EPJ Web of Conferences 46, 06004 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20134606004

Efficiency of coherent vortices to trap dust particles in the solar nebula

Laboratoire de Physique Théorique (IRSAMC), CNRS and UPS, Université de Toulouse, F-31062 Toulouse, France

^a e-mail: chavanis@irsamc.ups-tlse.fr

Abstract

We develop the idea proposed by Barge & Sommeria (1995) that large-scale vortices present in the solar nebula can concentrate dust particles and facilitate the formation of planetesimals and planets. We introduce an exact vortex solution of the incompressible 2D Euler equation (Kida vortex) and study the motion of dust particles in that vortex. In particular, we derive an analytical expression of the capture time as a function of the friction coefficient and determine the parameters leading to an optimal capture.