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SUMMARY:Disentangling Secular Trends in Exoplanet Orbits - Simone Hagey (U
 niversity of British Columbia)
DTSTART:20250917T113000Z
DTEND:20250917T123000Z
UID:TALK236125@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mika Kontiainen
DESCRIPTION:Gradual changes in exoplanet orbits\, known as secular variati
 ons\, can be detected through observations of transits\, eclipses\, and ra
 dial velocities that span multiple decades in time. Their detection and ch
 aracterization enable the study of a wide range of dynamical phenomena\, s
 uch as orbital decay and apsidal precession\, which operate on timescales 
 of millions of years. Under certain conditions\, measurements of secular v
 ariations can even probe the interior structure of exoplanets\, providing 
 a unique tool for understanding exoplanet formation and evolution. A well-
 known example is the orbital decay of the hot Jupiter WASP-12 b\, revealed
  through transit timing variations (TTVs)\, for which engulfment by the ho
 st star is the likely outcome.\n\nWhile orbital decay provides a compellin
 g explanation for WASP-12 b\, attempts to interpret similar trends in othe
 r systems often conflict with current theories of tidal energy dissipation
  and orbital precession. The situation is further complicated by additiona
 l effects\, including systemic proper motion\, that can cause apparent sec
 ular trends that may mask or mimic real orbital evolution.\n\nIn this talk
 \, I will present my work on secular trends in exoplanet orbits from both 
 theoretical and observational perspectives. I will begin with an overview 
 of detection techniques\, followed by a case study of the hot Jupiter TrES
 -1 b that highlights the challenges of disentangling the origins of observ
 ed variations. I will conclude with an overview of an ongoing project that
  conducts the first population-level analysis of transit variations driven
  by systemic proper motion\, based on a sample of more than 4\,000 transit
 ing exoplanets.
LOCATION:Institute of Astronomy 
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