Super Earths and Dynamical Stability of Planetary Systems: First Parallel GPU Simulations Using GENGA

TL;DR

This study uses advanced GPU-based N-body simulations to analyze the stability of hypothetical Super-Earths in known multi-planet systems, revealing potential habitable zones and orbital constraints.

Contribution

First implementation of parallel GPU simulations with GENGA to study planetary system stability at high resolution.

Findings

HIP 14180 and HD 37124 lack stable habitable zone orbits.

Most systems can host 10 Earth mass planets in habitable zones.

Simulations identify stable regions and mean motion resonance effects.

Abstract

We report on the stability of hypothetical Super-Earths in the habitable zone of known multi-planetary systems. Most of them have not yet been studied in detail concerning the existence of additional low-mass planets. The new N-body code GENGA developed at the UZH allows us to perform numerous N-body simulations in parallel on GPUs. With this numerical tool, we can study the stability of orbits of hypothetical planets in the semi-major axis and eccentricity parameter space in high resolution. Massless test particle simulations give good predictions on the extension of the stable region and show that HIP 14180 and HD 37124 do not provide stable orbits in the habitable zone. Based on these simulations, we carry out simulations of 10 Earth mass planets in several systems (HD 11964, HD 47186, HD 147018, HD 163607, HD 168443, HD 187123, HD 190360, HD 217107 and HIP 57274). They provide more exact information about orbits at the location of mean motion resonances and at the edges of the stability zones. Beside the stability of orbits, we study the secular evolution of the planets to constrain probable locations of hypothetical planets. Assuming that planetary systems are in general closely packed, we find that apart from HD 168443, all of the systems can harbor 10 Earth mass planets in the habitable zone.