The dynamics of Jupiter and Saturn in the gaseous proto-planetary disk

Abstract

We study the possibility that the mutual interactions between Jupiter and Saturn prevented Type II migration from driving these planets much closer to the Sun. Our work extends previous results by Masset and Snellgrove (2001), by exploring a wider set of initial conditions and disk parameters, and by using a new hydrodynamical code that properly describes for the global viscous evolution of the disk. Initially both planets migrate towards the Sun, and Saturn's migration tends to be faster. As a consequence, they eventually end up locked in a mean motion resonance. If this happens in the 2:3 resonance, the resonant motion is particularly stable, and the gaps opened by the planets in the disk may overlap. This causes a drastic change in the torque balance for the two planets, which substantially slows down the planets' inward migration. If the gap overlap is substantial, planet migration may even be stopped or reversed. As the widths of the gaps depend on disk viscosity and scale height, this mechanism is particularly efficient in low viscosity, cool disks. We discuss the compatibility of our results with the initial conditions adopted in Tsiganis et al. (2005) and Gomes et al. (2005) to explain the current orbital architecture of the giant planets and the origin of the Late Heavy Bombardment of the Moon.