Mass Spectrum and Velocity Dispersions During Planetesimals Accumulation - II - Fragmentation

Abstract

Fragmentation of the planetesimals is found to play a role whose importance is greater than previously believed and depends on the average characteristic size of the primordial planetesimals but not on their mass distribution. In the small size range the mass spectrum is strongly modified with the formation of a small bodies tail but, on the other hand, the growth of the most massive objects is significantly slowed down. The formation of planetary embryos much more massive than the rest of the swarm is delayed; nevertheless the time-scale problem for the growth of the outer planets is not revived.