Gravitational instability in binary protoplanetary discs: new constraints on giant planet formation

We use high-resolution three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations to study the evolution of self-gravitating binary protoplanetary discs. Heating by shocks and cooling is included. We consider different orbital separations and masses of the discs. Massive discs (M∼ 0.1 M⊙) that fragment in isolation as a result of gravitational instability develop only transient overdensities in binary systems with a separation of about 60 au. This is true even when the cooling time is significantly shorter than the orbital time because efficient heating owing to strong tidally induced spiral shocks dominates. The resulting temperatures, above 200 K, would vaporize water ice in the outer disc, posing a problem even for the other model of giant planet formation, core accretion. Light discs (M∼ 0.01 M⊙) do not fragment but remain cold because their low self-gravity inhibits strong shocks. Core accretion would not be hampered in them. At separations of about 120 au, tidally induced spiral shocks weaken significantly and fragmentation occurs similarly to isolated systems. If disc instability is the main formation mechanism for giant planets, ongoing surveys targeting binary systems should find considerably fewer planets in systems with separations below 100 au.