The unseen planets of double belt debris disc systems
Published version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Type
Article
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
1745-3933
Volume Title
462
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
European Research Council (279973)
European Research Council (Grant ID: 279973)