Rapid Growth of Dust Particles in the Vicinity of Local Gas Density Enhancements in a Solar Nebula

Abstract

The results of a numerical study of the growth of solid particles, ranging from 1 micron to 1 millimeter in size, in the vicinity of an azimuthally symmetric density enhancement of a protostellar disk are presented. It is shown that the combined effect of gas drag and pressure gradients, which causes solid objects to rapidly migrate toward the location of the local maximum density, can also enhance the rate of growth of dust particles to larger objects. The results of numerical simulations of such growth processes are presented and the effects of the changes of the physical properties of particles on the rates of their growth are also discussed.