One of the closest exoplanet pairs to the 3:2 Mean Motion Resonance: K2-19b \& c

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a two-planet system, K2-19b and c, near the 3:2 mean motion resonance, with observed transit timing variations used to constrain planetary masses and validate the system.

Contribution

The study presents the first detection of a Neptune-sized exoplanet pair near the 3:2 resonance using K2 data, combined with TTV analysis and statistical validation.

Findings

Discovered two Neptune-sized planets near 3:2 resonance.

Observed significant transit timing variations indicating gravitational interaction.

Validated the planetary system independently through statistical analysis.

Abstract

The K2 mission has recently begun to discover new and diverse planetary systems. In December 2014 Campaign 1 data from the mission was released, providing high-precision photometry for ~22000 objects over an 80 day timespan. We searched these data with the aim of detecting further important new objects. Our search through two separate pipelines led to the independent discovery of K2-19b \& c, a two-planet system of Neptune sized objects (4.2 and 7.2 $R_\oplus$), orbiting a K dwarf extremely close to the 3:2 mean motion resonance. The two planets each show transits, sometimes simultaneously due to their proximity to resonance and alignment of conjunctions. We obtain further ground based photometry of the larger planet with the NITES telescope, demonstrating the presence of large transit timing variations (TTVs), and use the observed TTVs to place mass constraints on the transiting objects under the hypothesis that the objects are near but not in resonance. We then statistically validate the planets through the \texttt{PASTIS} tool, independently of the TTV analysis.