scholarly journals Memories of past close encounters in extreme trans-Neptunian space: Finding unseen planets using pure random searches

2021 ◽  
Vol 646 ◽  
pp. L14
Author(s):  
C. de la Fuente Marcos ◽  
R. de la Fuente Marcos

Context. The paths followed by the known extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) effectively avoid direct gravitational perturbations from the four giant planets, yet their orbital eccentricities are in the range between 0.69−0.97. Solar system dynamics studies show that such high values of the eccentricity can be produced via close encounters or secular perturbations. In both cases, the presence of yet-to-be-discovered trans-Plutonian planets is required. Recent observational evidence cannot exclude the existence, at 600 AU from the Sun, of a planet of five Earth masses. Aims. If the high eccentricities of the known ETNOs are the result of relatively recent close encounters with putative planets, the mutual nodal distances of sizeable groups of ETNOs with their assumed perturber may still be small enough to be identifiable geometrically. In order to confirm or reject this possibility, we used Monte Carlo random search techniques. Methods. Two arbitrary orbits may lead to close encounters when their mutual nodal distance is sufficiently small. We generated billions of random planetary orbits with parameters within the relevant ranges and computed the mutual nodal distances with a set of randomly generated orbits with parameters consistent with those of the known ETNOs and their uncertainties. We monitored which planetary orbits had the maximum number of potential close encounters with synthetic ETNOs and we studied the resulting distributions. Results. We provide narrow ranges for the orbital parameters of putative planets that may have experienced orbit-changing encounters with known ETNOs. Some sections of the available orbital parameter space are strongly disfavored by our analysis. Conclusions. Our calculations suggest that more than one perturber is required if scattering is the main source of orbital modification for the known ETNOs. Perturbers might not be located farther than 600 AU and they have to follow moderately eccentric and inclined orbits to be capable of experiencing close encounters with multiple known ETNOs.

Author(s):  
Elke Pilat-Lohinger ◽  
Ákos Bazsó

In order to assess the habitability of planets in binary star systems, not only astrophysical considerations regarding stellar and atmospheric conditions are needed, but orbital dynamics and the architecture of the system also play an important role. Due to the strong gravitational perturbations caused by the presence of the second star, the study of planetary orbits in double star systems requires special attention. In this context, we show the important role of the main gravitational perturbations (resonances) and review our recently developed methods which allow a quick determination of locations of secular resonances (SRs) in binary stars for circumstellar planetary motion where a giant planet has to move exterior to the habitable zone (HZ). These methods provide the basis for our online-tool ShaDoS which allows a quick check of circumstellar HZs regarding secular perturbations. It is important to know the locations of SRs since they can push a dynamically quiet HZ into a high-eccentricity state which will change the conditions for habitability significantly. Applications of SHaDoS to the wide binary star HD106515 AB and the tight system HD41004 AB reveal a quiet HZ for both systems. However, the study of these systems indicates only for the tight binary star a possible change of the HZ's dynamical state if the orbital parameters change due to new observational data.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (A29A) ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Smadar Naoz

AbstractThe fraction of stellar binaries in the field is extremely high (about 40% − 70% forM > 1M⊙ stars), and thus, given this frequency, a high fraction of all exoplanetary systems may reside in binaries. While close-in giant planets tend to be found preferentially in binary stellar systems it seems that the frequency of giant planets in close binaries (>100-1000 AU) is significantly lower than in the overall population. Stellar companions gravitational perturbations may significantly alter the planetary orbits around their partner on secular timescales. They can drive planets to large eccentric orbits which can either result in plunging these planets into the star or shrinking their orbits and forming short period planets. These planets typically are misaligned with the parent star.


1989 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 440-442
Author(s):  
M. Politano ◽  
R. F. Webbink

A zero-age cataclysmic binary (ZACB) we define as a binary system at the onset of interaction as a cataclysmic variable. We present here the results of calculations of the distributions of white dwarf masses and of orbital periods in ZACBs, due to binaries present in a stellar population which has undergone continuous, constant star formation for 1010 years.Distributions of ZACBs were calculated for binaries formed t years ago, for log t = 7.4 (the youngest age at which viable ZACBs can form) to log t = 10.0 (the assumed age of the Galactic disk), in intervals of log t = 0.1. These distributions were then integrated over time to obtain the ZACB distribution for a constant rate of star formation. To compute the individual distributions for a given t, we require the density of systems forming (number of pre-cataclysmics forming per unit volume of orbital parameter space), n£(t), and the rates at which the radii of the secondary and of its Roche lobe are changing in time, s (t) and L, s (t), respectively. In calculating nf(t), we assume that the distribution of the orbital parameters in primordial (ZAMS) binaries may be written as the product of the distribution of masses of ZAMS stars (Miller and Scalo 1979), the distribution of mass ratios in ZAMS binaries (cf. Popova, et al., 1982), and the distribution of orbital periods in ZAMS binaries (Abt 1983). In transforming the the orbital parameters from progenitor (ZAMS) to offspring (ZACB) binaries, we assume that all of the orbital energy deposited into the envelope during the common envelope phase leading to ZACB formation goes into unbinding that envelope. R.L, s (t) is determined from orbital angular momentum loss rates due to gravitational radiation (Landau and Lifshitz 1951) and magnetic braking (γ = 2 in Rappaport, Verbunt, and Joss 1983). We turn off magnetic braking if the secondary is completely convective.


2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 1807-1825
Author(s):  
Katja Stock ◽  
Maxwell X Cai ◽  
Rainer Spurzem ◽  
M B N Kouwenhoven ◽  
Simon Portegies Zwart

ABSTRACT Despite the discovery of thousands of exoplanets in recent years, the number of known exoplanets in star clusters remains tiny. This may be a consequence of close stellar encounters perturbing the dynamical evolution of planetary systems in these clusters. Here, we present the results from direct N-body simulations of multiplanetary systems embedded in star clusters containing N = 8k, 16k, 32k, and 64k stars. The planetary systems, which consist of the four Solar system giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, are initialized in different orbital configurations, to study the effect of the system architecture on the dynamical evolution of the entire planetary system, and on the escape rate of the individual planets. We find that the current orbital parameters of the Solar system giants (with initially circular orbits, as well as with present-day eccentricities) and a slightly more compact configuration, have a high resilience against stellar perturbations. A configuration with initial mean-motion resonances of 3:2, 3:2, and 5:4 between the planets, which is inspired by the Nice model, and for which the two outermost planets are usually ejected within the first 105 yr, is in many cases stabilized due to the removal of the resonances by external stellar perturbation and by the rapid ejection of at least one planet. Assigning all planets the same mass of 1 MJup almost equalizes the survival fractions. Our simulations reproduce the broad diversity amongst observed exoplanet systems. We find not only many very wide and/or eccentric orbits, but also a significant number of (stable) retrograde orbits.


2000 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 105-106
Author(s):  
A. E. Rodin

AbstractIn assumption that pulsar gravitationally interacts with its surroundings the relationships between the pulsar rotational and orbital parameters are derived and the solutions for PSR B1620–26 and PSR B1822–09 are presented.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 739-740
Author(s):  
Ilaria Pascucci

AbstractThe timescale over which gas-rich disks disperse profoundly affects not only the formation of giant planets but also the habitability of terrestrial planets. In this contributed talk we presented new atomic and molecular diagnostics that can be used to trace the dispersal of gas at disk radii where planets form. We also showed the first observational evidence for photoevaporation driven by the central star and discussed the efficiency of this disk dispersal mechanism.


2021 ◽  
Vol 922 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Alexander P. Stephan ◽  
Smadar Naoz ◽  
B. Scott Gaudi

Abstract The recent discoveries of WD J091405.30+191412.25 (WD J0914 hereafter), a white dwarf (WD) likely accreting material from an ice-giant planet, and WD 1856+534 b (WD 1856 b hereafter), a Jupiter-sized planet transiting a WD, are the first direct evidence of giant planets orbiting WDs. However, for both systems, the observations indicate that the planets’ current orbital distances would have put them inside the stellar envelope during the red-giant phase, implying that the planets must have migrated to their current orbits after their host stars became WDs. Furthermore, WD J0914 is a very hot WD with a short cooling time that indicates a fast migration mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that the Eccentric Kozai–Lidov Mechanism, combined with stellar evolution and tidal effects, can naturally produce the observed orbital configurations, assuming that the WDs have distant stellar companions. Indeed, WD 1856 is part of a stellar triple system, being a distant companion to a stellar binary. We provide constraints for the orbital and physical characteristics for the potential stellar companion of WD J0914 and determine the initial orbital parameters of the WD 1856 system.


Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 2675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Qin ◽  
Guanwen Huang ◽  
Qin Zhang ◽  
Le Wang ◽  
Xingyuan Yan ◽  
...  

Because there are different types of BeiDou constellations with participating geostationary orbit (GEO) and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites, the maneuvering frequency of BeiDou satellites is higher than that of other navigation systems. The satellite orbital maneuvers lead to orbital parameter failure for several hours from broadcast ephemeris. Due to the missing initial orbit, the maneuvering thrust, and the period of orbital maneuvering, the orbit products of maneuvering satellites cannot be provided by the International Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Service (IGS) and International GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS). In addition, the period of unhealthy status and the orbital parameters of maneuvering satellites in broadcast ephemeris are unreliable, making the detection of orbital maneuver periods more difficult. Here, we develop a method to detect orbital maneuver periods involving two key steps. The first step is orbit prediction of maneuvering satellites based on precise orbit products. The second step is time period detection of orbit maneuvering. The start time detection factor is calculated by backward prediction orbit and pseudo-range observations, and the end time detection factor is calculated by forward prediction orbit and pseudo-range observations. Data of stations from the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) and iGMAS were analyzed. The results show that the period of orbit maneuvering could be detected accurately for BeiDou GEO and IGSO satellites. In addition, the orbital maneuver period of other GNSS medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites could also be determined by this method. The results of period detection for orbit maneuvering provide important reference information for precision orbit and clock offset determination during satellite maneuvers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (1) ◽  
pp. 1366-1376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daohai Li ◽  
Alexander J Mustill ◽  
Melvyn B Davies

ABSTRACTStars formed in clusters can encounter other stars at close distances. In typical open clusters in the Solar neighbourhood containing hundreds or thousands of member stars, 10–20 per cent of Solar-mass member stars are expected to encounter another star at distances closer than 100 au. These close encounters strongly perturb the planetary systems, directly causing ejection of planets or their capture by the intruding star, as well as exciting the orbits. Using extensive N-body simulations, we study such fly-by encounters between two Solar system analogues, each with four giant planets from Jupiter to Neptune. We quantify the rates of loss and capture immediately after the encounter, e.g. the Neptune analogue is lost in one in four encounters within 100 au, and captured by the flying-by star in 1 in 12 encounters. We then perform long-term (up to 1 Gyr) simulations investigating the ensuing post-encounter evolution. We show that large numbers of planets are removed from systems due to planet–planet interactions and that captured planets further enhance the system instability. While encounters can initially leave a planetary system containing more planets by inserting additional ones, the long-term instability causes a net reduction in planet number. A captured planet ends up on a retrograde orbit in half of the runs in which it survives for 1Gyr; also, a planet bound to its original host star but flipped during the encounter may survive. Thus, encounters between planetary systems are a channel to create counter-rotating planets, This would happen in around 1 per cent of systems, and such planets are potentially detectable through astrometry or direct imaging.


1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 289-297
Author(s):  
Jack J. Lissauer

AbstractModels of planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss estimates of the abundance of habitable planets which may orbit stars within our galaxy. Modern theories of star and planet formation, which are based upon observations of the Solar System and of young stars and their environments, predict that most single stars should have rocky planets in orbit about them. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets orbiting within or near the habitable zone could either prevent terrestrial planets from forming, destroy such planets or remove them from habitable zones. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed.


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