Formation and transformation of the 3:1 mean-motion resonance in 55 Cancri System

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to explore how the 55 Cancri planetary system can enter and evolve within the 3:1 mean-motion resonance through planetary migration, shedding light on resonance formation and system diversity.

Contribution

It demonstrates the conditions under which the 3:1 resonance can form via planetary migration and how systems can transition between different resonant states.

Findings

Resonance can be achieved with moderate initial eccentricities and slower migration.

Systems can jump between different orbital configurations after resonance capture.

Crossing the 3:1 resonance often leads to capture into other resonances like 2:1.

Abstract

We report in this paper the numerical simulations of the capture into the 3:1 mean-motion resonance between the planet b and c in the 55 Cancri system. The results show that this resonance can be obtained by a differential planetary migration. The moderate initial eccentricities, relatively slower migration and suitable eccentricity damping rate increase significantly the probability of being trapped in this resonance. Otherwise, the system crosses the 3:1 commensurability avoiding resonance capture, to be eventually captured into a 2:1 resonance or some other higher-order resonances. After the resonance capture, the system could jump from one orbital configuration to another one if the migration continues, making a large region of the configuration space accessible for a resonance system. These investigations help us understand the diversity of resonance configurations and put some constrains on the early dynamical evolution of orbits in the extra-solar planetary systems.