Determining the mass loss limit for close-in exoplanets: what can we learn from transit observations?

Описание

Тип публикации: статья из журнала

Год издания: 2009

Идентификатор DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/200911922

Ключевые слова: planetary systems, planetary systems: formation, Density of gases, Efficiency, Extrasolar planets, Gases, Interplanetary flight, Ionosphere, Solar power generation, Stars, Atmospheric mass loss, Coronal mass ejection, Heating efficiencies, Ionospheric plasmas, Planetary ionospheres, Planetary system, Stellar luminosity, Orbits

Аннотация: Aims. We study the possible atmospheric mass loss from 57 known transiting exoplanets around F, G, K, and M-type stars over evolutionary timescales. For stellar wind induced mass loss studies, we estimate the position of the pressure balance boundary between Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) and stellar wind ram pressures and the planetaПоказать полностьюry ionosphere pressure for non- or weakly magnetized gas giants at close orbits. Methods. The thermal mass loss of atomic hydrogen is calculated by a mass loss equation where we consider a realistic heating efficiency, a radius-scaling law and a mass loss enhancement factor due to stellar tidal forces. The model takes into account the temporal evolution of the stellar EUV flux by applying power laws for F, G, K, and M-type stars. The planetary ionopause obstacle, which is an important factor for ion pick-up escape from non- or weakly magnetized gas giants is estimated by applying empirical power-laws. Results. By assuming a realistic heating efficiency of about 10-25% we found that WASP-12b may have lost about 6-12% of its mass during its lifetime. A few transiting low density gas giants at similar orbital location, like WASP-13b, WASP-15b, CoRoT-1b or CoRoT-5b may have lost up to 1-4% of their initial mass. All other transiting exoplanets in our sample experience negligible thermal loss (

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Издание

Журнал: ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

Выпуск журнала: Vol. 506, Is. 1

Номера страниц: 399-410

ISSN журнала: 00046361

Место издания: LES ULIS CEDEX A

Издатель: EDP SCIENCES S A

Персоны

  • Lammer H. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Odert P. (Graz Univ, IGAM, Inst Phys, A-8010 Graz, Austria)
  • Leitzinger M. (Graz Univ, IGAM, Inst Phys, A-8010 Graz, Austria)
  • Khodachenko M.L. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Panchenko M. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Kulikov Yu. N. (Russian Acad Sci, Polar Geophys Inst, Murmansk 183010, Russia)
  • Zhang T.L. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Lichtenegger H.I.M. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Erkaev N.V. (Russian Acad Sci, Inst Computat Modelling, Krasnoyarsk, Russia; Siberian Fed Univ, Krasnoyarsk, Russia)
  • Wuchterl G. (Thuringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, D-07778 Tautenburg, Germany)
  • Micela G. (Osservatorio Astron, INAF, I-90134 Palermo, Italy)
  • Penz T. (Osservatorio Astron, INAF, I-90134 Palermo, Italy)
  • Biernat H.K. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Weingrill J. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Steller M. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Ottacher H. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Hasiba J. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Hanslmeier A. (Graz Univ, IGAM, Inst Phys, A-8010 Graz, Austria)