Efficient planet formation by pebble accretion in ALMA rings

In the past decade, ALMA observations have revealed that a large fraction of protoplanetary discs contains rings in the dust continuum. These rings are the locations where pebbles accumulate, which is beneficial for planetesimal formation and subsequent planet assembly. We investigate the viability of planet formation inside ALMA rings in which pebbles are trapped by either a Gaussian-shaped pressure bump or by the strong dust backreaction. Planetesimals form at the mid-plane of the ring via streaming instability. By conducting N-body simulations, we study the growth of these planetesimals by collisional mergers and pebble accretion. Thanks to the high concentration of pebbles in the ring, the growth of planetesimals by pebble accretion becomes efficient as soon as they are born. We find that type-I planet migration plays a decisive role in the evolution of rings and planets. For discs where planets can migrate inward from the ring, a steady state is reached where the ring spawns similar to 20M(circle plus) planetary cores as long as rings are fed with materials from the outer disc. The ring acts as a long-lived planet factory and it can explain the 'fine-tuned' optical depths of the observed dust rings in the DSHARP large program. In contrast, in the absence of a planet removal mechanism (migration), a single massive planet will form and destroy the ring. A wide and massive planetesimals belt will be left at the location of the planet-forming ring. Planet formation in rings may explain the mature planetary systems observed inside debris discs.

Automated summary

ALMA observations have shown that dust rings in protoplanetary discs are important for planet formation, where planetesimals can grow efficiently via pebble accretion. Type-I planet migration is crucial for the evolution of rings and planets.