Date of Award
May 2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Aerospace Sciences
First Advisor
Sherry Fieber-Beyer
Abstract
A key area linking frontier observational capabilities to theoretical questions of exoplanet system architectures is the transport and evolution of water in planet-forming disks and mechanisms that tune its incorporation into planets. This research develops a pebble accretion model of planet formation (“the PPOLs Model”) that self-consistently handles the drift and accretion of rocky/icy pebbles around stars ranging from late M-dwarfs to early A-stars. The model grows multiple protoplanet cores simultaneously and evolves the snow line position consistently with evolving disk conditions. The combination of growing multiple cores while evolving the snowline allows for a prolonged period of growth and delivery of icy pebbles to the inner disk. For a narrow range of disk mass parameters around solar-mass stars, an “Earth-like” amount of water is delivered to ~Earth mass planets in the conservative habitable zone. Overall, a distinct trend in the water content is seen for a narrow range of disk masses across all stellar masses tested. Ultimately, the outputs of the PPOLs model do not align with previously recorded simulations of the late-stage phase of planet formation in the genesis model, indicating the importance of outer disk influence in determining exoplanet system architectures.
Recommended Citation
Mccloat, Sean, "Modeling The Architecture And Water Content Of Exoplanet Systems By Pebble Accretion: The PPOLs Model" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 6379.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/6379
