An Earth-sized Planet on the Verge of Tidal Disruption
Author:
Dai FeiORCID, Howard Andrew W.ORCID, Halverson SamuelORCID, Orell-Miquel JaumeORCID, Pallé EnricORCID, Isaacson HowardORCID, Fulton BenjaminORCID, Price Ellen M.ORCID, Plotnykov MykhayloORCID, Rogers Leslie A.ORCID, Valencia DianaORCID, Paragas KimberlyORCID, Greklek-McKeon MichaelORCID, Gomez Barrientos JonathanORCID, Knutson Heather A.ORCID, Petigura Erik A.ORCID, Weiss Lauren M.ORCID, Lee RenaORCID, Brinkman Casey L.ORCID, Huber DanielORCID, Stefánsson GumundurORCID, Masuda KentoORCID, Giacalone StevenORCID, Lu Cicero X.ORCID, Kite Edwin S.ORCID, Hu RenyuORCID, Gaidos EricORCID, Zhang MichaelORCID, Rubenzahl Ryan A.ORCID, Winn Joshua N.ORCID, Han TeORCID, Beard CoreyORCID, Holcomb RaeORCID, Householder AaronORCID, Gilbert Gregory J.ORCID, Lubin JackORCID, Ong J. M. JoelORCID, Polanski Alex S.ORCID, Saunders NicholasORCID, Van Zandt JudahORCID, Yee Samuel W.ORCID, Zhang JingwenORCID, Zink Jon, Holden BradfordORCID, Baker Ashley, Brodheim MaxORCID, Crossfield Ian J. M.ORCID, Deich WilliamORCID, Edelstein Jerry, Gibson Steven R.ORCID, Hill Grant M.ORCID, Jelinsky Sharon RORCID, Kassis MarcORCID, Laher Russ R.ORCID, Lanclos KyleORCID, Lilley ScottORCID, Payne Joel N.ORCID, Rider Kodi, Robertson PaulORCID, Roy ArpitaORCID, Schwab ChristianORCID, Shaum Abby P.ORCID, Sirk Martin M.ORCID, Smith Chris, Vandenberg AdamORCID, Walawender JoshORCID, Wang Sharon X.ORCID, Wang Shin-Ywan (Cindy)ORCID, Wishnow Edward, Wright Jason T.ORCID, Yeh SherryORCID, Caballero José A.ORCID, Morales Juan C.ORCID, Murgas FelipeORCID, Nagel EvangelosORCID, Reiners AnsgarORCID, Schweitzer AndreasORCID, Tabernero Hugo M.ORCID, Zechmeister MathiasORCID, Spencer AltonORCID, Ciardi David R.ORCID, Clark Catherine A.ORCID, Lund Michael B.ORCID, Caldwell Douglas A.ORCID, Collins Karen A.ORCID, Schwarz Richard P.ORCID, Barkaoui KhalidORCID, Watkins CristilynORCID, Shporer AviORCID, Narita NorioORCID, Fukui AkihikoORCID, Srdoc Gregor, Latham David W.ORCID, Jenkins Jon M.ORCID, Ricker George R.ORCID, Seager SaraORCID, Vanderspek RolandORCID
Abstract
Abstract
TOI-6255 b (GJ 4256) is an Earth-sized planet (1.079 ± 0.065 R
⊕) with an orbital period of only 5.7 hr. With the newly commissioned Keck Planet Finder and CARMENES spectrographs, we determine the planet’s mass to be 1.44 ± 0.14 M
⊕. The planet is just outside the Roche limit, with P
orb/P
Roche = 1.13 ± 0.10. The strong tidal force likely deforms the planet into a triaxial ellipsoid with a long axis that is ∼10% longer than the short axis. Assuming a reduced stellar tidal quality factor
Q
⋆
′
≈
10
7
, we predict that tidal orbital decay will cause TOI-6255 to reach the Roche limit in roughly 400 Myr. Such tidal disruptions may produce the possible signatures of planet engulfment that have been seen on stars with anomalously high refractory elemental abundances compared to their conatal binary companions. TOI-6255 b is also a favorable target for searching for star–planet magnetic interactions, which might cause interior melting and hasten orbital decay. TOI-6255 b is a top target (with an Emission Spectroscopy Metric of about 24) for phase-curve observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
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