Detectability of tidal deformation in close-in exoplanets
Abstract
Close-in planets are influenced by the extreme tidal forces of their parent stars. These forces deform the planets causing them to attain nonspherical shapes. The nonspherical shapes, which we model as triaxial ellipsoids, can impact the observed transit light-curves and the parameters derived for these planets. We modify a transit analysis tool to investigate the instrumental precision required to detect tidal deformation in these planets. The transit model is parameterized by the second fluid Love number thereby allowing us to derive an estimate of the Love number that best matches the observations. By simulating the interesting cases of WASP-103b and WASP-121b, we find that an instrumental precision of better than 50 ppm/min is required to reliably estimate the Love number and detect tidal deformation. Attaining this precision level will require several observations of the planet's transit.
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019EPSC...13...40A