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J. Koller (Rice University), H. Li (Los Alamos National Laboratory), D.N.C. Lin (UCO/Lick Observatory)
We present non-linear 2-D hydrodynamic simulations describing the response of protoplanetary disks to embedded low mass planets. Specifically, investigations show that the dynamics in the co-orbital region lead to the development of inflection points in the potential vorticity (PV) profile. These inflection points are the result of spiral shock waves produced by the planet. Extremas in the PV profile eventually become unstable and vortices emerge at the potential vorticity minima in the separetrix region. These vortices are of a higher density than the background density.
The evolution of the torque profile reflects the disk-planet response in two phases. In phase I the torque is negative and smooth modulated by a period that is similar to the libration period. Inflection points in the PV profile develop in this phase. Phase II yields very large amplitudes and fast oscillations (with a quasi-period of a few orbits) in the total torque profile. This is a result of the emerged vortices with close encounters to the planet. The existence of these vortices bears important implications in the understanding of the migration rates of low mass planets.
This research was conducted under the auspices of the Department of Energy and supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory and by LANL/IGPP. We are also supported in part by NASA through NAG5-11779, NAG5-9223, and NSF through AST-9987417.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35 #4
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.