<p>Maxwell's Smith Prize Essay on the formation of the Rings of Saturn is relevant. Using structural stability as his criterion, he deduced that the 'rings' could only consist of a single almost infinite mass of very small particulates each orbiting in accord with Newtonian dynamics--the correct result as verified by NASA/ Cassini.
 Applying the same approach to a forming  solar system this analysis shows that rings of particulates are a structurally stable attractor for the dynamics, provided the central star is much larger than the mean particulate size.
I am now  well outside my comfort zone so will leave further inferences to others :).
<a href="http://www.clerkmaxwellfoundation.org/Saturn-s_Rings.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maxwell's essay on rings of saturn</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-26T15:31:40.000Z
How does this relate to the formation of Jupiter?
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-27T06:55:31.547Z
improved my answer on the basis of a kind comment
Prof James Moffat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-26T10:01:24.790Z
2017-12-27T06:53:43.867Z
2017-12-27T06:53:43.867Z
Prof James Moffat
<p>Two days ago I went to a mathematics conference where there was a paper presented on Jupiter's formation via the disk-instability model.</p>

<p>I know that there are two different theories for the formation of the planets. One of them is the <strong>Core accretion</strong> model and the other one is the <strong>disk-instability</strong> model. I also tried to read this paper on planetary formation in which they said 161 planets were put on to test. 90% followed Core accretion model and rest of them followed the later model. Did not say anything explicit about Jupiter.</p>

<p>Jupiter is too close to the Sun to follow the Disk-Instability model (I am not sure completely).</p>

<p>Now I want to know which model Jupiter follows for its formation.<br>
(I asked this question on physics stack-exchange too but unfortunately there were no answers)   </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-13T07:01:59.417Z
Currently nobody knows. There are two possible options being pursued - core accretion and disk instability...
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-13T22:00:08.243Z
But that *is* the answer to the question you have asked.
ProfRob
<jupiter><planetary-formation>
How was Jupiter formed
user1157
# How was Jupiter formed

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-12)

Two days ago I went to a mathematics conference where there was a paper presented on Jupiter's formation via the disk-instability model.

I know that there are two different theories for the formation of the planets. One of them is the **Core accretion** model and the other one is the **disk-instability** model. I also tried to read this paper on planetary formation in which they said 161 planets were put on to test. 90% followed Core accretion model and rest of them followed the later model. Did not say anything explicit about Jupiter.

Jupiter is too close to the Sun to follow the Disk-Instability model (I am not sure completely).

Now I want to know which model Jupiter follows for its formation.  
(I asked this question on physics stack-exchange too but unfortunately there were no answers)

**Tags:** jupiter, planetary-formation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Currently nobody knows. There are two possible options being pursued - core accretion and disk instability...  
> **username_1**: But that *is* the answer to the question you have asked.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-26. Score: 1

Maxwell's Smith Prize Essay on the formation of the Rings of Saturn is relevant. Using structural stability as his criterion, he deduced that the 'rings' could only consist of a single almost infinite mass of very small particulates each orbiting in accord with Newtonian dynamics--the correct result as verified by NASA/ Cassini.
Applying the same approach to a forming solar system this analysis shows that rings of particulates are a structurally stable attractor for the dynamics, provided the central star is much larger than the mean particulate size.
I am now well outside my comfort zone so will leave further inferences to others :).
[Maxwell's essay on rings of saturn](http://www.clerkmaxwellfoundation.org/Saturn-s_Rings.pdf)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How does this relate to the formation of Jupiter?  
> **username_2**: improved my answer on the basis of a kind comment  

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