Revisiting WASP-19b’s Orbital Evolution: New TESS Data and Apsidal Precession Analysis
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Due to the ongoing debate of whether WASP19b is experiencing orbital decay or apsidal precession, I reexamine the orbital evolution of the hot Jupiter WASP-19b using new TESS data from sectors 09, 36, 62, and 63. My comprehensive analysis of transit and occultation timing variations compares models of constant period, orbital decay, and apsidal precession. Results show no significant preference between orbital decay and apsidal precession models. I find a period change rate of −1.40 ± 0.54 ms yr−1, slower than some previous studies but consistent with others. My apsidal precession analysis yields an eccentricity of 0.00178 and a precession rate of 0.036 deg day−1, differing from recent literature. These findings underscore the complexity of WASP-19b’s orbital dynamics and the need for continued long-term monitoring.
Source: Research Notes of the AAS
Author: Zoutong Shen
Institution: Cornell University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4402356876