a Lack of Short-Period Multiplanet Systems With Close-Proximity Pairs and the Curious Case of Kepler-42

Jason H. Steffen, Will M. Farr

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Many Kepler multiplanet systems have planet pairs near low-order, mean-motion resonances. In addition, many Kepler multiplanet systems have planets with orbital periods less than a few days. With the exception of Kepler-42, however, there are no examples of systems with both short orbital periods and nearby companion planets while our statistical analysis predicts ~17 such pairs. For orbital periods of the inner planet that are less than three days, the minimum period ratio of adjacent planet pairs follows the rough constraint . This absence is not due to a lack of planets with short orbital periods. We also show a statistically significant excess of small, single-candidate systems with orbital periods below three days over the number of multiple candidate systems with similar periods—perhaps a small-planet counterpart to the hot Jupiters.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)L12
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume774
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Keywords

  • celestial mechanics
  • methods: data analysis
  • methods: statistical
  • planets and satellites: formation

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