Damping Obliquities of Hot Jupiter Hosts by Resonance Locking

Damping Obliquities of Hot Jupiter Hosts by Resonance Locking

May 3, 2024 | J. J. Zanazzi, Janosz Dewberry, Eugene Chiang
This paper investigates how resonance locking between a hot Jupiter and a stellar gravity mode (g-mode) can explain the observed correlation between stellar obliquity and effective temperature. Hot Jupiters orbiting cooler stars are more aligned with their host star's spin axis, while those around hotter stars are more misaligned. The authors propose that resonance locking, where the planet's orbit couples with a stellar g-mode, can dampen the planet's orbital eccentricity, semi-major axis, and obliquity. This process is more effective in cooler stars with radiative cores, where g-mode frequencies increase due to core hydrogen burning, leading to stronger tidal evolution and alignment with the star's spin axis. In contrast, hotter stars lack radiative cores, preserving initial spin-orbit misalignments. The study shows that resonance locking with axisymmetric g-modes can dampen obliquity, and non-axisymmetric modes also contribute. The results suggest that cooler stars are more likely to have aligned hot Jupiters, avoiding engulfment, while hotter stars retain misalignments. The paper also discusses the limitations of current models, including uncertainties in tidal dissipation and the disabling of resonance locks. Overall, resonance locking provides a mechanism for the observed alignment of hot Jupiters around cooler stars and misalignment around hotter stars.This paper investigates how resonance locking between a hot Jupiter and a stellar gravity mode (g-mode) can explain the observed correlation between stellar obliquity and effective temperature. Hot Jupiters orbiting cooler stars are more aligned with their host star's spin axis, while those around hotter stars are more misaligned. The authors propose that resonance locking, where the planet's orbit couples with a stellar g-mode, can dampen the planet's orbital eccentricity, semi-major axis, and obliquity. This process is more effective in cooler stars with radiative cores, where g-mode frequencies increase due to core hydrogen burning, leading to stronger tidal evolution and alignment with the star's spin axis. In contrast, hotter stars lack radiative cores, preserving initial spin-orbit misalignments. The study shows that resonance locking with axisymmetric g-modes can dampen obliquity, and non-axisymmetric modes also contribute. The results suggest that cooler stars are more likely to have aligned hot Jupiters, avoiding engulfment, while hotter stars retain misalignments. The paper also discusses the limitations of current models, including uncertainties in tidal dissipation and the disabling of resonance locks. Overall, resonance locking provides a mechanism for the observed alignment of hot Jupiters around cooler stars and misalignment around hotter stars.
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Understanding Damping Obliquities of Hot Jupiter Hosts by Resonance Locking