2011/03/14 by R. Greenberg, Richard Greenberg, Christa Van Laerhoven · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Angular momentum #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrobiology #Astronomy #Classical mechanics #Dissipation #Eccentricity (behavior) #Geology #Physics #Planet #Planetary system #Solar System #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.EP #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/733/1/8
Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, 17 pages, including 1 figure
arxiv created 2011/03/14 · openalex publication_date 2011/04/27 · arxiv updated 2015/05/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In a multi-planet system, a gradual change in one planet's semimajor axis will affect the eccentricities of all the planets, as angular momentum is distributed via secular interactions. If tidal dissipation in the planet is the cause of the change in semimajor axis, it also damps that planet's eccentricity, which in turn also contributes to the evolution of all the eccentricities. Formulae quantifying the combined effects on the whole system due to semimajor axis changes, as well as eccentricity damping, are derived here for a two-planet system. The CoRoT 7 system is considered as an example.