Exoplanets Bouncing Between Binary Stars
Nickolas Moeckel, Dimitri Veras

TL;DR
This study investigates how planets ejected from one star in a binary system can chaotically bounce between the stars, affecting planetary dynamics and potential stability in such systems.
Contribution
It provides the first direct simulation-based quantification of bouncing frequencies and durations of ejected planets in binary star systems.
Findings
70-85% of ejected planets pass through the companion star's region.
45-75% of ejected planets begin bouncing between stars.
Bouncing duration peaks at about 10,000 years.
Abstract
Exoplanetary systems are found not only among single stars, but also binaries of widely varying parameters. Binaries with separations of 100--1000 au are prevalent in the Solar neighborhood; at these separations planet formation around a binary member may largely proceed as if around a single star. During the early dynamical evolution of a planetary system, planet--planet scattering can eject planets from a star's grasp. In a binary, the motion of a planet ejected from one star has effectively entered a restricted three-body system consisting of itself and the two stars, and the equations of motion of the three body problem will apply as long as the ejected planet remains far from the remaining planets. Depending on its energy, escape from the binary as a whole may be impossible or delayed until the three-body approximation breaks down, and further close interactions with its planetary…
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