Dynamical Habitability of Planetary Systems
Journal article, 2010
The problem of the stability of planetary systems, a question that concerns only multiplanetary systems that host at least two planets, is discussed. The problem of mean motion resonances is addressed prior to discussion of the dynamical structure of the more than 350 known planets. The difference with regard to our own Solar System with eight planets on low eccentricity is evident in that 60% of the known extrasolar planets have orbits with eccentricity e > 0.2. We theoretically highlight the studies concerning possible terrestrial planets in systems with a Jupiter-like planet. We emphasize that an orbit of a particular nature only will keep a planet within the habitable zone around a host star with respect to the semimajor axis and its eccentricity. In addition, some results are given for individual systems (e.g., Gl777A) with regard to the stability of orbits within habitable zones. We also review what is known about the orbits of planets in double-star systems around only one component ( e. g., gamma Cephei) and around both stars (e.g., eclipsing binaries).
apsidal resonance
Orbital dynamics
Habitability
global dynamics
stability limits
Terrestrial exoplanets
planets
orbits
motion
extra-solar planets
terrestrial planets
double stars
predicting
zones
Author
R. Dvorak
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
E. Pilat-Lohinger
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
E. Bois
Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
R. Schwarz
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)
B. Funk
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)
C. Beichman
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
W. Danchi
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
C. Eiroa
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM)
M. Fridlund
European Space Agency (ESA)
T. Henning
Max Planck Society
T. Herbst
Max Planck Society
L. Kaltenegger
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
H. Lammer
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
A. Leger
University of Paris-Sud
René Liseau
Chalmers, Department of Radio and Space Science, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics
J. Lunine
University of Arizona
F. Paresce
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
A. Penny
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
A. Quirrenbach
Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory
H. Rottgering
Leiden University
F. Selsis
University of Bordeaux
J. Schneider
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
D. Stam
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
G. Tinetti
University College London (UCL)
G. J. White
Open University
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Astrobiology
1531-1074 (ISSN)
Vol. 10 1 33-43Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Roots
Basic sciences
DOI
10.1089/ast.2009.0379