On the Luminosity of Young Jupiters

Abstract

Traditional thermal evolution models of giant planets employ arbitrary initial conditions selected more for computational expediency than physical accuracy. Since the initial conditions are eventually forgotten by the evolving planet, this approach is valid for mature planets, if not young ones. To explore the evolution at young ages of jovian mass planets we have employed model planets created by one implementation of the core accretion mechanism as initial conditions for evolutionary calculations. We find that young jovian planets are smaller, cooler, and several to 100 times less luminous than predicted by earlier models. Furthermore the time interval during which the young jupiters are fainter than expected depends on the mass of planet. Jupiter mass planets (1 M_J) align with the conventional model luminosity in as little at 20 million years, but 10 M_J planets can take up to 1 billion years to match commonly cited luminosities, given our implementation of the core accretion mechanism. If our assumptions, especially including our treatment of the accretion shock, are correct, then young jovian planets are substantially fainter at young ages than currently believed. These results have important consequences both for detection strategies and for assigning masses to young jovian planets based on observed luminosities.