Dynamical Constraints on Nontransiting Planets Orbiting Trappist-1
Poster Number
13B
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Daniel Jontof-Hutter
Faculty Mentor Department
Physics
Abstract/Artist Statement
Trappist-1 is a star about 40 light years from Earth with seven transiting rocky exoplanets, all orbiting in the same plane. The outermost known planet orbits Trappist-1 7 times closer to its host star than Mercury orbits the Sun. Through this study, we determined constraints on the orbital distances and inclinations of undetected exoplanets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, beyond the seven known planets. An additional planet on a moderately inclined orbit would induce mutual inclinations in the known planets. Such a planet can be ruled unlikely to exist if the induced inclinations among the known planets make their co-transiting geometry unlikely. A Jovian mass planet inclined by ≥ 3 degrees can be ruled out within 0.53 AU. Our constraints exceed those possible with other observational methods.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
28-4-2018 1:00 PM
End Date
28-4-2018 3:00 PM
Dynamical Constraints on Nontransiting Planets Orbiting Trappist-1
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Trappist-1 is a star about 40 light years from Earth with seven transiting rocky exoplanets, all orbiting in the same plane. The outermost known planet orbits Trappist-1 7 times closer to its host star than Mercury orbits the Sun. Through this study, we determined constraints on the orbital distances and inclinations of undetected exoplanets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, beyond the seven known planets. An additional planet on a moderately inclined orbit would induce mutual inclinations in the known planets. Such a planet can be ruled unlikely to exist if the induced inclinations among the known planets make their co-transiting geometry unlikely. A Jovian mass planet inclined by ≥ 3 degrees can be ruled out within 0.53 AU. Our constraints exceed those possible with other observational methods.