Inclined Planetary Orbits in Accretion Disks: A Preliminary study with Athena++

Abstract

We investigate systems composed of accretion disks and coplanar or inclined planets. Work takes the form of Athena++ simulations, neglecting self-gravity of the disk, feedback on the planet, and electromagnetics. We explore the parameter phase space of planet mass and inclination, finding relationships between these parameters and gap formation, specifically that there exists a critical inclination above which gap formation is strongly inhibited and that larger planet masses strengthen gap formation. We observe gap formation with a radial density double-dip character in low planet mass runs. We observe that higher inclinations introduce a periodic amplitude to the density waves launched by the planet. We conclude that for low inclinations and masses, horseshoe orbits provide most of the action of the run, including creating possible vortex spawning areas. We conjecture that the lack of double-dip character in high mass runs is a result of a stronger mass scaling in the pressure gradient that resists density evacuation than in the double-dip pressure itself, and that further study is required to reconcile this possibility with existing understandings of coplanar and small incline gap formation.