G. Duchêne 2010 ApJ 709 L114 doi:10.1088/2041-8205/709/2/L114
G. Duchêne1
Show affiliationsIn this Letter, I examine several observational trends regarding protoplanetary disks, debris disks, and exoplanets in binary systems in an attempt to constrain the physical mechanisms of planet formation in such a context. Binaries wider than about 100 AU are indistinguishable from single stars in all aspects. Binaries in the 5-100 AU range, on the other hand, are associated with shorter lived but (at least in some cases) equally massive disks. Furthermore, they form planetesimals and mature planetary systems at a similar rate as wider binaries and single stars, albeit with the peculiarity that they predominantly produce high-mass planets. I posit that the location of a stellar companion influences the relative importance of the core accretion and disk fragmentation planet formation processes, with the latter mechanism being predominant in binaries tighter than 100 AU.
binaries: general; planetary systems; planets and satellites: formation; protoplanetary disks
Issue 2 (2010 February 1)
Received 2009 October 20, accepted for publication 2009 December 15
Published 2010 January 11
G. Duchêne 2010 ApJ 709 L114
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