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The evolution of gravitationally unstable protoplanetary discs : from instability to stability
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Rowther, Sahl (2022) The evolution of gravitationally unstable protoplanetary discs : from instability to stability. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3883338
Abstract
In their youth, protoplanetary discs are expected to be massive and self-gravitating. A characteristic feature of such discs are non-axisymmetric spiral structures. However recent observations of young protoplanetary discs with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have revealed that discs with large-scale spiral structure in the mid-plane are rarely observed. Instead, axisymmetic discs with ring & gap structures are more commonly observed. Using 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations, the aim of this thesis is to explore how additional physical processes occurring in a gravitationally unstable protoplanetary disc can explain this phenomenon.
The first process considered is planet-disc interactions. I first show the importance of modelling the disc thermodynamics for studying the fate of planet migration. In contrast to previous work using a simpler cooling model, I show that planets are able to slow their migration and survive in the gravitationally stable inner regions of the disc. I then show that if the planet is sufficiently massive, the spiral wakes of the planet can heat up the disc causing it to become gravitationally stable, suppressing spiral structures due to gravitational instability.
The second process considered is warps. An idealised warp is used to isolate the effect of the warp on the gravitational instabilities present in the disc. As with planet-disc interactions, I show that the warp is able to heat up the disc rendering it gravitational stable.
The results of this thesis provide a plausible explanation for why gravitationally unstable discs are rarely seen – physical processes that are likely to occur in these discs will alter its evolution from an unstable to a stable disc.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QC Physics | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Protoplanetary disks, Disks (Astrophysics), Large scale structure (Astronomy), Gravitation, Hydrodynamics -- Mathematical models, Astronomical models, Planets, Spiral galaxies -- Structure | ||||
Official Date: | September 2022 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | Department of Physics | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Meru, Farzana | ||||
Sponsors: | Royal Society (Great Britain) | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | xi, 158 pages : illustrations (colour), charts | ||||
Language: | eng |
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