US EPA

564812 

Journal Article 

Planetesimal capture in the disk instability model 

Helled, R; Podolak, M; Kovetz, A 

2006 

Yes 

Icarus
ISSN: 0019-1035
EISSN: 1090-2643 

185 

1 

64-71 

10.1016/j.icarus.2006.06.011 

We follow the contraction and evolution of a typical Jupiter-mass clump created by the disk instability mechanism, and compute the rate of planetesimal capture during this evolution. We show that such a clump has a slow contraction phase lasting ~3×105 yr. By following the trajectories of planetesimals as they pass through the envelope of the protoplanet, we compute the cross-section for planetesimal capture at all stages of the protoplanet's evolution. We show that the protoplanet can capture a large fraction of the solid material in its feeding zone, which will lead to an enrichment of the protoplanet in heavy elements. The exact amount of this enrichment depends upon, but is not very sensitive to the size and random speed of the planetesimals. 

Accretion; Jupiter; Planetary formation