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A pebble accretion model for the formation of the terrestrial planets in the solar system

Johansen, Anders LU ; Ronnet, Thomas LU ; Bizzarro, Martin ; Schiller, Martin ; Lambrechts, Michiel LU ; Nordlund, Ake and Lammer, Helmut (2021) In Science Advances 7(8).
Abstract

Pebbles of millimeter sizes are abundant in protoplanetary discs around young stars. Chondrules inside primitive meteorites - formed by melting of dust aggregate pebbles or in impacts between planetesimals - have similar sizes. The role of pebble accretion for terrestrial planet formation is nevertheless unclear. Here, we present a model where inward-drifting pebbles feed the growth of terrestrial planets. The masses and orbits of Venus, Earth, Theia (which later collided with Earth to form the Moon), and Mars are all consistent with pebble accretion onto protoplanets that formed around Mars' orbit and migrated to their final positions while growing. The isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are matched qualitatively by accretion of... (More)

Pebbles of millimeter sizes are abundant in protoplanetary discs around young stars. Chondrules inside primitive meteorites - formed by melting of dust aggregate pebbles or in impacts between planetesimals - have similar sizes. The role of pebble accretion for terrestrial planet formation is nevertheless unclear. Here, we present a model where inward-drifting pebbles feed the growth of terrestrial planets. The masses and orbits of Venus, Earth, Theia (which later collided with Earth to form the Moon), and Mars are all consistent with pebble accretion onto protoplanets that formed around Mars' orbit and migrated to their final positions while growing. The isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are matched qualitatively by accretion of two generations of pebbles, carrying distinct isotopic signatures. Last, we show that the water and carbon budget of Earth can be delivered by pebbles from the early generation before the gas envelope became hot enough to vaporize volatiles.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science Advances
volume
7
issue
8
article number
eabc0444
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85101362593
  • pmid:33597233
ISSN
2375-2548
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abc0444
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d702da67-79d0-40bc-97ba-b51c2cf4fef1
date added to LUP
2021-03-09 13:49:24
date last changed
2025-04-05 18:17:19
@article{d702da67-79d0-40bc-97ba-b51c2cf4fef1,
  abstract     = {{<p>Pebbles of millimeter sizes are abundant in protoplanetary discs around young stars. Chondrules inside primitive meteorites - formed by melting of dust aggregate pebbles or in impacts between planetesimals - have similar sizes. The role of pebble accretion for terrestrial planet formation is nevertheless unclear. Here, we present a model where inward-drifting pebbles feed the growth of terrestrial planets. The masses and orbits of Venus, Earth, Theia (which later collided with Earth to form the Moon), and Mars are all consistent with pebble accretion onto protoplanets that formed around Mars' orbit and migrated to their final positions while growing. The isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are matched qualitatively by accretion of two generations of pebbles, carrying distinct isotopic signatures. Last, we show that the water and carbon budget of Earth can be delivered by pebbles from the early generation before the gas envelope became hot enough to vaporize volatiles.</p>}},
  author       = {{Johansen, Anders and Ronnet, Thomas and Bizzarro, Martin and Schiller, Martin and Lambrechts, Michiel and Nordlund, Ake and Lammer, Helmut}},
  issn         = {{2375-2548}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science Advances}},
  title        = {{A pebble accretion model for the formation of the terrestrial planets in the solar system}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc0444}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/sciadv.abc0444}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}