Effect of Mass Loss on Statistics of Highly-Irradiated Giant Planets

Details Effect of Mass Loss on Statistics of Highly-Irradiated Giant Planets Effect of Mass Loss on Statistics of Highly-Irradiated Giant Planets

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.0106h&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #01.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.481

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We present evolutionary calculations of highly-irradiated extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) at orbital semimajor axes ranging from 0.023 to 0.057 AU using theoretical estimates from energy-limited hydrogen escape. These estimates are taken from Yelle (2004, Icarus 170, 167-179), Watson et al. (1981, Icarus 48, 150-166) and Baraffe et al. (2004, A&A 419, L13-L16), based on the theory by Lammer et al. (2003, ApJ. 598, L121- L124). Escape rates vary over four orders of magnitude with Yelle having the lowest and Baraffe/Lammer having the highest. We fit an initial mass function (IMF) using 169 extrasolar planets and then develop mass functions at different time steps and distances, scaling for the three different mass loss models while holding planetary composition and irradiation constant. The Baraffe model shows the most extreme mass loss, and if it were realistic, observed highly-irradiated EGPs would be remnants of massive bodies of several Jupiter masses, and their mass function would be an increasing function of mass, possibly contrary to observation. The Yelle model shows more tidal truncation effects, with only the smallest masses (less than a Saturn mass) strongly affected by irradiation. The corresponding mass function for highly-irradiated EGPs, in the Yelle model, would resemble the IMF except for EGP masses well below a Saturn mass.
Supported by NASA PGG Grant NAG5-13775.

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