WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS  Mission

L. G. Bouma; J. N. Winn; C. Baxter; W. Bhatti; F. Dai; T. Daylan; J. M. Désert; M. L. Hill; S. R. Kane; K. G. Stassun; J. Villasenor; G. R. Ricker; R. Vanderspek; D. W. Latham; S. Seager; J. M. Jenkins; Z. Berta-Thompson; K. Colón; M. Fausnaugh; Ana Glidden; N. Guerrero; J. E. Rodriguez; J. D. Twicken; B. Wohler

doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f

WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS Mission

L. G. Bouma, J. N. Winn, C. Baxter, W. Bhatti, F. Dai, T. Daylan, J. M. Désert, M. L. Hill, S. R. Kane, K. G. Stassun, J. Villasenor, G. R. Ricker, R. Vanderspek, D. W. Latham, S. Seager, J. M. Jenkins, Z. Berta-Thompson, K. Colón, M. Fausnaugh, Ana GliddenN. Guerrero, J. E. Rodriguez, J. D. Twicken, B. Wohler

Astrophysical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) recently observed 18 transits of the hot Jupiter WASP-4b. The sequence of transits occurred 81.6 ± 11.7 s earlier than had been predicted, based on data stretching back to 2007. This is unlikely to be the result of a clock error, because TESS observations of other hot Jupiters (WASP-6b, 18b, and 46b) are compatible with a constant period, ruling out an 81.6 s offset at the 6.4σ level. The 1.3 day orbital period of WASP-4b appears to be decreasing at a rate of ms per year. The apparent period change might be caused by tidal orbital decay or apsidal precession, although both interpretations have shortcomings. The gravitational influence of a third body is another possibility, though at present there is minimal evidence for such a body. Further observations are needed to confirm and understand the timing variation.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	217
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	157
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f
State	Published - 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

binaries: close
planet star interactions
planets and satellites: individual (WASP-4b, WASP-5b, WASP-6b, WASP-12b, WASP-18b, WASP-46b)

Access to Document

10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f

Cite this

Bouma, L. G., Winn, J. N., Baxter, C., Bhatti, W., Dai, F., Daylan, T., Désert, J. M., Hill, M. L., Kane, S. R., Stassun, K. G., Villasenor, J., Ricker, G. R., Vanderspek, R., Latham, D. W., Seager, S., Jenkins, J. M., Berta-Thompson, Z., Colón, K., Fausnaugh, M., ... Wohler, B. (2019). WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS Mission. Astronomical Journal, 157(6), Article 217. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f

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title = "WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS Mission",

abstract = "The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) recently observed 18 transits of the hot Jupiter WASP-4b. The sequence of transits occurred 81.6 ± 11.7 s earlier than had been predicted, based on data stretching back to 2007. This is unlikely to be the result of a clock error, because TESS observations of other hot Jupiters (WASP-6b, 18b, and 46b) are compatible with a constant period, ruling out an 81.6 s offset at the 6.4σ level. The 1.3 day orbital period of WASP-4b appears to be decreasing at a rate of ms per year. The apparent period change might be caused by tidal orbital decay or apsidal precession, although both interpretations have shortcomings. The gravitational influence of a third body is another possibility, though at present there is minimal evidence for such a body. Further observations are needed to confirm and understand the timing variation.",

keywords = "binaries: close, planet star interactions, planets and satellites: individual (WASP-4b, WASP-5b, WASP-6b, WASP-12b, WASP-18b, WASP-46b)",

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year = "2019",

doi = "10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f",

language = "English (US)",

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Bouma, LG, Winn, JN, Baxter, C, Bhatti, W, Dai, F, Daylan, T, Désert, JM, Hill, ML, Kane, SR, Stassun, KG, Villasenor, J, Ricker, GR, Vanderspek, R, Latham, DW, Seager, S, Jenkins, JM, Berta-Thompson, Z, Colón, K, Fausnaugh, M, Glidden, A, Guerrero, N, Rodriguez, JE, Twicken, JD & Wohler, B 2019, 'WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS Mission', Astronomical Journal, vol. 157, no. 6, 217. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f

TY - JOUR

T1 - WASP-4b Arrived Early for the TESS Mission

AU - Bouma, L. G.

AU - Winn, J. N.

AU - Baxter, C.

AU - Bhatti, W.

AU - Dai, F.

AU - Daylan, T.

AU - Désert, J. M.

AU - Hill, M. L.

AU - Kane, S. R.

AU - Stassun, K. G.

AU - Villasenor, J.

AU - Ricker, G. R.

AU - Vanderspek, R.

AU - Latham, D. W.

AU - Seager, S.

AU - Jenkins, J. M.

AU - Berta-Thompson, Z.

AU - Colón, K.

AU - Fausnaugh, M.

AU - Glidden, Ana

AU - Guerrero, N.

AU - Rodriguez, J. E.

AU - Twicken, J. D.

AU - Wohler, B.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) recently observed 18 transits of the hot Jupiter WASP-4b. The sequence of transits occurred 81.6 ± 11.7 s earlier than had been predicted, based on data stretching back to 2007. This is unlikely to be the result of a clock error, because TESS observations of other hot Jupiters (WASP-6b, 18b, and 46b) are compatible with a constant period, ruling out an 81.6 s offset at the 6.4σ level. The 1.3 day orbital period of WASP-4b appears to be decreasing at a rate of ms per year. The apparent period change might be caused by tidal orbital decay or apsidal precession, although both interpretations have shortcomings. The gravitational influence of a third body is another possibility, though at present there is minimal evidence for such a body. Further observations are needed to confirm and understand the timing variation.

AB - The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) recently observed 18 transits of the hot Jupiter WASP-4b. The sequence of transits occurred 81.6 ± 11.7 s earlier than had been predicted, based on data stretching back to 2007. This is unlikely to be the result of a clock error, because TESS observations of other hot Jupiters (WASP-6b, 18b, and 46b) are compatible with a constant period, ruling out an 81.6 s offset at the 6.4σ level. The 1.3 day orbital period of WASP-4b appears to be decreasing at a rate of ms per year. The apparent period change might be caused by tidal orbital decay or apsidal precession, although both interpretations have shortcomings. The gravitational influence of a third body is another possibility, though at present there is minimal evidence for such a body. Further observations are needed to confirm and understand the timing variation.

KW - binaries: close

KW - planet star interactions

KW - planets and satellites: individual (WASP-4b, WASP-5b, WASP-6b, WASP-12b, WASP-18b, WASP-46b)

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DO - 10.3847/1538-3881/ab189f

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85072261864

SN - 0004-6256

VL - 157

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

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