A Monte Carlo method for tracking dust properties during coagulation in protoplanetary disks

Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

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Received: 19 February 2026
Accepted: 7 April 2026

Abstract

Dust growth is a crucial step in planet formation, and the efficiency of this process is controlled by the physical and chemical properties of the dust grains. Monte Carlo–based methods are commonly used to follow the collisional evolution of dust while tracking their properties. However, current Monte Carlo methods in planet formation do not strictly conserve the global inventory of dust properties across the protoplanetary disk, causing fluctuations that can grow over time and affect predictions of dust evolution. Here we present a coagulation algorithm that ensures the global conservation of dust properties while resolving the spatial evolution of dust. The method is validated against analytical solutions for standard coagulation kernels and benchmarked in a two-dimensional disk. We show that the method reproduces standard results, resolves the full dust population, and improves the resolution of the small-grain regime compared to other Monte Carlo methods for modeling global dust evolution. Finally, using a test case that includes sublimation and condensation of water interacting with silicates, we demonstrate strict conservation of each component’s mass during coagulation, establishing the method as a valuable tool for tracking dust properties in protoplanetary disks.