https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03585-8
Regular Article
Clusters of heavy particles in two-dimensional Keplerian turbulence
1
Laboratoire Lagrange, Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Nice, France
2
Université Côte d’Azur, Inria, CNRS, Sophia-Antipolis, France
3
CEMEF, Mines Paris, PSL University, CNRS, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Received:
18
October
2022
Accepted:
11
December
2022
Published online:
9
January
2023
Protoplanetary disks are gaseous systems in Keplerian rotation around young stars, known to be turbulent. They include a small fraction of dust from which planets form. In the incremental scenario for planet growth, the formation of kilometer-size objects (planetesimals) from pebbles is a major open question. Clustering of particles is necessary for solids to undergo a local gravitational collapse. To address this question, the dynamic of inertial particles in turbulent flows with Keplerian rotation and shear is studied. Two-dimensional direct numerical simulations are performed to explore systematically two physical parameters: the rotation rate, which depends on the distance to the star, and the particle response time, which relates to their size. Shear is found to drastically affect the characteristics of the turbulent flow destroying cyclones and favoring the survival of anticyclones. Faster Keplerian rotation enhances clustering of particles. For intermediate sizes, particles concentrate in anticyclones. These clusters form in a hierarchical manner and merge together with time. For other parameter values, solids concentrate on fractal sets that get more singular with rotation. The mass distribution of particles is then found to be multifractal with small dimensions at large orders, intriguing for triggering their gravitational collapse. Such results are promising for a precise description and better understanding of planetesimal formation.
Focus Point on Nonlinear Physics Advances Guest editors: S. Chibbaro, M.-C. Firpo, G. Napoli, S. Randoux.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
