Closing the Gap: A Test of the Streaming Instability Using Simulations and Observations of the Cold-Classical Kuiper Belt Size Distribution
How planetesimals form is a major open question in studies of planet formation, as the growth of smaller solids must overcome barriers such as radial drift, fragmentation, and bouncing. The leading model is that planetesimals form by the gravitational collapse of dense particle clumps that have been aerodynamically collected via a process known as the streaming instability (SI). While the SI has passed several observational tests, a critical test remains: a successful comparison with the size di…