Migration of pairs of giant planets in low-viscosity discs

Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Boulevard de l’Observatoire, 06304 Nice Cedex 4, France
e-mail: philippine.griveaud@oca.eu

Received: 13 October 2022
Accepted: 18 February 2023

Abstract

Context. When considering the migration of Jupiter and Saturn, a classical result is to find the planets migrating outwards and locked in the 3:2 mean motion resonance (MMR). These results were obtained in the framework of viscously accreting discs, in which the observed stellar accretion rates constrained the viscosity values. However, it has recently been shown observationally and theoretically that discs are probably less viscous than previously thought.

Aims. Therefore, in this paper, we explore the dynamics of pairs of giant planets in low-viscosity discs.

Methods. We performed two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations using the grid-based code FARGOCA.

Results. In contrast to classical viscous discs, we find that the outer planet never crosses the 2:1 resonance and the pair does not migrate outwards. After a wide parameter exploration, including the mass of the outer planet, we find that the planets are primarily locked in the 2:1 MMR and in some cases in the 5:2 MMR. We explain semi-analytically why it is not possible for the outer planet to cross the 2:1 MMR in a low-viscosity disc.

Conclusions. We find that pairs of giant planets migrate inwards in low-viscosity discs. Although, in some cases, having a pair of giant planets can slow down the migration speed with respect to a single planet. Such pairs of slowly migrating planets may be located, at the end of the disc phase, in the population of exoplanets of ’warm Jupiters’. However, the planets never migrate outwards. These results could have strong implications on the Solar System’s formation scenarios if the Sun’s protoplanetary disc had a low viscosity.