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E. V. Quintana, J. J. Lissauer (NASA Ames)
Most stars reside in binary/multiple star systems; however, previous models of planet formation have studied growth of bodies orbiting an isolated single star. Disk material has been observed around both components of some young close binary star systems. If planets form at the right places within such disks, they can remain dynamically stable for very long times. We are simulating the late stages of growth of terrestrial planets in circumbinary disks around `close' binary star systems with stellar separations (aB) between 0.05 AU -- 0.4 AU and binary eccentricities in the range 0 -- 0.8. In each simulation, the sum of the masses of the two stars is 1 solar mass. The initial disk of planetary embryos is the same as that used for simulating the late stages of terrestrial planet growth within our Solar System and around each star in the Alpha Centauri wide binary star system (Quintana et al. 2002, A.J., 576, 982), and giant planets are included. Our results are statistically compared to a set of planet formation simulations in the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system that begin with essentially the same initial disk of protoplanets. The planetary systems formed around binaries with apastron distances QB (= aB (1 + eB)) less than or equal to 0.2 AU with small eB are very similar to those formed around single stars, whereas planetary systems formed around binaries with larger maximum separations tend to be sparcer, with fewer planets, especially interior to 1 AU.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.