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The role of magnetic fields for planetary formation

Johansen, Anders LU (2008) In Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 4. p.249-258
Abstract

The role of magnetic fields for the formation of planets is reviewed. Protoplanetary disc turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability has a huge influence on the early stages of planet formation. Small dust grains are transported both vertically and radially in the disc by turbulent diffusion, counteracting sedimentation to the mid-plane and transporting crystalline material from the hot inner disc to the outer parts. The conclusion from recent efforts to measure the turbulent diffusion coefficient of magnetorotational turbulence is that turbulent diffusion of small particles is much stronger than naively thought. Larger particles-pebbles, rocks and boulders-get trapped in long-lived high pressure regions that arise... (More)

The role of magnetic fields for the formation of planets is reviewed. Protoplanetary disc turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability has a huge influence on the early stages of planet formation. Small dust grains are transported both vertically and radially in the disc by turbulent diffusion, counteracting sedimentation to the mid-plane and transporting crystalline material from the hot inner disc to the outer parts. The conclusion from recent efforts to measure the turbulent diffusion coefficient of magnetorotational turbulence is that turbulent diffusion of small particles is much stronger than naively thought. Larger particles-pebbles, rocks and boulders-get trapped in long-lived high pressure regions that arise spontaneously at large scales in the turbulent flow. These gas high pressures, in geostrophic balance with a sub-Keplerian/super-Keplerian zonal flow envelope, are excited by radial fluctuations in the Maxwell stress. The coherence time of the Maxwell stress is only a few orbits, where as the correlation time of the pressure bumps is comparable to the turbulent mixing time-scale, many tens or orbits on scales much greater than one scale height. The particle overdensities contract under the combined gravity of all the particles and condense into gravitationally bound clusters of rocks and boulders. These planetesimals have masses comparable to the dwarf planet Ceres. I conclude with thoughts on future priorities in the field of planet formation in turbulent discs.

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author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Diffusion, instabilities, MHD, planetary systems: protoplanetary disks, solar system: formation, turbulence
in
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
volume
4
pages
10 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85168671279
ISSN
1743-9213
DOI
10.1017/S1743921309030592
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2009.
id
7515f8bb-1d94-4107-ae41-0619019ce2d5
date added to LUP
2024-03-25 03:57:34
date last changed
2024-10-03 14:39:53
@article{7515f8bb-1d94-4107-ae41-0619019ce2d5,
  abstract     = {{<p>The role of magnetic fields for the formation of planets is reviewed. Protoplanetary disc turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability has a huge influence on the early stages of planet formation. Small dust grains are transported both vertically and radially in the disc by turbulent diffusion, counteracting sedimentation to the mid-plane and transporting crystalline material from the hot inner disc to the outer parts. The conclusion from recent efforts to measure the turbulent diffusion coefficient of magnetorotational turbulence is that turbulent diffusion of small particles is much stronger than naively thought. Larger particles-pebbles, rocks and boulders-get trapped in long-lived high pressure regions that arise spontaneously at large scales in the turbulent flow. These gas high pressures, in geostrophic balance with a sub-Keplerian/super-Keplerian zonal flow envelope, are excited by radial fluctuations in the Maxwell stress. The coherence time of the Maxwell stress is only a few orbits, where as the correlation time of the pressure bumps is comparable to the turbulent mixing time-scale, many tens or orbits on scales much greater than one scale height. The particle overdensities contract under the combined gravity of all the particles and condense into gravitationally bound clusters of rocks and boulders. These planetesimals have masses comparable to the dwarf planet Ceres. I conclude with thoughts on future priorities in the field of planet formation in turbulent discs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Johansen, Anders}},
  issn         = {{1743-9213}},
  keywords     = {{Diffusion; instabilities; MHD; planetary systems: protoplanetary disks; solar system: formation; turbulence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  pages        = {{249--258}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union}},
  title        = {{The role of magnetic fields for planetary formation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1743921309030592}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S1743921309030592}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}