Boley, Aaron C., Hayfield, Tristen, Mayer, Lucio, Durisen, Richard H.
We explore the initial conditions for fragments in the extended regions (r>50 AU) of gravitationally unstable disks. We combine analytic estimates for the fragmentation of spiral arms with 3D SPH...
Resolving Globular Cluster Formation within a Cosmological Context (2009)
Boley, Aaron C., Lake, George, Read, Justin, Teyssier, Romain
We place constraints on the formation redshifts for blue globular clusters (BGCs), independent of the details of hydrodynamics and population III star formation. The observed radial distribution of...
The Two Modes of Gas Giant Planet Formation (2009)
I argue for two modes of gas giant planet formation and discuss the conditions under which each mode operates. Gas giant planets at disk radii $r>100$ AU are likely to form in situ by disk...
Gravitational Instabilities, Chondrule Formation, and the FU Orionis Phenomenon (2008)
Boley, Aaron C., Durisen, Richard H.
Using analytic arguments and numerical simulations, we examine whether chondrule formation and the FU Orionis phenomenon can be caused by the burst-like onset of gravitational instabilities (GIs) in...
The Three-Dimensional Behavior of Spiral Shocks in Protoplanetary Disks (2007)
In this dissertation, I describe theoretical and numerical studies that address the three-dimensional behavior of spiral shocks in protoplanetary disks and the controversial topic of gas giant...
Cai, Kai, Durisen, Richard H., Boley, Aaron C., Pickett, Megan K., Mejia, Annie C.
It is generally thought that protoplanetary disks embedded in envelopes are more massive and thus more susceptible to gravitational instabilities (GIs) than exposed disks. We present...
Boley, Aaron C., Durisen, Richard H., Nordlund, Aake, Lord, Jesse
Recent three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamics simulations of protoplanetary disks report disparate disk behaviors, and these differences involve the importance of convection to disk cooling, the...
The Internal Energy for Molecular Hydrogen in Gravitationally Unstable Protoplanetary Disks (2007)
Boley, Aaron C., Hartquist, Thomas W., Durisen, Richard H., Michael, Scott
The gas equation of state may be one of the critical factors for the disk instability theory of gas giant planet formation. This letter addresses the treatment of H$_2$ in hydrodynamical simulations...
Cai, Kai, Durisen, Richard H., Michael, Scott, Boley, Aaron C., Mejía, Annie C., Pickett, Megan K., ...
Observational studies show that the probability of finding gas giant planets around a star increases with the star's metallicity. Our latest simulations of disks undergoing gravitational...