Transit Timing Variations and linear ephemerides of confirmed Kepler transiting exoplanets

TL;DR

This study refines the orbital timing models of nearly 2000 Kepler exoplanets using long-term data, identifying new periodic transit variations crucial for future observations.

Contribution

It provides updated linear ephemerides for 1977 Kepler exoplanets and reports new TTV periodicities, enhancing transit prediction accuracy.

Findings

35% of studied exoplanets show significant linear TTV trends

Residual TTVs indicate periodic variations in 43 previously unreported planets

New ephemerides improve the reliability of follow-up transit observations

Abstract

We determined new linear ephemerides of transiting exoplanets using long-cadence de-trended data from quarters Q1 to Q17 of Kepler mission. We analysed TTV diagrams of 2098 extrasolar planets. The TTVs of 121 objects were excluded (because of insufficient data-points, the influence of stellar activity, etc). Finally, new linear ephemerides of 1977 exoplanets from the Kepler archive are presented. The significant linear trend was observed on TTV diagrams of approximately 35% of studied exoplanets. Knowing correct linear ephemeris is principal for successful follow-up observations of transits. Residual TTV diagrams of 64 analysed exoplanets show periodic variation, 43 of these TTV planets were not reported yet.