Jeremy Emmett edited Abstract.md  over 9 years ago

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The orbital migration which Neptune underwent to produce account  its current orbital parameters is not fully understood, and has been the subject of a number of numerical n-body simulations. Here, I present another such simulation which attempts to model the migration of a Neptune-like object and other small-bodies in a proto-planetary disk. A FORTRAN 90 code was developed to simulate a simplified proto-solar system, and analyze its evolution over time when a planet with a mass ratio similar to that of Neptune and the Sun is introduced into the system. Snapshots of the system are taken on a regular and frequent basis, changes in the distance between Neptune and the central star are recorded, and the orbital parameters of Neptune and other particles are analyzed as a function of time. Immersed in a disk of particles, Neptune's trajectory immediately showed a deviation from its initial near-circular orbit,and a predominantly outward migration and stabilization near the edge of the disk. The distribution of particles in the disk changed as well, evolving away from a uniform number density and towards one that is inversely proportional to radial distance from the Sun. Correlations between changes in disk structure and changes in the migration behavior of Neptune may point to a connection between the two.