Terrestrial planet formation from a truncated disk -- The 'Grand Tack'

A new terrestrial planet formation model (Walsh et al., 2011) explores the effects of a two-stage, inward-then-outward migration of Jupiter and Saturn, as found in numerous hydrodynamical simulations of giant planet formation (Masset & Snellgrove 2001, Morbidelli & Crida 2007, Pierens & Nelson 2008, Pierens & Raymond 2011). The inward migration of Jupiter truncates the disk of planetesimals and embryos in the terrestrial planet region. Subsequent accretion in that region then forms the terrestrial planets, in particular it produces the correct Earth/Mars mass ratio, which has been difficult to reproduce in simulations with a self-consistent set of initial conditions (see, eg. Raymond et al. 2009, Hansen 2009). Additionally, the outward migration of the giant planets populates the asteroid belt with distinct populations of bodies, with the inner belt filled by bodies originating inside of 3 AU, and the outer belt filled with bodies originating from beyond the giant planets. This differs from previous models of terrestrial planet formation due to the early radial mixing of material due to the giant planet's substantial migration. Specifically, the assumption that the current radial distribution of material in the inner Solar System is reflective of the primordial distribution of material in that region is no longer necessary. We will discuss the implications of this model in relation to previous models of terrestrial planet formation as well as available chemical and isotopic constraints.