WASP-19b: The Shortest Period Transiting Exoplanet Yet Discovered

We report on the discovery of a new extremely short period transiting extrasolar planet, WASP-19b. The planet has mass Mpl = 1.15 ± 0.08 MJ, radius Rpl = 1.31 ± 0.06 RJ, and orbital period P=0.7888399 ± 0.0000008 days. Through spectroscopic analysis, we determine the host star to be a slightly super-solar metallicity ([M/H]=0.1 ± 0.1 dex) G-dwarf with Teff=5500 ± 100 K. In addition, we detect periodic, sinusoidal flux variations in the light curve which are used to derive a rotation period for the star of Prot = 10.5 ±0.2 days. The relatively short stellar rotation period suggests that either WASP-19 is somewhat young (~ 600 Myr old) or tidal interactions between the two bodies have caused the planet to spiral inward over its lifetime resulting in the spin-up of the star. Due to the detection of the rotation period, this system has the potential to place strong constraints on the stellar tidal quality factor, Q's, if a more precise age is determined.
Paper Reference: 
Hebb et al. 2010, ApJ, 708, 224
Paper Authors: 

WASP-19b: THE SHORTEST PERIOD TRANSITING EXOPLANET YET DISCOVERED

L. Hebb et al 2010 ApJ 708 224-231   doi: 10.1088/0004-637X/708/1/224  Help

 
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L. Hebb1, A. Collier-Cameron1, A.H.M.J. Triaud2, T.A. Lister3, B. Smalley4, P.F.L. Maxted4, C. Hellier4, D.R. Anderson4, D. Pollacco5, M. Gillon2,6, D. Queloz2, R.G. West7, S. Bentley4, B. Enoch1, C.A. Haswell8, K. Horne1, M. Mayor2, F. Pepe2, D. Segransan2, I. Skillen9, S. Udry2 and P.J. Wheatley10
Publication Date: 
15 December, 2009