TY - JOUR

T1 - On possible circumbinary configurations of the planetary systems of α Centauri and EZ Aquarii

AU - Popova, E. A.

AU - Shevchenko, I. I.

PY - 2016/4/1

Y1 - 2016/4/1

N2 - Possible configurations of the planetary systems of the binary stars α Cen A–BandEZAqr A–C are analyzed. The P-type orbits—circumbinary ones, i.e., the orbits around both stars of the binary, are studied. The choice of these systems is dictated by the fact that α Cen is closest to us in the Galaxy, while EZ Aqr is the closest system whose circumbinary planets, as it turns out, may reside in the “habitability zone.” The analysis has been performed within the framework of the planar restricted three-body problem. The stability diagrams of circumbinary motion have been constructed: on representative sets of initial data (in the pericentric distance–eccentricity plane), we have computed the Lyapunov spectra of planetary motion and identified the domains of regular and chaotic motion through their statistical analysis. Based on present views of the dynamics and architecture of circumbinary planetary systems, we have determined the most probable planetary orbits to be at the centers of the main resonance cells, at the boundary of the dynamical chaos domain around the parent binary star, which allows the semimajor axes of the orbits to be predicted. In the case of EZ Aqr, the orbit of the circumbinary planet is near the habitability zone and, given that the boundary of this zone is uncertain, may belong to it.

AB - Possible configurations of the planetary systems of the binary stars α Cen A–BandEZAqr A–C are analyzed. The P-type orbits—circumbinary ones, i.e., the orbits around both stars of the binary, are studied. The choice of these systems is dictated by the fact that α Cen is closest to us in the Galaxy, while EZ Aqr is the closest system whose circumbinary planets, as it turns out, may reside in the “habitability zone.” The analysis has been performed within the framework of the planar restricted three-body problem. The stability diagrams of circumbinary motion have been constructed: on representative sets of initial data (in the pericentric distance–eccentricity plane), we have computed the Lyapunov spectra of planetary motion and identified the domains of regular and chaotic motion through their statistical analysis. Based on present views of the dynamics and architecture of circumbinary planetary systems, we have determined the most probable planetary orbits to be at the centers of the main resonance cells, at the boundary of the dynamical chaos domain around the parent binary star, which allows the semimajor axes of the orbits to be predicted. In the case of EZ Aqr, the orbit of the circumbinary planet is near the habitability zone and, given that the boundary of this zone is uncertain, may belong to it.

KW - binary stars

KW - celestial mechanics

KW - EZ Aquarii

KW - methods

KW - numerical

KW - planetary systems

KW - α Centauri

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84969855927&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1134/S106377371604006X

DO - 10.1134/S106377371604006X

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84969855927

VL - 42

SP - 260

EP - 267

JO - Astronomy Letters

JF - Astronomy Letters

SN - 1063-7737

IS - 4

ER -