The Use of Transit Timing to Detect Extrasolar Planets
Matthew Holman (CfA) - May 9 at 12:00 noon
Future surveys for transiting extrasolar planets, including
the space-based mission Kepler (Borucki et al 2003), are
expected to detect hundreds of Jovian mass planets and tens of
terrestrial mass planets. For many of these newly discovered planets,
the intervals between successive transits will be measured with an
accuracy of 0.1--100 minutes. These timing measurements
allow for the detection of additional planets in the system (not
necessarily transiting), via their gravitational interaction with the
transiting planet. The transit time variations depend on the mass of
the additional planet, and in some cases Earth-mass planets will
produce a measurable effect. When two or more planets
transit the same star, the densities of the planets can be estimated.
I will discuss these theoretical developments, as well as recent
optical follow-up observations with the Magellan 6.5-m telescopes of
transiting planets (OGLE-TR-10, OGLE-TR-56, OGLE-TR-111,
and OGLE-TR-132).
The seminar will be held in 544 Campbell Hall.
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