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A detailed dynamical investigation of the proposed QS Virginis planetary system

Horner, J ; Wittenmyer, R A ; Hinse, T C ; Marshall, J P ; Mustill, Alexander LU orcid and Tinney, C G (2013) In Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 435(3). p.2033-2039
Abstract
In recent years, a number of planetary systems have been proposed to orbit-evolved binary star systems. The presence of planets is invoked to explain observed variations in the timing of mutual eclipses between the primary and secondary components of the binary star system. The planets recently proposed orbiting the cataclysmic variable system QS Virginis are the latest in this ongoing series of `extreme planets'.The two planets proposed to orbit QS Virginis would move on mutually crossing orbits - a situation that is almost invariably unstable on very short time-scales. In this work, we present the results of a detailed dynamical study of the orbital evolution of the two proposed planets, revealing that they are dynamically unstable on... (More)
In recent years, a number of planetary systems have been proposed to orbit-evolved binary star systems. The presence of planets is invoked to explain observed variations in the timing of mutual eclipses between the primary and secondary components of the binary star system. The planets recently proposed orbiting the cataclysmic variable system QS Virginis are the latest in this ongoing series of `extreme planets'.The two planets proposed to orbit QS Virginis would move on mutually crossing orbits - a situation that is almost invariably unstable on very short time-scales. In this work, we present the results of a detailed dynamical study of the orbital evolution of the two proposed planets, revealing that they are dynamically unstable on time-scales of less than one thousand years across the entire range of orbital elements that provide a plausible fit to the observational data, and regardless of their mutual orbital inclination. We conclude that the proposed planets around the cataclysmic variable QS Virginis simply cannot exist. (Less)
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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, binaries: eclipsing, planetary systems, planets and satellites: general, stars: individual: QS Vir, white dwarfs
in
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
volume
435
issue
3
pages
2033 - 2039
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:84885697157
ISSN
1365-2966
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stt1420
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
3c2e4a98-84f6-4943-8ff6-347cea7e0605 (old id 4500084)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:02:38
date last changed
2022-02-13 22:15:17
@article{3c2e4a98-84f6-4943-8ff6-347cea7e0605,
  abstract     = {{In recent years, a number of planetary systems have been proposed to orbit-evolved binary star systems. The presence of planets is invoked to explain observed variations in the timing of mutual eclipses between the primary and secondary components of the binary star system. The planets recently proposed orbiting the cataclysmic variable system QS Virginis are the latest in this ongoing series of `extreme planets'.The two planets proposed to orbit QS Virginis would move on mutually crossing orbits - a situation that is almost invariably unstable on very short time-scales. In this work, we present the results of a detailed dynamical study of the orbital evolution of the two proposed planets, revealing that they are dynamically unstable on time-scales of less than one thousand years across the entire range of orbital elements that provide a plausible fit to the observational data, and regardless of their mutual orbital inclination. We conclude that the proposed planets around the cataclysmic variable QS Virginis simply cannot exist.}},
  author       = {{Horner, J and Wittenmyer, R A and Hinse, T C and Marshall, J P and Mustill, Alexander and Tinney, C G}},
  issn         = {{1365-2966}},
  keywords     = {{Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics; binaries: eclipsing; planetary systems; planets and satellites: general; stars: individual: QS Vir; white dwarfs}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{2033--2039}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}},
  title        = {{A detailed dynamical investigation of the proposed QS Virginis planetary system}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt1420}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/mnras/stt1420}},
  volume       = {{435}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}