Disk planet interactions and early evolution in young planetary systems (Q1776099)

The discovery of extrasolar planets has resulted in increased investigation of theories of planet formation. Possible formation scenarios for gas giant planets are caused either by direct gravitational instability occurring in a young protostellar disc, or by the accumulation of a solid core that undergoes rapid gas accretion once its mass has reached a critical value. The planetary formation is likely to be initiated at significantly greater orbital radii than those currently observed, implying that the orbital migration displaces the planets closer to the central star. Disc protoplanet interaction provides a natural migration mechanism, and here the author reviews local disc simulations performed using a local shearing box.