Capture of material by the protosatellite disks of Jupiter and Saturn

Abstract

Abstract The problem of passing planetesimals through the accretion disks of Jupiter and Saturn and capture of their material into the disks is considered taking into account processes of aerodynamic braking, fragmentation, and ablation of the bodies in the disk’s gas medium. We have obtained limitations on planetesimal sizes at which the body remains in the protosatellite disk. Estimates are made for the mass of material captured into the disk for the case of power-law mass (and size) distribution of planetesimals. The narrower size range for the captured bodies and longer duration of satellite formation could yield the low differentiation of Callisto as compared with Ganymede. Only minor planetesimals with radii less than 12 m could be captured into the disk of Saturn in the formation region of Titan. This feature promoted significant lengthening of the process of Titan formation.