Substructures in Protoplanetary Disks Imprinted by Compact Planetary Systems

Abstract The substructures observed in protoplanetary disks may be the signposts of embedded planets carving gaps or creating vortices. inferred masses these often fall Jovian regime despite their low abundance compared to lower-mass planets, partly because previous works assume that a single substructure (a gap vortex) is caused by planet. In this work, we study possible imprints compact systems composed Neptune-like (?10–30 M ? ) and show long-standing vortices are prevalent outcome when interplanetary separation (? falls below ?8 times H p —the average disk’s scale height at planet’s locations. simulations where planet unable produce long-lived vortices, two-planet can preserve them for least 5000 orbits two regimes: (i) fully shared density with elongated around stable Lagrange points L 4 5 most pairs ? 4.6 ), (ii) partially more widely spaced ? 4.6–8 forming ring between through Rossby wave instability. latter case wide range aspect ratios down ?3 occur captured into 3:2 (2:1) mean-motion resonances disks’ aspects h ? 0.033 ( 0.057). We suggest long lifetimes sustained interaction spiral waves launched neighboring planets. Overall, our results distinguishing imprint Neptune-mass inside gaps, which turn shallower than single-planet fixed width.