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The unseen planets of double belt debris disc systems

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

Shannon, A 
Bonsor, A 
Kral, Q 
Matthews, E 

Abstract

The gap between two component debris disks is often taken to be carved by intervening planets scattering away the remnant planetesimals. We employ N-body simulations to determine how the time needed to clear the gap depends on the location of the gap and the mass of the planets. We invert this relation, and provide an equation for the minimum planet mass, and another for the expected number of such planets, that must be present to produce an observed gap for a star of a given age. We show how this can be combined with upper limits on the planetary system from direct imaging non-detections (such as with GPI or SPHERE) to produce approximate knowledge of the planetary system.

Description

Keywords

methods: miscellaneous, minor planets, asteroids: general, planet-disc interactions, circumstellar matter, planetary systems

Journal Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1745-3925
1745-3933

Volume Title

462

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)
Sponsorship
European Research Council (Grant ID: 279973)