Observable Consequences of Planet Formation Models in Systems with Close-in Terrestrial Planets

TL;DR

This paper compares various models for the formation of close-in terrestrial planets, analyzing their observable signatures to distinguish among different formation mechanisms using current and upcoming observational data.

Contribution

It evaluates the observable predictions of multiple planet formation models, including tidal effects and photo-evaporation, to identify signatures that can differentiate these mechanisms.

Findings

Tidal circularization can produce hot Earths for massive planets very close to the star.

Photo-evaporation can strip planetary envelopes, leaving behind solid cores within 0.025-0.05 AU.

Distinct system architectures and compositions can distinguish formation models observationally.

Abstract

To date, two planetary systems have been discovered with close-in, terrestrial-mass planets (< 5-10 Earth masses). Many more such discoveries are anticipated in the coming years with radial velocity and transit searches. Here we investigate the different mechanisms that could form "hot Earths" and their observable predictions. Models include: 1) in situ accretion; 2) formation at larger orbital distance followed by inward "type 1" migration; 3) formation from material being "shepherded" inward by a migrating gas giant planet; 4) formation from material being shepherded by moving secular resonances during dispersal of the protoplanetary disk; 5) tidal circularization of eccentric terrestrial planets with close-in perihelion distances; and 6) photo-evaporative mass loss of a close-in giant planet. Models 1-4 have been validated in previous work. We show that tidal circularization can form hot Earths, but only for relatively massive planets (> 5 Earth masses) with very close-in perihelion distances (< 0.025 AU), and even then the net inward movement in orbital distance is at most only 0.1-0.15 AU. For planets of less than about 70 Earth masses, photo-evaporation can remove the planet's envelope and leave behind the solid core on a Gyr timescale, but only for planets inside 0.025-0.05 AU. Using two quantities that are observable by current and upcoming missions, we show that these models each produce unique signatures, and can be observationally distinguished. These observables are the planetary system architecture (detectable with radial velocities, transits and transit-timing) and the bulk composition of transiting close-in terrestrial planets (measured by transits via the planet's radius).