Fast Accretion of Small Planetesimals by Protoplanetary Cores
Fast Accretion of Small Planetesimals by Protoplanetary Cores
We explore the dynamics of small planetesimals coexisting with massive protoplanetary cores in a gaseous nebula. Gas drag strongly affects the motion of small bodies, leading to the decay of their eccentricities and inclinations, which are excited by the gravity of protoplanetary cores. Drag acting on larger (≳1 km), high-velocity …