Detection of Earth-mass and Super-Earth Trojan Planets Using Transit Timing Variation Method

TL;DR

This study explores the potential to detect Earth-mass and super-Earth Trojan planets via transit timing variations using Kepler data, identifying conditions under which such planets could be observed.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of TTV signals caused by Earth-mass Trojans, mapping stable orbital regions and estimating detection probabilities with Kepler.

Findings

TTV amplitudes can reach several hours, making detection feasible.

Detection probability is higher for super-Earth Trojans with slight eccentricities.

Stable orbital configurations exist within certain mean-motion resonances.

Abstract

We have carried out an extensive study of the possibility of the detection of Earth-mass and super-Earth Trojan planets using transit timing variation method with the Kepler space telescope. We have considered a system consisting of a transiting Jovian-type planet in a short period orbit, and determined the induced variations in its transit timing due to an Earth-mass/super-Earth Trojan planet. We mapped a large section of the phase space around the 1:1 mean-motion resonance and identified regions corresponding to several other mean-motion resonances where the orbit of the planet would be stable. We calculated TTVs for different values of the mass and orbital elements of the transiting and perturbing bodies as well as the mass of central star, and identified orbital configurations of these objects (ranges of their orbital elements and masses) for which the resulted TTVs would be within the range of the variations of the transit timing of Kepler's planetary candidates. Results of our study indicate that in general, the amplitudes of the TTVs fall within the detectable range of timing precision obtained from the Kepler's long-cadence data, and depending on the parameters of the system, their magnitudes may become as large as a few hours. The probability of detection is higher for super-Earth Trojans with slightly eccentric orbits around short-period Jovian-type planets with masses slightly smaller than Jupiter. We present the details of our study and discuss the implications of its results.