A transit-timing variation study of the extrasolar planet TrES-3

Author(s)
Lockhart, Matthew, S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.
Advisor
James L. Elliot.
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Abstract
Portable Occultation Eclipse and Transit System (POETS) detectors [7] mounted on the Wallace Astrophysical Observatory (WAO) 0.8m and NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) 3m telescopes are used to observe five stellar transit events of the extrasolar planet TrES-3 [5]. Model light curves are fit to the five data sets and transit midtimes are determined. Midtimes obtained in this study, along with midtimes reported by Sozzetti et al. (2008) [8], are compared to the ephemeris of the planet. The transit timing variation (TTV) of each midtime is calculated. Based on these data the presence of a third body in the TrES-3 system cannot be determined. Mass and period of a hypothetical perturbing body are calculated for several illustrative cases.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2009.
 
Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-106).
 
Date issued
2009
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/53108
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.
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