The Possible Orbital Decay and Transit Timing Variations of the Planet WASP-43b

TL;DR

This study analyzes transit data of WASP-43b over many epochs, finding a slow orbital decay rate consistent with theoretical models, and suggests the observed timing variations may be due to this decay.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive timing analysis of WASP-43b using new and existing data, revealing a slower orbital decay rate than previously reported.

Findings

Orbital decay rate is approximately -0.029 sec/year.

Transit timing variations are unlikely to be periodic.

Decay rate aligns with theoretical stellar tidal dissipation values.

Abstract

Motivated by the previously reported high orbital decay rate of the planet WASP-43b, eight newly transit light curves are obtained and presented. Together with other data in literature, we perform a self-consistent timing analysis with data covering a timescale of 1849 epochs. The results give an orbital decay rate dP/dt = -0.02890795\pm 0.00772547 sec/year, which is one order smaller than previous values. This slow decay rate corresponds to a normally assumed theoretical value of stellar tidal dissipation factor. In addition, through the frequency analysis, the transit timing variations presented here are unlikely to be periodic, but could be signals of a slow orbital decay.