416 research outputs found
Observational Constraints on Trojans of Transiting Extrasolar Planets
Theoretical studies predict that Trojans are likely a frequent byproduct of
planet formation and evolution. We present a novel method of detecting Trojan
companions to transiting extrasolar planets which involves comparing the time
of central eclipse with the time of the stellar reflex velocity null. We
demonstrate that this method offers the potential to detect terrestrial-mass
Trojans using existing ground-based observatories. This method rules out Trojan
companions to HD 209458b and HD 149026b more massive than ~13 Earth masses and
\~25 Earth masses at a 99.9% confidence level. Such a Trojan would be
dynamically stable, would not yet have been detected by photometric or
spectroscopic monitoring, and would be unrecognizable from radial velocity
observations alone. We outline the future prospects for this method, and show
that the detection of a "Hot Trojan" of any mass would place a significant
constraint on theories of orbital migration.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, accepted to ApJL. Added references, new
transiting planets to table; minor correction
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