The simulations in Figures 8.16 and 8.17 both begin with a population of planetesimals between about 10¹⁶ and 10¹⁷ kg in mass, i.e. about 10 km diameter. The flat tops to the curves for t = 0 show that there are no planetesimals less than about 10¹⁶ kg in mass. In both simulations, at times later than t = 0 the low-mass ends of the curves slope down to the right. What does this tell you about the masses of the smallest bodies present at these later times, and to what process do you attribute this?

Figure 8.16

Figure 8.17

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cumulative number of bodies 109 108 107 106 105 104 10 10 10 1-0 3.3 x 104 yr 1 1013 1015 1017 1019 mass/kg - 4.7 x 104 yr 101 1023 1025