. The decretion disc exerts a torque on the planet that slows its spin to an equilibrium value that is sensitive to the planet temperature. By considering steady state circumplanetary decretion disc solutions, we show that the equilibrium spin rate for planets is around $0.4\,Ω_{\rm b}$ for $H/R=0.2$ and around $0.2\,Ω_{\rm b}$ for $H/R=0.3$, where $H$ is the disc scale height at radius $R$. These values are in line with the spins of the giant planets in the solar system and observed exoplanet spins.

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arXiv2025

Fragmentation of Dense Rotation-Dominated Structures Fed by Collapsing Gravomagneto-Sheetlets and Origin of Misaligned 100 au-Scale Binaries and Multiple Systems

The majority of stars are in binary/multiple systems. How such systems form in turbulent, magnetized cores of molecular clouds in the presence of non-ideal MHD effects remains relatively under-explored. Through ATHENA++-based non-ideal MHD AMR simulations with ambipolar diffusion, we show that the collapsing protostellar envelope is dominated by dense gravo-magneto-sheetlets, a turbulence-warped version of the classic pseudodisk produced by anisotropic magnetic resistance to the gravitational collapse, in agreement with previous simulations of turbulent, magnetized single-star formation. The sheetlets feed mass, magnetic fields, and angular momentum to a Dense ROtation-Dominated (DROD) structure, which fragments into binary/multiple systems. This DROD fragmentation scenario is a more dynamic variant of the traditional disk fragmentation scenario for binary/multiple formation, with dense spiral filaments created by inhomogeneous feeding from the highly structured larger-scale sheetlets rather than the need for angular momentum transport, which is dominated by magnetic braking. Provided that the local material is sufficiently demagnetized, with a plasma-$β$ of 10 or more, collisions between the dense spiraling filaments play a key role in facilitating gravitational collapse and stellar companion formation by pushing the local magnetic Toomre parameter $Q_\mathrm{m}$ below unity. This mechanism can naturally produce {\it in situ} misaligned systems on the 100-au scale, often detected with high-resolution Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations. Our simulations also highlight the importance of non-ideal MHD effects, which affect whether fragmentation occurs and, if so, the masses and orbital parameters of the stellar companions formed.

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arXiv2025

Modeling YSO Jets in 3D I: Highly Variable Asymmetric Magnetic Pressure-Driven Jets in the Polar Cavity from Toroidal Fields Generated by Inner Disk Accretion

Jets and outflows are commonly observed in young stellar objects (YSOs), yet their origins remain debated. Using 3D non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of a circumstellar disk threaded by a large-scale open poloidal magnetic field, we identify three components in the disk-driven outflow: (1) a fast, collimated jet, (2) a less collimated, slower laminar disk wind, and (3) a magneto-rotational instability (MRI)-active turbulent disk wind that separates the former two. At high altitudes, the MRI-active wind merges with the laminar disk wind, leaving only the jet and disk wind as distinct components. The jet is powered by a novel mechanism in the star formation context: a lightly mass-loaded outflow driven by toroidal magnetic pressure in the low-density polar funnel near the system's rotation axis. A geometric analysis of the magnetic field structure confirms that magnetic tension does not contribute to the outflow acceleration, with magnetic pressure acting as the dominant driver. While the outflow in our model shares similarities with the magneto-centrifugal model-such as angular momentum extraction from the accreting disk-centrifugal forces play a negligible role in jet acceleration. In particular, the flow near the jet base does not satisfy the conditions for magneto-centrifugal wind launching. Additionally, the jet in our simulation exhibits strong spatial and temporal variability. These differences challenge the applicability of rotation-outflow velocity relations derived from steady-state, axisymmetric magneto-centrifugal jet models for estimating the jet's launching radius. For the slower disk wind, vertical motion is driven by toroidal magnetic pressure, while centrifugal forces widen the wind's opening angle.

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arXiv2025

The ODYSSEUS Survey. Characterizing magnetospheric geometries and hotspot structures in T Tauri stars

Magnetospheric accretion is a key process that shapes the inner disks of T Tauri stars, controlling mass and angular momentum evolution. It produces strong ultraviolet and optical emission that irradiates the planet-forming environment. In this work, we characterize the magnetospheric geometries, accretion rates, extinction properties, and hotspot structures of 67 T Tauri stars in the largest and most consistent study of ultraviolet and optical accretion signatures to date. To do so, we apply an accretion flow model to velocity-resolved H$α$ profiles for T Tauri stars from the HST/ULLYSES program with consistently-derived stellar parameters. We find typical magnetospheric truncation radii to be almost half of the usually-assumed value of 5 stellar radii. We then model the same stars' HST/STIS spectra with an accretion shock model, finding a diverse range of hotspot structures. Phase-folding multi-epoch shock models reveals rotational modulation of observed hotspot energy flux densities, indicative of hotspots that persist for at least 3 stellar rotation periods. For the first time, we perform a large-scale, self-consistent comparison of accretion rates measured using accretion flow and shock models, finding them to be consistent within $\sim$0.16 dex for contemporaneous observations. Finally, we find that up to 50% of the total accretion luminosity is at short wavelengths accessible only from space, highlighting the crucial role of ultraviolet spectra in constraining accretion spectral energy distributions, hotspot structure, and extinction.

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arXiv2025

YSO Jets Magnetocentrifugally Driven by Reconnecting Atmospheric Avalanche Accretion Streams Above Inner Circumstellar Disks

Fast, collimated jets are ubiquitous features of young stellar objects (YSOs). They are generally thought to be powered by disk accretion, but the details are debated. Through 2D (axisymmetric) MHD simulations, we find that a fast ($>100$~km/s) collimated bipolar jet is continuously driven along the north and south poles of the circumstellar disk that is initially magnetized by a large-scale open poloidal field and contains a thermally ionized inner magnetically active zone surrounded by a dead zone. The fast jet is primarily driven magneto-centrifugally by the release of the gravitational binding energy of the so-called ``avalanche accretion streams" near the boundary of an evacuated poloidal field-dominated polar region and a thick disk atmosphere raised by a toroidal magnetic field. Specifically, the fast outflow is driven along the upper (open) branch of the highly pinched poloidal field lines threading the (strongly magnetically braked) accretion streams where the density is relatively low so that the lightly loaded material can be accelerated magneto-centrifugally along the open field line to a high speed. The highly pinched poloidal magnetic fields threading the avalanche accretion streams tend to reconnect, enabling mass to accrete to the center without dragging along the poloidal magnetic flux with it. The reconnection provides a potential heating source for producing chondrules and calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs).

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arXiv2025

Circumplanetary Disks are Rare around Planets at Large Orbital Radii: A Parameter Survey of Flow Morphology around Giant Planets

We investigate how the formation and structure of circumplanetary disks (CPDs) varies with planet mass and protoplanetary disk aspect ratio. Using static mesh refinement and a near-isothermal equation of state, we perform a small parameter survey of hydrodynamic simulations with parameters appropriate for disk-embedded protoplanets at moderate to large orbital radii. We find that CPD formation occurs along a continuum, with ``diskiness'' increasing smoothly with planetary mass and decreasing disk aspect ratio. As expected from disk hydrostatic equilibrium arguments, the transition from envelope-dominated to disk-dominated structures is determined to first order by the ratio of the planetary Hill sphere radius to the disk scale height, but planets need to be significantly super-thermal to host classical rotationally supported CPDs. The circularization radius of inflowing gas (as a fraction of the Hill sphere radius) shows an approximately quadratic power-law scaling with the ratio of planetary mass to the thermal mass. Compared to more physically complete radiation hydrodynamic simulations, our runs almost maximize the possibility for classical CPD formation, and hence define a plausible necessary condition for CPDs. The low abundance of detected CPDs in disks where planetary companions are inferred from substructure data may be due to a combination of the large scale height of the protoplanetary disk, and a low frequency of sufficiently massive protoplanets. Unless their CPDs cool below the local protoplanetary disk temperature, most of the wide-orbit giant planet population will be embedded in quasi-spherical envelopes that are hard to detect. Disks, and satellite systems, are more likely to form around smaller orbital separation planets.

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arXiv2025

Young Planets around Young Accreting Stars: I. Migration and Inner Stalling Orbits

Planet migration within inner protoplanetary disks significantly influences exoplanet architectures. We investigate various migration mechanisms for young planets close to young stars. To quantify the stochastic migration driven by turbulent disks, we incorporate planets into existing 3-D MHD disk simulations of magnetospheric accretion. Besides the stochastic torque, we identify periodic torques from slowly evolving disk substructures farther out. We quantify these turbulent torques analytically using a modified Gaussian process. Then, using the disk structure in our simulation, we calculate migration timescales of various processes, including the smooth Type I/II migration, planet-star tidal interaction, magnetic dipole-dipole interaction, unipolar induction, and aerodynamical drag with the magnetosphere. Since our inner MHD turbulent disk reveals a very low surface density ($\sim 0.01$ g/cm$^{2}$), the resulting disk migration is significantly slower than previously estimated. Earth-mass planets have the migration timescale in the inner MHD turbulent disk exceeding the Hubble time, effectively stalling at the deadzone inner boundary ($R_{\mathrm{DZIB}}$). Only giant planets could migrate inward within the turbulent disk, and may stall at the magnetospheric truncation radius ($R_T$). A simplified planet population synthesis demonstrates that, at the end of the disk phase, all planets around solar-mass stars typically stall at $\lesssim$0.1 au since $R_T\sim R_{\mathrm{DZIB}}$. However, around 2 $M_{\odot}$ stars, higher-mass planets stall significantly closer to the star compared to low-mass planets, due to $R_T\ll R_{\mathrm{DZIB}}$. These results are consistent with recent observations on exoplanet demographics around different types of stars. Finally, turbulence in the low-density disk is unable to break the resonant planets, and thus young planets in resonances may be abundant.

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arXiv2025

Observational Signatures of Disk Winds in Protoplanetary Disks: Differentiating Magnetized and Photoevaporative Outflows With Fully Coupled Thermochemistry

Magnetized winds and photoevaporative winds are critical in shaping protoplanetary disk evolution. Using 2D axisymmetric (magneto-)hydrodynamic simulations with Athena++ implementing fully coupled thermochemistry, we investigate the signatures of the two winds in CO and [C~I] ALMA observations, and examine the potential to distinguish the origins. Our simulations reveal fundamental differences between the two winds: magnetized winds are colder and denser, exhibiting super-Keplerian rotation with small poloidal velocities of $\lesssim 1~{\rm km~s}^{-1}$ in the atmosphere ($z/R\gtrsim0.45$), while photoevaporative winds are hotter and less dense, exhibiting sub-Keplerian rotation with higher poloidal velocity of several ${\rm km~s}^{-1}$. In addition to previously identified factors like thermal pressure gradient and disk's self-gravity, we demonstrate that magnetic tension/pressure and advection significantly influence rotational velocities of the gas in the wind, which lead to emission patterns that are distinct from Keplerian rotation in synthetic ALMA observations. Magnetized winds are visible in CO channel maps when wind loss rates are $\gtrsim10^{-8}~M_\odot~{\rm yr}^{-1}$. When wind loss rates are lower, magnetized winds produce subtle perturbations in channel maps, which resemble the so-called ``velocity kinks'' produced by protoplanets. While photoevaporative winds dissociate CO through strong XUV radiation and thus are weaker in CO, they can create observable ring-like substructures. [C~I] emission is optically thin and could be most effective at detecting both winds in disks with high gas mass and/or high [C~I] abundance. Due to the spatially extended nature of the winds, using a large beam ($\simeq0.4$" for disks in nearby star-forming regions) will be helpful regardless of the tracer used.

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arXiv2025

exoALMA XI: ALMA Observations and Hydrodynamic Models of LkCa 15: Implications for Planetary Mass Companions in the Dust Continuum Cavity

In the past decade, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has revealed a plethora of substructures in the disks surrounding young stars. These substructures have several proposed formation mechanisms, with one leading theory being the interaction between the disk and newly formed planets. In this Letter, we present high angular resolution ALMA observations of LkCa~15's disk that reveal a striking difference in dust and CO emission morphology. The dust continuum emission shows a ring-like structure characterized by a dust-depleted inner region of $\sim$40 au in radius. Conversely, the CO emission is radially smoother and shows no sign of gas depletion within the dust cavity. We compare the observations with models for the disk-planet interaction, including radiative transfer calculation in the dust and CO emission. This source is particularly interesting as the presence of massive planets within the dust cavity has been suggested based on previous NIR observations. We find that the level of CO emission observed within the dust cavity is inconsistent with the presence of planets more massive than Jupiter orbiting between 10-40 au. Instead, we argue that the LkCa~15 innermost dust cavity might be created either by a chain of low-mass planets, or by other processes that do not require the presence of planets.

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arXiv2025

JWST/NIRCam Coronagraphic Search for Hidden Planets in the HD~163296 Protoplanetary Disk

HD~163296 is a Herbig Ae/Be star with multiple signposts of on-going planet formation on its disk, such as prominent rings and gaps, as well as kinematic features as identified by previous ALMA observations. We carried out JWST/NIRCam coronagraphic imaging using the F410M and F200W NIRCam filters, with the goal of detecting the emission from the putative young planets in this system. Our F410M observations did not detect the putative planets at the predicted locations of the ALMA velocity kinks, but detected a point-like source candidate at a separation of $\approx0\farcs75$ and a position angle of $\approx231\fdg4$ that is unlikely a background star because of the measured flux in the F410M filter and the detection limit in the F200W filter. These data achieved unprecedented contrast levels at $\sim4~\micron$ at stellocentric separations $ρ\gtrsim0\farcs8$. This allowed us to derive stringent constraints at the outer velocity kink ($Δ{\rm F410M}=15.2~{\rm mag}$) on the mass of the putative planet with or without a circumplanetary disk, and considering different possible initial entropies for the planet.

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arXiv2025

Formation of Be star decretion discs through boundary layer effects

Be stars are rapidly rotating, with angular frequency around $0.7-0.8$ of their Keplerian break up frequency, as a result of significant accretion during the earlier stellar evolution of a companion star. Material from the equator of the Be star is ejected and forms a decretion disc, although the mechanism for the disc formation has remained elusive. We find one-dimensional steady state decretion disc solutions that smoothly transition from a rapidly rotating star that is in hydrostatic balance. Boundary layer effects in a geometrically thick disc which connects to a rotationally flattened star enable the formation of a decretion disc at stellar spin rates below the break up rate. For a disc with an aspect ratio $H/R\approx 0.1$ at the inner edge, the torque from the disc on the star slows the stellar spin to the observed range and mass ejection continues at a rate consistent with observed decretion rates. The critical rotation rate, to which the star slows down to, decreases as the disc aspect ratio increases. More generally, steady state accretion and decretion disc solutions can be found for all stellar spin rates. The outcome for a particular system depends upon the balance between the decretion rate and any external infall accretion rate.

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arXiv2025

H$α$ Variability of AB Aur b with the Hubble Space Telescope: Probing the Nature of a Protoplanet Candidate with Accretion Light Echoes

Giant planets generate accretion luminosity as they form. Much of this energy is radiated in strong H$α$ line emission, which has motivated direct imaging surveys at optical wavelengths to search for accreting protoplanets. However, compact disk structures can mimic accreting planets by scattering emission from the host star. This can complicate the interpretation of H$α$ point sources, especially if the host star itself is accreting. We describe an approach to distinguish accreting protoplanets from scattered-light disk features using "accretion light echoes." This method relies on variable H$α$ emission from a stochastically accreting host star to search for a delayed brightness correlation with a candidate protoplanet. We apply this method to the candidate protoplanet AB Aur b with a dedicated Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 program designed to sequentially sample the host star and the candidate planet in H$α$ while accounting for the light travel time delay and orbital geometry of the source within the protoplanetary disk. Across five epochs spanning 14 months, AB Aur b is over 20 times more variable than its host star; AB Aur's H$α$ emission changes by 15% while AB Aur b varies by 330%. These brightness changes are not correlated, which rules out unobstructed scattered starlight from the host star as the only source of AB Aur b's H$α$ emission and is consistent with tracing emission from an independently accreting protoplanet, inner disk shadowing effects, or a physically evolving compact disk structure. More broadly, accretion light echoes offer a novel tool to explore the nature of protoplanet candidates with well-timed observations of the host star prior to deep imaging in H$α$.

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arXiv2025

Formation of Giant Planets

Giant planets dominate the mass of many planetary systems, including the Solar System, and represent the best-characterized class of extrasolar planets. Understanding the formation of giant planets bridges the high mass end of the planet formation process and the low mass end of processes that produce stellar and brown dwarf companions. This review examines the latest evidence supporting the formation of Solar System giant planets and most extrasolar giant planets by core accretion. Key elements of this theory and recent advances are discussed, along with the role of gravitational fragmentation of gas disks -- a mechanism more likely to produce brown dwarfs and/or similarly massive binary companions.

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arXiv2025

Asymmetric Temperature Variations In Protoplanetary disks: I. Linear Theory, Corotating Spirals, and Ring Formation

Protoplanetary disks can exhibit asymmetric temperature variations due to phenomena such as shadows cast by the inner disk or localized heating by young planets. We investigate the disk features induced by these asymmetric temperature variations. We find that spirals are initially excited, then break into two and reconnect to form rings. By carrying out linear analyses, we first study the spiral launching mechanism, and find that the effects of azimuthal temperature variations share similarities with effects of external potentials. Specifically, rotating temperature variations launch steady spiral structures at Lindblad resonances, which corotate with the temperature patterns. When the cooling time exceeds the orbital period, these spiral structures are significantly weakened, and a checkerboard pattern may appear. A temperature variation of about 10\% can induce spirals with order unity density perturbations, comparable to those generated by a thermal mass planet. We then study ring formation and find it is related to the coupling between azimuthal temperature variations and spirals outside the resonances. Such coupling leads to a radially varying angular momentum flux, which produces anomalous wave-driven accretion and forms dense rings separated by the wavelength of the waves. Finally, we speculate that spirals induced by temperature variations may contribute to disk accretion through non-linear wave steepening and dissipation. Overall, considering that irradiation determines the temperature structure of protoplanetary disks, the change of irradiation both spatially or/and temporarily may produce observable effects in protoplanetary disks, especially spirals and rings in outer disks beyond tens of AU.

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