Characterizing a large, far orbiting exoplanet with four smaller neighbors
Poster Number
11B
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Daniel Jontof-Hutter
Faculty Mentor Department
Physics
Abstract/Artist Statement
KOI-2169 is an exoplanet system consisting of 4 small transiting planets discovered by the Kepler telescope whose orbital periods are less than 6 days. Their masses are a fraction of that of earth. Ground based follow up observations have discovered a larger planet orbiting every six years whose minimum mass is 1000 times an earth mass (3.5 times the size of Jupiter.) The goal was to put further constraints (an upper limit) on the large planet’s mass. We used computer code to model the planetary system. Once an accurate simulation was constructed, we created different scenarios varying the large planet’s orbital inclination and mass. We assessed long term orbital stability of these scenarios and ruled out masses and inclinations that lead to unstable orbits within 10 million years. Through this method we were successfully able to determine an upper constraint of 31 Jupiter masses on the large planet. We don’t know if the systems discovered by the Kepler mission who have small close orbiting planets also have larger planets further out. This is one of the very first exoplanets systems where we know about planets close to the star as well as further out.
Location
DeRosa University Center Ballroom
Start Date
27-4-2018 12:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2018 2:30 PM
Characterizing a large, far orbiting exoplanet with four smaller neighbors
DeRosa University Center Ballroom
KOI-2169 is an exoplanet system consisting of 4 small transiting planets discovered by the Kepler telescope whose orbital periods are less than 6 days. Their masses are a fraction of that of earth. Ground based follow up observations have discovered a larger planet orbiting every six years whose minimum mass is 1000 times an earth mass (3.5 times the size of Jupiter.) The goal was to put further constraints (an upper limit) on the large planet’s mass. We used computer code to model the planetary system. Once an accurate simulation was constructed, we created different scenarios varying the large planet’s orbital inclination and mass. We assessed long term orbital stability of these scenarios and ruled out masses and inclinations that lead to unstable orbits within 10 million years. Through this method we were successfully able to determine an upper constraint of 31 Jupiter masses on the large planet. We don’t know if the systems discovered by the Kepler mission who have small close orbiting planets also have larger planets further out. This is one of the very first exoplanets systems where we know about planets close to the star as well as further out.