On the origin of the prograde rotation of the planets

A series of analytic and numerical calculations of the systematic component of angular momentum accretion is described. Wide ranges of planetesimal eccentricities and planetary radii are considered. Numerical simulations using a Rayleigh distribution of eH values show that very little prograde rotation is produced in a disk with a realistically broad range of planetesimal eccentricities. It is hypothesized that the observed spin rates may result from nonuniformities in the disk of planetesimals, specifically, a partial gap in planetesimal semimajor axes around that of the planet. This would yield an overabundance of impactors from the edges of the planet's accretion zone. Bodies from this region produce strongly prograde rotation at most values of eH.