Early planet formation in embedded protostellar disks. Setting the stage for the first generation of planetesimals

Vol. 657
10. Planets and planetary systems

Early planet formation in embedded protostellar disks. Setting the stage for the first generation of planetesimals

A classical model of planetary system formation is that planets form from the protoplanetary disk that surrounds a star. In this paper, the authors show that planetesimals may form before the formation of the star is completed. They do this by numerically simulating the collapse of a dusty proto-stellar cloud in which streaming instability is triggered; this is itself believed to produce the first planetesimals. In particular, they find a sweet spot for planetesimal formation for grain sizes of a few tens of microns. This study could change our view of planet formation, which may start earlier in the evolution of the planetary system than currently thought.