Resonance in the K2-19 system is at odds with its high reported eccentricities

AC Petit, EA Petigura, MB Davies… - Monthly Notices of the …, 2020 - academic.oup.com
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2020academic.oup.com
ABSTRACT K2-19 hosts a planetary system composed of two outer planets, b and c, with
size of 7.0±0.2 R⊕ and 4.1±0.2 R⊕, and an inner planet, d, with a radius of 1.11±0.05 R⊕.
A recent analysis of Transit-Timing Variations (TTVs) suggested b and c are close to but not
in 3: 2 mean motion resonance (MMR) because the classical resonant angles circulate.
Such an architecture challenges our understanding of planet formation. Indeed, planet
migration through the protoplanetary disc should lead to a capture into the MMR. Here, we …
Abstract
K2-19 hosts a planetary system composed of two outer planets, b and c, with size of 7.0 ± 0.2 R and 4.1 ± 0.2 R, and an inner planet, d, with a radius of 1.11 ± 0.05 R. A recent analysis of Transit-Timing Variations (TTVs) suggested b and c are close to but not in 3:2 mean motion resonance (MMR) because the classical resonant angles circulate. Such an architecture challenges our understanding of planet formation. Indeed, planet migration through the protoplanetary disc should lead to a capture into the MMR. Here, we show that the planets are in fact, locked into the 3:2 resonance despite circulation of the conventional resonant angles and aligned periapses. However, we show that such an orbital configuration cannot be maintained for more than a few hundred million years due to the tidal dissipation experienced by planet d. The tidal dissipation remains efficient because of a secular forcing of the innermost planet eccentricity by planets b and c. While the observations strongly rule out an orbital solution where the three planets are on close to circular orbits, it remains possible that a fourth planet is affecting the TTVs such that the four planet system is consistent with the tidal constraints.
Oxford University Press