Studies of Planet Formation Using a Hybrid N-Body + Planetesimal Code

Abstract

The goal of our proposal was to use a hybrid multi-annulus planetesimal/n-body code to examine the planetesimal theory, one of the two main theories of planet formation. We developed this code to follow the evolution of numerous 1 m to 1 km planetesimals as they collide, merge, and grow into full-fledged planets. Our goal was to apply the code to several well-posed, topical problems in planet formation and to derive observational consequences of the models. We planned to construct detailed models to address two fundamental issues: (1) icy planets: models for icy planet formation will demonstrate how the physical properties of debris disks - including the Kuiper Belt in our solar system - depend on initial conditions and input physics; and (2) terrestrial planets: calculations following the evolution of 1-10 km planetesimals into Earth-mass planets and rings of dust will provide a better understanding of how terrestrial planets form and interact with their environment.