Beyond static torques: Self-consistent migration and dynamical trapping of low-mass planets in dusty disks
Abstract
The rapid inward migration of low-mass planets remains a primary theoretical challenge in planet formation. While recent studies show that the solid component of protoplanetary disks can exert strong positive torques to counteract the negative gas torques, traditional static fixed-orbit models fail to capture the fully coupled dynamics of a migrating planet. In this work, we present 2D high-resolution, two-fluid hydrodynamical simulations using a comoving reference frame to track the self-consistent orbital evolution of embedded planets across a comprehensive six-dimensional parameter space. By allowing the planet to dynamically respond to disk-exerted torques, we identify a wide diversity of migration regimes, involving inward/outward migration and oscillatory radial confinement. We also find that massive cores can overcome dust-induced barriers, experiencing dust-mediated runaway outward or inward migration. Conversely, in dust-rich environments continuous gas-dust momentum exchange combined with planet torques dynamically regenerates co-orbital dust asymmetries, creating robust dynamical attractors where super-Earths undergo stable, oscillatory confinement, effectively halting inward drift without requiring pre-existing pressure bumps or disk substructures. This self-induced trapping mechanism could be relevant in the outer disk, beyond the water-ice line in environments with a enhanced local dust-to-gas ratio, where icy pebbles are moderately coupled to the gas. In low-metallicity or highly diffusive disks, planets generally adopt monotonic inward decay, apart from cases with outward migration. Ultimately, the diversity of these self-consistent trajectories demonstrates that static torque approximations are insufficient. Evaluating fully coupled kinematic feedback is essential for accurately predicting planetary survival and the final architecture of planetary systems.
Related
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BibTeX
@misc{gomez2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond static torques: Self-consistent migration and dynamical trapping of low-mass planets in dusty disks}},
author = {Jose L. Gomez and Pablo Benitez-Llambay and Ximena S. Ramos and Octavio M. Guilera},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.27071},
eprint = {2610.27071},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27071},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Beyond static torques: Self-consistent migration and dynamical trapping of low-mass planets in dusty disks
AU - Jose L. Gomez
AU - Pablo Benitez-Llambay
AU - Ximena S. Ramos
AU - Octavio M. Guilera
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.27071
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27071
AB - The rapid inward migration of low-mass planets remains a primary theoretical challenge in planet formation. While recent studies show that the solid component of protoplanetary disks can exert strong positive torques to counteract the negative gas torques, traditional static fixed-orbit models fail to capture the fully coupled dynamics of a migrating planet. In this work, we present 2D high-resolution, two-fluid hydrodynamical simulations using a comoving reference frame to track the self-consistent orbital evolution of embedded planets across a comprehensive six-dimensional parameter space. By allowing the planet to dynamically respond to disk-exerted torques, we identify a wide diversity of migration regimes, involving inward/outward migration and oscillatory radial confinement. We also find that massive cores can overcome dust-induced barriers, experiencing dust-mediated runaway outward or inward migration. Conversely, in dust-rich environments continuous gas-dust momentum exchange combined with planet torques dynamically regenerates co-orbital dust asymmetries, creating robust dynamical attractors where super-Earths undergo stable, oscillatory confinement, effectively halting inward drift without requiring pre-existing pressure bumps or disk substructures. This self-induced trapping mechanism could be relevant in the outer disk, beyond the water-ice line in environments with a enhanced local dust-to-gas ratio, where icy pebbles are moderately coupled to the gas. In low-metallicity or highly diffusive disks, planets generally adopt monotonic inward decay, apart from cases with outward migration. Ultimately, the diversity of these self-consistent trajectories demonstrates that static torque approximations are insufficient. Evaluating fully coupled kinematic feedback is essential for accurately predicting planetary survival and the final architecture of planetary systems.
ER -