Uncovering the Rapidly Evolving Orbits of the Dynamic TOI-201 System
Ismael Mireles, Solène Ulmer-Moll, Donald Liveoak, Diana Dragomir, Judith Korth + 45 more
TLDR
This paper characterizes the dynamic TOI-201 exoplanet system, revealing its rapid orbital evolution and that its co-transiting configuration will end in 200 years.
Key contributions
- Characterized the TOI-201 exoplanet system using multiple observational techniques.
- Discovered three planets: a super-Earth, warm Jupiter, and a massive outer companion.
- Identified von-Zeipel-Kozai-Lidov oscillations as the cause for the outer companion's high eccentricity.
- Revealed the system's rapid orbital evolution, with its current co-transiting state ending in 200 years.
Why it matters
This study provides crucial insights into exoplanet system dynamics, demonstrating a system undergoing rapid orbital evolution. The TOI-201 system serves as a unique laboratory for understanding planet formation and evolution, highlighting the short-term variability possible in multi-planet systems.
Original Abstract
Studying planetary interactions in exoplanet systems informs theories of planet formation and evolution, providing essential context for understanding our own solar system. We combine spectroscopy, transit photometry, transit timing variations, and astrometry to characterize the TOI-201 system. The co-transiting system consists of a super-Earth, warm Jupiter, and massive companion at 5.8, 53, and 2900 day orbital periods, respectively. We perform dynamical simulations to study the past and future of the system. von-Zeipel-Kozai-Lidov oscillations emerge as the most plausible scenario to explain the outer companion's high orbital eccentricity, with planet-planet scattering a possible but less likely contender. Due to non-zero mutual inclinations between the planets, the system is visibly evolving on very short timescales, with the current co-transiting configuration ending in 200 years.
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