In the idealized transit model, Rp/Rstar=0.1. Find fractional transit depth.
Answer and explanation
0.01
Square the radius ratio.
Subjects
Exoplanets
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Sample exercises
For idealized transit depth 0.0004, find Rp/Rstar.
Answer and explanation
0.02
Take the positive square root of the depth.
What does a radial-velocity measurement directly trace?
- Line-of-sight stellar motion
- The planet's surface photograph
- The star's name
- A guaranteed biosignature
Answer and explanation
Line-of-sight stellar motion
Spectral shifts constrain motion along the line of sight.
Why are many planetary systems not seen in transit?
- Only Earth has gravity
- Planets never block light
- All stars have identical noise
- Their orbital alignment does not produce a crossing from our viewpoint
Answer and explanation
Their orbital alignment does not produce a crossing from our viewpoint
Transit visibility is strongly geometric.
Give one false-positive or confounding effect that should be checked in a planet search.
Answer and explanation
An eclipsing stellar system or stellar activity can mimic aspects of a candidate signal. Follow-up and model comparison help distinguish explanations.
Credit a plausible confounder and validation.
A repeating dip occurs at days 2, 7 and 12 in a simple periodic model. Find its period.
Answer and explanation
5 days
Consecutive dip times differ by five days.
Study notes
Exoplanet transits and radial velocities
A planet crossing a star's visible disk can cause a periodic brightness dip. For an idealized small dark planet and uniform stellar disk, depth≈(Rp/Rstar)².
UniversityExoplanet transits and radial velocities · revision notes
A planet crossing a star's visible disk can cause a periodic brightness dip. For an idealized small dark planet and uniform stellar disk, depth≈(Rp/Rstar)².
UniversityPlanetary atmospheres and habitability claims
A simple equilibrium-temperature model balances absorbed stellar power and emitted thermal power. Albedo, redistribution and greenhouse effects require separate treatment.
UniversityPlanetary atmospheres and habitability claims · revision notes
A simple equilibrium-temperature model balances absorbed stellar power and emitted thermal power. Albedo, redistribution and greenhouse effects require separate treatment.
UniversityRadius ratio from an idealized transit depth
Assume a dark small planet, central transit, no blending and uniform stellar brightness. Depth is a fraction, not a percentage.
UniversityRadius ratio from an idealized transit depth · formula reference
Assume a dark small planet, central transit, no blending and uniform stellar brightness. Depth is a fraction, not a percentage.
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