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Title: Kepler-discovered Multiple-planet Systems near Period Ratios Suggestive of Mean-motion Resonances Are Young
Abstract

Before the launch of the Kepler Space Telescope, models of low-mass planet formation predicted that convergent type I migration would often produce systems of low-mass planets in low-order mean-motion resonances. Instead, Kepler discovered that systems of small planets frequently have period ratios larger than those associated with mean-motion resonances and rarely have period ratios smaller than those associated with mean-motion resonances. Both short-timescale processes related to the formation or early evolution of planetary systems and long-timescale secular processes have been proposed as explanations for these observations. Using a thin disk stellar population’s Galactic velocity dispersion as a relative age proxy, we find that Kepler-discovered multiple-planet systems with at least one planet pair near a period ratio suggestive of a second-order mean-motion resonance have a colder Galactic velocity dispersion and are therefore younger than both single-transiting and multiple-planet systems that lack planet pairs consistent with mean-motion resonances. We argue that a nontidal secular process with a characteristic timescale no less than a few hundred Myr is responsible for moving systems of low-mass planets away from second-order mean-motion resonances. Among systems with at least one planet pair near a period ratio suggestive of a first-order mean-motion resonance, only the population of systems likely affected by tidal dissipation inside their innermost planets has a small Galactic velocity dispersion and is therefore young. We predict that period ratios suggestive of mean-motion resonances are more common in young systems with 10 Myr ≲τ≲ 100 Myr and become less common as planetary systems age.

 
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NSF-PAR ID:
10485428
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
DOI PREFIX: 10.3847
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The Astronomical Journal
Volume:
167
Issue:
2
ISSN:
0004-6256
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: Article No. 55
Size(s):
["Article No. 55"]
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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