Improving the grain growth model in the outer part of circumstellar disks
Marina Galvagni, University of Zurich
Advisors:
Pascale Garaud, UCSC; Christoph Olczak, Heidelberg;
Farzana Meru, Tuebingen
Abstract: Observations of T-Tauri circumstellar discs show the presence of mm or cm size
dust grains at large distances from the central star (r > 10s AU). There empirical
data challenge the currently mainstream grain growth theory, that disfavours the
formation of such large grains in the outer disc and, despite formation, predicts their
rapid inward migration due to coupling with the gas on short timescales. In this
work, we develop some improvements in the grain growth theory and implement
them in GrOG (Growth Of Grains), a new numerical solver for the coagulation and
fragmentation of grains inside a circumstellar disc. Our results revise conclusions
from previous theoretical models, as we are able to growth particles of significantly
larger size.
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