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Title: Transit Timing Observations from Kepler: IV. Confirmation of 4 Multiple Planet Systems by Simple Physical Models

Abstract

Eighty planetary systems of two or more planets are known to orbit stars other than the Sun. For most, the data can be sufficiently explained by non-interacting Keplerian orbits, so the dynamical interactions of these systems have not been observed. Here we present 4 sets of lightcurves from the Kepler spacecraft, which each show multiple planets transiting the same star. Departure of the timing of these transits from strict periodicity indicates the planets are perturbing each other: the observed timing variations match the forcing frequency of the other planet. This confirms that these objects are in the same system. Next we limit their masses to the planetary regime by requiring the system remain stable for astronomical timescales. Finally, we report dynamical fits to the transit times, yielding possible values for the planets masses and eccentricities. As the timespan of timing data increases, dynamical fits may allow detailed constraints on the systems architectures, even in cases for which high-precision Doppler follow-up is impractical.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1035926
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-12-059-AE
Journal ID: ISSN 0004--637X; arXiv eprint number arXiv:1201.5415; TRN: US201205%%500
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11359
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Submitted to Astrophys.J.
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 750; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0004--637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; PERIODICITY; PLANETS; STARS; SUN; SPACE VEHICLES; Astrophysics

Citation Formats

Fabrycky, Daniel C, /UC, Santa Cruz, Ford, Eric B, /Florida U., Steffen, Jason H, /Fermilab, Rowe, Jason F, /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames, Carter, Joshua A, /Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys., Moorhead, Althea V, /Florida U., Batalha, Natalie M, /San Jose State U., Borucki, William J, /NASA, Ames, Bryson, Steve, /NASA, Ames, Buchhave, Lars A, /Bohr Inst. /Copenhagen U., Christiansen, Jessie L, and /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames /Caltech. Transit Timing Observations from Kepler: IV. Confirmation of 4 Multiple Planet Systems by Simple Physical Models. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/114.
Fabrycky, Daniel C, /UC, Santa Cruz, Ford, Eric B, /Florida U., Steffen, Jason H, /Fermilab, Rowe, Jason F, /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames, Carter, Joshua A, /Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys., Moorhead, Althea V, /Florida U., Batalha, Natalie M, /San Jose State U., Borucki, William J, /NASA, Ames, Bryson, Steve, /NASA, Ames, Buchhave, Lars A, /Bohr Inst. /Copenhagen U., Christiansen, Jessie L, & /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames /Caltech. Transit Timing Observations from Kepler: IV. Confirmation of 4 Multiple Planet Systems by Simple Physical Models. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/114
Fabrycky, Daniel C, /UC, Santa Cruz, Ford, Eric B, /Florida U., Steffen, Jason H, /Fermilab, Rowe, Jason F, /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames, Carter, Joshua A, /Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys., Moorhead, Althea V, /Florida U., Batalha, Natalie M, /San Jose State U., Borucki, William J, /NASA, Ames, Bryson, Steve, /NASA, Ames, Buchhave, Lars A, /Bohr Inst. /Copenhagen U., Christiansen, Jessie L, and /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames /Caltech. 2012. "Transit Timing Observations from Kepler: IV. Confirmation of 4 Multiple Planet Systems by Simple Physical Models". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/114. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1035926.
@article{osti_1035926,
title = {Transit Timing Observations from Kepler: IV. Confirmation of 4 Multiple Planet Systems by Simple Physical Models},
author = {Fabrycky, Daniel C and /UC, Santa Cruz and Ford, Eric B and /Florida U. and Steffen, Jason H and /Fermilab and Rowe, Jason F and /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames and Carter, Joshua A and /Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys. and Moorhead, Althea V and /Florida U. and Batalha, Natalie M and /San Jose State U. and Borucki, William J and /NASA, Ames and Bryson, Steve and /NASA, Ames and Buchhave, Lars A and /Bohr Inst. /Copenhagen U. and Christiansen, Jessie L and /SETI Inst., Mtn. View /NASA, Ames /Caltech},
abstractNote = {Eighty planetary systems of two or more planets are known to orbit stars other than the Sun. For most, the data can be sufficiently explained by non-interacting Keplerian orbits, so the dynamical interactions of these systems have not been observed. Here we present 4 sets of lightcurves from the Kepler spacecraft, which each show multiple planets transiting the same star. Departure of the timing of these transits from strict periodicity indicates the planets are perturbing each other: the observed timing variations match the forcing frequency of the other planet. This confirms that these objects are in the same system. Next we limit their masses to the planetary regime by requiring the system remain stable for astronomical timescales. Finally, we report dynamical fits to the transit times, yielding possible values for the planets masses and eccentricities. As the timespan of timing data increases, dynamical fits may allow detailed constraints on the systems architectures, even in cases for which high-precision Doppler follow-up is impractical.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/114},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1035926}, journal = {Submitted to Astrophys.J.},
issn = {0004--637X},
number = 2,
volume = 750,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}