Are WASP-107-like Systems Consistent with High-eccentricity Migration?

Abstract

WASP-107 b seems to be a poster child of the long-suspected high-eccentricity migration scenario. It is on a 5.7 day, polar orbit. The planet is Jupiter-like in radius but Neptune-like in mass with exceptionally low density. WASP-107 c is on a 1100 day, e = 0.28 orbit with at least Saturn mass. Planet b may still have a residual eccentricity of 0.06 ± 0.04: the ongoing tidal dissipation leads to the observed internally heated atmosphere and hydrodynamic atmospheric erosion. We present a population synthesis study coupling octupole Lidov–Kozai oscillations with various short-range forces, while simultaneously accounting for the radius inflation and tidal disruption of the planet. We find that a high-eccentricity migration scenario can successfully explain nearly all observed system properties. Our simulations further suggest that the initial location of WASP-107 b at the onset of migration is likely within the snowline (<0.5 au). More distant initial orbits usually lead to tidal disruption or orbit crossing. WASP-107 b most likely lost no more than 20% of its mass during the high-eccentricity migration, i.e., it did not form as a Jupiter-mass object. More vigorous tidally induced mass loss leads to disruption of the planet during migration. We predict that the current-day mutual inclination between the planets b and c is substantial: at least 25°–55°, which may be tested with future Gaia astrometric observations. Knowing the current-day mutual inclination may further constrain the initial orbit of planet b. We suggest that the proposed high-eccentricity migration scenario of WASP-107 may be applicable to HAT-P-11, GJ-3470, HAT-P-18, and GJ-436, which have similar orbital architectures.

Keywords

• Exoplanet astronomy
• Hot Jupiters
• Exoplanet formation
• Exoplanet migration
• Exoplanet tides