Formation History of HD 106906 and the Vertical Warping of Debris Disks by an External Inclined Companion

HD 106906 is a planetary system that hosts a wide-orbit companion, as well as an eccentric and flat debris disk, which hold important constraints on its formation and subsequent evolution. The recent observations of the companion constrain its orbit to be eccentric and inclined relative to the plane of the debris disk. Here, we show that, in the presence of the inclined companion, the debris disk quickly (less than or similar to 5 Myr) becomes warped and puffy. This suggests that the current configuration of the system is relatively recent. We explore the possibility that a recent close encounter with a free-floating planet could produce a companion with orbital parameters that agree with observations of HD 106906 b. We find that this scenario is able to recreate the structure of the debris disk while producing a companion in agreement with observation.

Automated summary

HD 106906 is a planetary system with a wide-orbit companion and a eccentric and flat debris disk, providing important insights into its formation and evolution. Recent observations reveal that the companion has an eccentric and inclined orbit relative to the debris disk. It is found that the presence of the inclined companion causes rapid warping and puffiness of the debris disk, indicating a relatively recent configuration. The possibility of a recent close encounter with a free-floating planet is explored, which can explain the observed structure of the debris disk and the characteristics of the companion.