Title: Exoplanet System Architectures from Planet Transits
Abstract:
The precision photometry of transiting exoplanets observed with NASA’s Kepler Space Mission continues to revolutionize exoplanet astronomy. Seminal Kepler results include the ubiquity of short-period planets smaller than Neptune, the prevalence of multiple-planet systems, and the distribution of planet radii implying significant photo-evaporation after formation. In this talk, I will describe my work on extracting information about the architectures and dynamics of these systems by probing beyond the basic orbital period and planet radius information the transits provide. This discussion will include the use of transit timing variations (TTVs) to infer planetary masses and resonance, transit duration variations (TDVs) to probe the 3-dimensional architectures of particular systems, and a recent statistical study of the eccentricities of small planets. I consider the implications of these results on planet formation and evolution.