System Giant Planets Research Articles

Survivability of moon systems around ejected gas giants

ABSTRACT We examine the effects that planetary encounters have on the moon systems of ejected gas giant planets. We conduct a suite of numerical simulations of planetary systems containing three Jupiter-mass planets (with the innermost planet at 3 au) up to the point where a planet is ejected from the system. The ejected planet has an initial system of 100 test-particle moons. We determine the survival probability of moons at different distances from their host planet, measure the final distribution of orbital elements, examine the stability of resonant configurations, and characterize the properties of moons that are stripped from the planets. We find that moons are likely to survive in orbits with semi-major axes out beyond 200 planetary radii (0.1 au in our case). The orbital inclinations and eccentricities of the surviving moons are broadly distributed and include nearly hyperbolic orbits and retrograde orbits. We find that a large fraction of moons in two-body and three-body mean-motion resonances also survive planetary ejection with the resonance intact. The moon–planet interactions, especially in the presence of mean-motion resonance, can keep the interior of the moons molten for billions of years via tidal flexing, as is seen in the moons of the gas giant planets in the solar system. Given the possibility that life may exist in the subsurface ocean of the Galilean satellite Europa, these results have implications for life on the moons of rogue planets – planets that drift through our Galaxy with no host star.

Puzzling out the coexistence of terrestrial planets and giant exoplanets

Aims. Hundreds of giant planets have been discovered so far and the quest of exo-Earths in giant planet systems has become intriguing. In this work, we aim to address the question of the possible long-term coexistence of a terrestrial companion on an orbit interior to a giant planet, and explore the extent of the stability regions for both non-resonant and resonant configurations. Methods. Our study focuses on the restricted three-body problem, where an inner terrestrial planet (massless body) moves under the gravitational attraction of a star and an outer massive planet on a circular or elliptic orbit. Using the detrended fast Lyapunov indicator as a chaotic indicator, we constructed maps of dynamical stability by varying both the eccentricity of the outer giant planet and the semi-major axis of the inner terrestrial planet, and identify the boundaries of the stability domains. Guided by the computation of families of periodic orbits, the phase space is unravelled by meticulously chosen stable periodic orbits, which buttress the stability domains. Results. We provide all possible stability domains for coplanar symmetric configurations and show that a terrestrial planet, either in mean-motion resonance or not, can coexist with a giant planet, when the latter moves on either a circular or an (even highly) eccentric orbit. New families of symmetric and asymmetric periodic orbits are presented for the 2/1 resonance. It is shown that an inner terrestrial planet can survive long time spans with a giant eccentric outer planet on resonant symmetric orbits, even when both orbits are highly eccentric. For 22 detected single-planet systems consisting of a giant planet with high eccentricity, we discuss the possible existence of a terrestrial planet. This study is particularly suitable for the research of companions among the detected systems with giant planets, and could assist with refining observational data.

Formation of terrestrial planets in eccentric and inclined giant planet systems

Aims. Evidence of mutually inclined planetary orbits has been reported for giant planets in recent years. Here we aim to study the impact of eccentric and inclined massive giant planets on the terrestrial planet formation process, and investigate whether it can possibly lead to the formation of inclined terrestrial planets. Methods. We performed 126 simulations of the late-stage planetary accretion in eccentric and inclined giant planet systems. The physical and orbital parameters of the giant planet systems result from n-body simulations of three giant planets in the late stage of the gas disc, under the combined action of Type II migration and planet-planet scattering. Fourteen two- and three-planet configurations were selected, with diversified masses, semi-major axes (resonant configurations or not), eccentricities, and inclinations (including coplanar systems) at the dispersal of the gas disc. We then followed the gravitational interactions of these systems with an inner disc of planetesimals and embryos (nine runs per system), studying in detail the final configurations of the formed terrestrial planets. Results. In addition to the well-known secular and resonant interactions between the giant planets and the outer part of the disc, giant planets on inclined orbits also strongly excite the planetesimals and embryos in the inner part of the disc through the combined action of nodal resonance and the Lidov–Kozai mechanism. This has deep consequences on the formation of terrestrial planets. While coplanar giant systems harbour several terrestrial planets, generally as massive as the Earth and mainly on low-eccentric and low-inclined orbits, terrestrial planets formed in systems with mutually inclined giant planets are usually fewer, less massive (<0.5 M⊕), and with higher eccentricities and inclinations. This work shows that terrestrial planets can form on stable inclined orbits through the classical accretion theory, even in coplanar giant planet systems emerging from the disc phase.

Influence of periodic orbits on the formation of giant planetary systems

The late-stage formation of giant planetary systems is rich in interesting dynamical mechanisms. Previous simulations of three giant planets initially on quasi-circular and quasi-coplanar orbits in the gas disc have shown that highly mutually inclined configurations can be formed, despite the strong eccentricity and inclination damping exerted by the disc. Much attention has been directed to inclination-type resonance, asking for large eccentricities to be acquired during the migration of the planets. Here we show that inclination excitation is also present at small to moderate eccentricities in two-planet systems that have previously experienced an ejection or a merging and are close to resonant commensurabilities at the end of the gas phase. We perform a dynamical analysis of these planetary systems, guided by the computation of planar families of periodic orbits and the bifurcation of families of spatial periodic orbits. We show that inclination excitation at small to moderate eccentricities can be produced by (temporary) capture in inclination-type resonance and the possible proximity of the non-coplanar systems to spatial periodic orbits contributes to maintaining their mutual inclination over long periods of time.

Moderately eccentric warm Jupiters from secular interactions with exterior companions

Recent studies have proposed that most warm Jupiters (WJs, giant planets with semi-major axes in the range of 0.1-1 AU) probably form in-situ, or arrive in their observed orbits through disk migration. However, both in-situ formation and disk migration, in their simplest flavors, predict WJs to be in low-eccentricity orbits, in contradiction with many observed WJs that are moderately eccentric (e=0.2-0.7). This paper examines the possibility that the WJ eccentricities are raised by secular interactions with exterior giant planet companions, following in-situ formation or migration on a circular orbit. Eccentricity growth may arise from an inclined companion (through Lidov-Kozai cycles), or from an eccentric, nearly coplanar companion (through apsidal precession resonances). We quantify the necessary conditions (in terms of the eccentricity, semi-major axis and inclination) for external perturbers of various masses to raise the WJ eccentricity. We also consider the sample of eccentric WJs with detected outer companions, and for each system, identify the range of mutual inclinations needed to generate the observed eccentricity. For most systems, we find that relatively high inclinations (at least $\sim 40^\circ$) are needed so that Lidov-Kozai cycles are induced; the observed outer companions are typically not sufficiently eccentric to generate the observed WJ eccentricity in a low-inclination configuration. The results of this paper place constraints on possibly unseen external companions to eccentric WJs. Observations that probe mutual inclinations of giant planet systems will help clarify the origin of eccentric WJs and the role of external companions.

Layered semi-convection and tides in giant planet interiors

Layered semi-convection is a possible candidate to explain Saturn's luminosity excess and the abnormally large radius of some hot Jupiters. In giant planet interiors, it could lead to the creation of density staircases, which are convective layers separated by thin stably stratified interfaces. We study the propagation of internal waves in a region of layered semi-convection, with the aim to predict energy transport by internal waves incident upon a density staircase. The goal is then to understand the resulting tidal dissipation when these waves are excited by other bodies such as moons in giant planets systems. We use a local Cartesian analytical model, taking into account the complete Coriolis acceleration at any latitude, thus generalizing previous works. We find transmission of incident internal waves to be strongly affected by the presence of a density staircase, even if these waves are initially pure inertial waves (which are restored by the Coriolis acceleration). In particular, low-frequency waves of all wavelengths are perfectly transmitted near the critical latitude. Otherwise, short-wavelength waves are only efficiently transmitted if they are resonant with a free mode (interfacial gravity wave or short-wavelength inertial mode) of the staircase. In all other cases, waves are primarily reflected unless their wavelengths are longer than the vertical extent of the entire staircase (not just a single step). We expect incident internal waves to be strongly affected by the presence of a density staircase in a frequency-, latitude- and wavelength-dependent manner. First, this could lead to new criteria to probe the interior of giant planets by seismology; and second, this may have important consequences for tidal dissipation and our understanding of the evolution of giant planet systems.

Properties of the Irregular Satellite System around Uranus Inferred from K2, Herschel, and Spitzer Observations

Abstract In this paper, we present visible-range light curves of the irregular Uranian satellites Sycorax, Caliban, Prospero, Ferdinand, and Setebos taken with the Kepler Space Telescope over the course of the K2 mission. Thermal emission measurements obtained with the Herschel/PACS and Spitzer/MIPS instruments of Sycorax and Caliban were also analyzed and used to determine size, albedo, and surface characteristics of these bodies. We compare these properties with the rotational and surface characteristics of irregular satellites in other giant planet systems and also with those of main belt and Trojan asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects. Our results indicate that the Uranian irregular satellite system likely went through a more intense collisional evolution than the irregular satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. Surface characteristics of Uranian irregular satellites seem to resemble the Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects more than irregular satellites around other giant planets, suggesting the existence of a compositional discontinuity in the young solar system inside the orbit of Uranus.

Water and Volatiles in the Outer Solar System

Space exploration and ground-based observations have provided outstanding evidence of the diversity and the complexity of the outer solar system. This work presents our current understanding of the nature and distribution of water and water-rich materials from the water snow line to the Kuiper Belt. This synthesis is timely, since a thorough exploration of at least one object in each region of the outer solar system has now been achieved. Next steps, starting with the Juno mission now in orbit around Jupiter, will be more focused on understanding the processes at work than on describing the general characteristics of each giant planet systems. This review is organized in three parts. First, the nature and the distribution of water and volatiles in giant and intermediary planets are described from their inner core to their outer envelopes. A special focus is given to Jupiter and Saturn, which are much better understood than the two ice giants (Uranus and Neptune) thanks to the Galileo and Cassini missions. Second, the icy moons will be discussed. Space missions and ground-based observations have revealed the variety of icy surfaces in the outer system. While Europa, Enceladus, and maybe Titan present past or even active tectonic and volcanic activities, many other moons have been dead worlds for more than 3 billion years. Ice compositions found at these bodies are also complex and it is now commonly admitted that icy surfaces are never composed of pure ices. A detailed review of the distribution of non-ice materials on the surfaces and in the tenuous atmospheres of the moons is proposed, followed by a more focused discussion on the nature and the characteristics of the liquid layers trapped below the cold icy crusts that have been suggested in the icy Galilean moons, and in Enceladus, Dione, and Titan at Saturn. Finally, the recent observations collected by Dawn at Ceres and New Horizons at Pluto, as well as the state of knowledge of other transneptunian objects, are summarized, and complete this overview of the nature and distribution of ice-rich material in the outer solar system.

The effects of external planets on inner systems: multiplicities, inclinations and pathways to eccentric warm Jupiters

We study how close-in systems such as those detected by Kepler are affected by the dynamics of bodies in the outer system. We consider two scenarios: outer systems of giant planets potentially unstable to planet--planet scattering, and wide binaries that may be capable of driving Kozai or other secular variations of outer planets' eccentricities. Dynamical excitation of planets in the outer system reduces the multiplicity of Kepler-detectable planets in the inner system in $\sim20-25\%$ of our systems. Accounting for the occurrence rates of wide-orbit planets and binary stars, $\approx18\%$ of close-in systems could be destabilised by their outer companions in this way. This provides some contribution to the apparent excess of systems with a single transiting planet compared to multiple, however, it only contributes at most $25\%$ of the excess. The effects of the outer dynamics can generate systems similar to Kepler-56 (two coplanar planets significantly misaligned with the host star) and Kepler-108 (two significantly non-coplanar planets in a binary). We also identify three pathways to the formation of eccentric warm Jupiters resulting from the interaction between outer and inner systems: direct inelastic collision between an eccentric outer and an inner planet, secular eccentricity oscillations that may "freeze out" when scattering resolves in the outer system; and scattering in the inner system followed by "uplift", where inner planets are removed by interaction with the outer planets. In these scenarios, the formation of eccentric warm Jupiters is a signature of a past history of violent dynamics among massive planets beyond $\sim1$ au.

KEPLER-108: A MUTUALLY INCLINED GIANT PLANET SYSTEM

ABSTRACTThe vast majority of well studied giant-planet systems, including the solar system, are nearly coplanar, which implies dissipation within a primordial gas disk. However, intrinsic instability may lead to planet–planet scattering, which often produces non-coplanar, eccentric orbits. Planet scattering theories have been developed to explain observed high-eccentricity systems and also hot Jupiters; thus far their predictions for mutual inclination (I) have barely been tested. Here we characterize a highly mutually inclined (°), moderately eccentric () giant planet system: Kepler-108. This system consists of two approximately Saturn-mass planets with periods of approximately 49 and 190 days around a star with a wide (∼300 au) binary companion in an orbital configuration inconsistent with a purely disk migration origin.

A pebbles accretion model with chemistry and implications for the Solar system

We investigate the chemical composition of the solar system's giant planets atmospheres using a physical formation model with chemistry. The model incorporate disk evolution, pebbles and gas accretion, type I and II migration, simplified disk photoevaporation and solar system chemical measurements. We track the chemical compositions of the formed giant planets and compare them to the observed values. Two categories of models are studied: with and without disk chemical enrichment via photoevaporation. Predictions for the Oxygen and Nitrogen abundances, core masses, and total amount of heavy elements for the planets are made for each case. We find that in the case without disk PE, both Jupiter and Saturn will have a small residual core and comparable total amounts of heavy elements in the envelopes. We predict oxygen abundances enrichments in the same order as carbon, phosphorus and sulfur for both planets. Cometary Nitrogen abundances does not allow to easily reproduce Jupiter's nitrogen observations. In the case with disk PE, less core erosion is needed to reproduce the chemical composition of the atmospheres, so both planets will end up with possibly more massive residual cores, and higher total mass of heavy elements. It is also significantly easier to reproduce Jupiter's Nitrogen abundance. No single was disk was found to form both Jupiter and Saturn with all their constraints in the case without photoevaporation. No model was able to fit the constraints on Uranus & Neptune, hinting toward a more complicated formation mechanism for these planets. The predictions of these models should be compared to the upcoming Juno measurements to better understand the origins of the solar system giant planets.

CHROMOSPHERIC EMISSION OF PLANET CANDIDATE HOST STARS: A WAY TO IDENTIFY FALSE POSITIVES

ABSTRACT It has been hypothesized that the presence of closely orbiting giant planets is associated with enhanced chromospheric emission of their host stars. The main cause for such a relation would likely be enhanced dynamo action induced by the planet. We present measurements of chromospheric emission in 234 planet candidate systems from the Kepler mission. This ensemble includes 37 systems with giant-planet candidates, which show a clear emission enhancement. The enhancement, however, disappears when systems that are also identified as eclipsing binary candidates are removed from the ensemble. This suggests that a large fraction of the giant-planet candidate systems with chromospheric emission stronger than the Sun are not giant-planet systems, but false positives. Such false-positive systems could be tidally interacting binaries with strong chromospheric emission. This hypothesis is supported by an analysis of 188 eclipsing binary candidates that show increasing chromospheric emission as function of decreasing orbital period.

On retrograde orbits, resonances and stability

We start by reviewing our previous work on retrograde orbital configurations and on modeling and identifying retrograde resonances. Then, we present new results regarding the enhanced stability of retrograde configurations with respect to prograde configurations in the low mass ratio regime of the planar circular restricted 3-body problem. Motivated by the recent discovery of small bodies which are in retrograde resonance with the Solar System's giant planets we then explore the case with mass ratio 0.001 and show new stability maps in a grid of semi-major axis versus eccentricity for the 2/1 and 1/2 retrograde resonances. Finally, we explain how the stability borders of the 2/1 and 1/2 retrograde resonances are related to the resonant orbits' geometry.

EXTRASOLAR BINARY PLANETS. II. DETECTABILITY BY TRANSIT OBSERVATIONS

We discuss the detectability of gravitationally bound pairs of gas-giant planets (which we call "binary planets") in extrasolar planetary systems that are formed through orbital instability followed by planet–planet dynamical tides during their close encounters, based on the results of N-body simulations by Ochiai et al. (Paper I). Paper I showed that the formation probability of a binary is as much as ∼10% for three giant planet systems that undergo orbital instability, and after post-capture long-term tidal evolution, the typical binary separation is three to five times the sum of the physical radii of the planets. The binary planets are stable during the main-sequence lifetime of solar-type stars, if the stellarcentric semimajor axis of the binary is larger than 0.3 AU. We show that detecting modulations of transit light curves is the most promising observational method to detect binary planets. Since the likely binary separations are comparable to the stellar diameter, the shape of the transit light curve is different from transit to transit, depending on the phase of the binary's orbit. The transit durations and depth for binary planet transits are generally longer and deeper than those for the single planet case. We point out that binary planets could exist among the known inflated gas-giant planets or objects classified as false positive detections at orbital radii ≳0.3 AU, propose a binary planet explanation for the CoRoT candidate SRc01 E2 1066, and show that binary planets are likely to be present in, and could be detected using, Kepler-quality data.

A report on the workshop for giant planet system

A report on the workshop for giant planet system

Long-term evolution of three-planet systems to the post-main sequence and beyond

We study the stability of systems of three giant planets orbiting 3 - 8 M_Sol stars at orbital distances of >10 au as the host star ages through the Main Sequence (MS) and well into the White Dwarf (WD) stage. Systems are stable on the MS if the planets are separated by more than ~9 Hill radii. Most systems surviving the MS will remain stable until the WD phase, although planets scattered onto small pericentres in unstable systems can be swallowed by the expanding stellar envelope when the star ascends the giant branches. Mass loss at the end of the asymptotic giant branch triggers delayed instability in many systems, leading to instabilities typically occurring at WD cooling ages of a few 100 Myr. This instability occurs both in systems that survived the star's previous evolution unscathed, and in systems that previously underwent scattering instabilities. The outcome of such instability around WDs is overwhelmingly the ejection of one of the planets from the system, with several times more ejections occurring during the WD phase than during the MS. Furthermore, few planets are scattered close to the WD, just outside the Roche limit, where they can be tidally circularised. Hence, we predict that planets in WD systems rarely dynamically evolve to become "hot Jupiters". Nor does it appear that the observed frequency of metal pollution in WD atmospheres can be entirely explained by planetesimals being destabilised following instability in systems of multiple giant planets, although further work incorporating low-mass planets and planetesimals is needed.

Constraining Planetary Migration Mechanisms in Systems of Giant Planets

AbstractIt was once widely believed that planets formed peacefully in situ in their proto-planetary disks and subsequently remain in place. Instead, growing evidence suggests that many giant planets undergo dynamical rearrangement that results in planets migrating inward in the disk, far from their birthplaces. However, it remains debated whether this migration is caused by smooth planet-disk interactions or violent multi-body interactions. Both classes of model can produce Jupiter-mass planets orbiting within 0.1 AU of their host stars, also known as hot Jupiters. In the latter class of model, another planet or star in the system perturbs the Jupiter onto a highly eccentric orbit, which tidal dissipation subsequently shrinks and circularizes during close passages to the star. We assess the prevalence of smooth vs. violent migration through two studies. First, motivated by the predictions of Socrates et al. (2012), we search for super-eccentric hot Jupiter progenitors by using the “photoeccentric effect” to measure the eccentricities of Kepler giant planet candidates from their transit light curves. We find a significant lack of super- eccentric proto-hot Jupiters compared to the number expected, allowing us to place an upper limit on the fraction of hot Jupiters created by stellar binaries. Second, if both planet-disk and multi-body interactions commonly cause giant planet migration, physical properties of the proto-planetary environment may determine which is triggered. We identify three trends in which giant planets orbiting metal rich stars show signatures of planet-planet interactions: (1) gas giants orbiting within 1 AU of metal-rich stars have a range of eccentricities, whereas those orbiting metal- poor stars are restricted to lower eccentricities; (2) metal-rich stars host most eccentric proto-hot Jupiters undergoing tidal circularization; and (3) the pile-up of short-period giant planets, missing in the Kepler sample, is a feature of metal-rich stars and is largely recovered for giants orbiting metal-rich Kepler host stars. These two studies suggest that both disk migration and planet-planet interactions may be widespread, with the latter occurring primarily in metal-rich planetary systems where multiple giant planets can form. Funded by NSF-GRFP DGE-1144152.

Early dynamical instabilities in the giant planet systems

The observed wide eccentricity distribution of extrasolar giant planets is thought to be the result of dynamical instabilities and gravitational scattering among planets. Previously, it has been assumed that the orbits in giant planet systems become gravitationally unstable after the gas nebula dispersal. It was not well understood, however, how these unstable conditions were established in the first place. In this work we numerically simulate the evolution of systems of three planets as the planets sequentially grow to Jupiter's mass, and dynamically interact among themselves and with the gas disk. We use the hydro-dynamical code FARGO that we modified by implementing the $N$-body integrator SyMBA. The new code can handle close encounters and collisions between planets. To test their stability, the planetary systems were followed with SyMBA for up to $10^8$ yr after the gas disk dispersal. We find that dynamics of the growing planets is complex, because migration and resonances raise their orbital eccentricities, and cause dynamical instabilities when gas is still around. If the dynamical instabilities occur early, planets can be removed by collisions and ejections, and the system rearranges into a new, more stable configuration. In this case, the planetary systems emerging from the gas disks are expected to be stable, and would need to be destabilized by other means (low-mass planets, planetesimal disks, etc.). Alternatively, for the giant planet system to be intrinsically unstable upon the gas disk dispersal, a special timing would be required with the growth of (at least some of) the giant planets having to occur near the end of the gas disk lifetime.

EFFECTS OF DYNAMICAL EVOLUTION OF GIANT PLANETS ON SURVIVAL OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS

The orbital distributions of currently observed extrasolar giant planets allow marginally stable orbits for hypothetical, terrestrial planets. In this paper, we propose that many of these systems may not have additional planets on these "stable" orbits, since past dynamical instability among giant planets could have removed them. We numerically investigate the effects of early evolution of multiple giant planets on the orbital stability of the inner, sub-Neptune-like planets which are modeled as test particles, and determine their dynamically unstable region. Previous studies have shown that the majority of such test particles are ejected out of the system as a result of close encounters with giant planets. Here, we show that secular perturbations from giant planets can remove test particles at least down to 10 times smaller than their minimum pericenter distance. Our results indicate that, unless the dynamical instability among giant planets is either absent or quiet like planet-planet collisions, most test particles down to ~0.1 AU within the orbits of giant planets at a few AU may be gone. In fact, out of ~30 % of survived test particles, about three quarters belong to the planet-planet collision cases. We find a good agreement between our numerical results and the secular theory, and present a semi-analytical formula which estimates the dynamically unstable region of the test particles just from the evolution of giant planets. Finally, our numerical results agree well with the observations, and also predict the existence of hot rocky planets in eccentric giant planet systems.

Forming different planetary systems

With the increasing number of detected exoplanet samples, the statistical properties of planetary systems have become much clearer. In this review, we summarize the major statistical results that have been revealed mainly by radial velocity and transiting observations, and try to interpret them within the scope of the classical core-accretion scenario of planet formation, especially in the formation of different orbital architectures for planetary systems around main sequence stars. Based on the different possible formation routes for different planet systems, we tentatively classify them into three major catalogs: hot Jupiter systems, standard systems and distant giant planet systems. The standard system can be further categorized into three sub-types under different circumstances: solar-like systems, hot Super-Earth systems, and subgiant planet systems. We also review the theory of planet detection and formation in binary systems as well as planets in star clusters.