Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Series

Astrophysics and Astronomy

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Planets and satellites: dynamical evolution and stability

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Asteroid Belt Survival Through Stellar Evolution: Dependence On The Stellar Mass, Rebecca G. Martin, Mario Livio, Jeremy L. Smallwood, Cheng Chen Feb 2020

Asteroid Belt Survival Through Stellar Evolution: Dependence On The Stellar Mass, Rebecca G. Martin, Mario Livio, Jeremy L. Smallwood, Cheng Chen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

Polluted white dwarfs are generally accreting terrestrial-like material that may originate from a debris belt like the asteroid belt in the Solar system. ... See full text for complete abstract.


Dynamical Instability And Its Implications For Planetary System Architecture, Dong-Hong Wu, Rachel C. Zang, Ji-Lin Zhou, Jason H. Steffen Jan 2019

Dynamical Instability And Its Implications For Planetary System Architecture, Dong-Hong Wu, Rachel C. Zang, Ji-Lin Zhou, Jason H. Steffen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

We examine the effects that dynamical instability has on shaping the orbital properties of exoplanetary systems. Using N-body simulations of non-EMS (Equal Mutual Separation), multiplanet systems we find that the lower limit of the instability time-scale t is determined by the minimal mutual separation Kmin in units of the mutual Hill radius. Planetary systems showing instability generally include planet pairs with period ratio... (See abstract in article).


Survivability Of Moon Systems Around Ejected Gas Giants, Ian Rabago, Jason H. Steffen Sep 2018

Survivability Of Moon Systems Around Ejected Gas Giants, Ian Rabago, Jason H. Steffen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

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. …


Ttv-Determined Masses For Warm Jupiters And Their Close Planetary Companions, Dong-Hong Wu, Songhu Wang, Ji-Lin Zhou, Jason H. Steffen, Gregory Laughlin Aug 2018

Ttv-Determined Masses For Warm Jupiters And Their Close Planetary Companions, Dong-Hong Wu, Songhu Wang, Ji-Lin Zhou, Jason H. Steffen, Gregory Laughlin

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

Although the formation and the properties of hot Jupiters (with orbital periods P < 10 days) have attracted a great deal of attention, the origins of warm Jupiters (10 < P < 100 days) are less well studied. Using a transit timing analysis, we present the orbital parameters of five planetary systems containing warm Jupiters, Kepler 30, Kepler 117, Kepler 302, Kepler 487, and Kepler 418. Three of them, Kepler-30 c(M p = 549.4 ± 5.6 M ⊕), Kepler-117 c(M p = 702 ± 63 M ⊕), and Kepler 302 c(M p = 933 ± 527 M ⊕), are confirmed to be real warm Jupiters based on their mass. Insights drawn from the radius–temperature relationship lead to the inference that hot Jupiters and warm Jupiters can be roughly separated by T eff,c = 1123.7 ± 3.3 K. Also, T eff,c provides a good separation for Jupiters with companion fraction consistent with zero (T eff > T eff,c) and those with companion fraction significantly different from zero (T eff < T eff,c).