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Dusty tails of evaporating exoplanets. II. Physical modelling of the KIC 12557548b light curve | R. van Lieshout
; M. Min
; C. Dominik
; M. Brogi
; T. de Graaff
; S. Hekker
; M. Kama
; C. U. Keller
; A. Ridden-Harper
; T. I. M. van Werkhoven
; | Date: |
1 Sep 2016 | Abstract: | Evaporating rocky exoplanets, such as KIC 12557548b, eject large amounts of
dust grains, which can trail the planet in a comet-like tail. When such objects
occult their host star, the resulting transit signal contains information about
the dust in the tail. We aim to use the detailed shape of the Kepler light
curve of KIC 12557548b to constrain the size and composition of the dust grains
that make up the tail, as well as the mass loss rate of the planet. Using a
self-consistent numerical model of the dust dynamics and sublimation, we
calculate the shape of the tail by following dust grains from their ejection
from the planet to their destruction due to sublimation. From this dust cloud
shape, we generate synthetic light curves (incorporating the effects of
extinction and angle-dependent scattering), which are then compared with the
phase-folded Kepler light curve. We explore the free-parameter space thoroughly
using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Our physics-based model is capable of
reproducing the observed light curve in detail. Good fits are found for initial
grain sizes between 0.2 and 5.6 micron and dust mass loss rates of 0.6 to 15.6
M_earth/Gyr (2-sigma ranges). We find that only certain combinations of
material parameters yield the correct tail length. These constraints are
consistent with dust made of corundum (Al2O3), but do not agree with a range of
carbonaceous, silicate, or iron compositions. Using a detailed, physically
motivated model, it is possible to constrain the composition of the dust in the
tails of evaporating rocky exoplanets. This provides a unique opportunity to
probe to interior composition of the smallest known exoplanets. | Source: | arXiv, 1609.0275 | Services: | Forum | Review | PDF | Favorites |
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