TRANSIT OF EXOMOON PLASMA TORI: NEW DIAGNOSIS

被引:37
作者
Ben-Jaffel, Lotfi [1 ,3 ]
Ballester, Gilda E. [2 ]
机构
[1] Univ Paris 06, Inst Astrophys Paris, UMR 7095, F-75014 Paris, France
[2] Univ Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Lab, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
[3] CNRS, Inst Astrophys Paris, UMR7095, F-75014 Paris, France
关键词
planets and satellites: atmospheres; planets and satellites: composition; planets and satellites:detection; plasmas; opacity; ultraviolet: planetary systems; PLANETS; WASP-12B; SYSTEMS; MOONS;
D O I
10.1088/2041-8205/785/2/L30
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
In the solar system, moons largely exceed planets in number. The Kepler database has been shown to be sensitive to exomoon detection down to the mass of Mars, but the first search has been unsuccessful. Here, we use a particles-in-cell code to predict the transit of the plasma torus produced by a satellite. Despite the small size of a moon, the spatial extent of its plasma torus can be large enough to produce substantial transit absorptions. The model is used for the interpretation of Hubble Space Telescope early ingress absorptions apparently observed during the WASP-12 b and HD189733 b UV transits for which no consistent explanation exists. For HD189733 b an exomoon transiting similar to 16 R-p ahead of the planet and loading similar to 10(29) C II ions s(-1) into space is required to explain the tentative early ingress absorption observed for C II. For WASP-12b, a moon transiting similar to 6 R-p ahead from the planet and ejecting similar to 10(28) Mg II ions per second is required to explain the NUV early ingress absorption feature. Interestingly, both HD189733 b and WASP-12b predicted satellites are outside the Hill sphere of their planets, an indication that the moons, if present, were not formed in situ but probably captured later. Finally, our simulations show a strong electromagnetic coupling between the polar regions of planets and the orbital position of the moons, an expected outcome of the unipolar induction DC circuit model. Future observations should test our predictions with a potential opportunity to unambiguously detect the first exomoon plasma torus.
引用
收藏
页数:6
相关论文
共 24 条
  • [1] Hubble Space Telescope detection of oxygen in the atmosphere of exoplanet HD189733b
    Ben-Jaffel, L.
    Ballester, G. E.
    [J]. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, 2013, 553
  • [2] THREE-DIMENSIONAL GAS DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE EXOPLANET WASP-12b AND ITS HOST STAR
    Bisikalo, D.
    Kaygorodov, P.
    Ionov, D.
    Shematovich, V.
    Lammer, H.
    Fossati, L.
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 2013, 764 (01)
  • [3] Brown B., 1976, ASTROPHYS J LETT, V206, pL179
  • [4] Energy flux determines magnetic field strength of planets and stars
    Christensen, Ulrich R.
    Holzwarth, Volkmar
    Reiners, Ansgar
    [J]. NATURE, 2009, 457 (7226) : 167 - 169
  • [5] METALS IN THE EXOSPHERE OF THE HIGHLY IRRADIATED PLANET WASP-12b
    Fossati, L.
    Haswell, C. A.
    Froning, C. S.
    Hebb, L.
    Holmes, S.
    Kolb, U.
    Helling, Ch.
    Carter, A.
    Wheatley, P.
    Cameron, A. C.
    Loeillet, B.
    Pollacco, D.
    Street, R.
    Stempels, H. C.
    Simpson, E.
    Udry, S.
    Joshi, Y. C.
    West, R. G.
    Skillen, I.
    Wilson, D.
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, 2010, 714 (02) : L222 - L227
  • [6] HENON M, 1970, ASTRON ASTROPHYS, V9, P24
  • [7] THE GRAVITATIONAL ESCAPE CAPTURE OF PLANETARY SATELLITES
    HUANG, TY
    INNANEN, KA
    [J]. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, 1983, 88 (10) : 1537 - 1548
  • [8] Kaltenegger L., 2010, AJ, V140, P1387
  • [9] MAGNETOSPHERES OF "HOT JUPITERS": THE IMPORTANCE OF MAGNETODISKS IN SHAPING A MAGNETOSPHERIC OBSTACLE
    Khodachenko, M. L.
    Alexeev, I.
    Belenkaya, E.
    Lammer, H.
    Griessmeier, J. -M.
    Leitzinger, M.
    Odert, P.
    Zaqarashvili, T.
    Rucker, H. O.
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 2012, 744 (01)
  • [10] LUNA: an algorithm for generating dynamic planet-moon transits
    Kipping, David M.
    [J]. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, 2011, 416 (01) : 689 - 709