Observable dust-filtration effects of a 12-Earth-mass planet

Determine whether a 12-Earth-mass planet can produce observable differences in the dust-grain distribution between the inner and outer regions of a protoplanetary disc.

Background

The paper discusses the depletion of large grains in the inner regions of several discs as a possible consequence of dust filtration by a planet-induced gap. The planetary mass required to open a gas gap and efficiently filter dust depends on uncertain disc viscosity, particle diffusion, and grain coagulation and fragmentation physics.

A mini-Neptune with a mass of 12 Earth masses is cited as potentially sufficient to open a gas gap, but the paper does not establish whether such a planet would produce an observationally detectable difference in the dust-grain populations of the inner and outer disc. Resolving this issue is important for interpreting large-grain depletion as evidence for forming giant-planet cores.

References

However, it remains unclear whether a planet of this mass would produce observable differences in the dust-grain distribution between the inner and outer disc regions.

— The evolution of discs and the epoch of formation\newline of giant planets around solar type stars  (2609.17024 - Gratton et al., 15 Sep 2026) in Section 5, subsection “Relation to planet formation”