Warm Jupiter Tidal Migration Can Spare Inner Planets; Hot Jupiter Tidal Migration May Not
Abstract
Abstract In this work, we investigate the dynamical survival of short-period inner planets during the high-eccentricity tidal migration of companion exterior giant planets. Using a combination of analytic arguments and N -body simulations, including equilibrium tides and general relativistic precession, we find the boundary in parameter space where an inner companion can remain dynamically stable. We find that survival requires a periastron separation exceeding roughly 14 mutual Hill radii at closest approach. Below this threshold, secular eccentricity exchange, orbit crossing, and/or tidal evolution can lead to the destruction of the inner planet. We apply our methodology to the current exoplanet sample and find that none of the known systems containing a short-period giant and an inner companion could have assembled via high-eccentricity tidal migration. However, warm Jupiters with larger periastron distances ( q out ∼ 0.05–0.08 au, corresponding to final observed semimajor axis values a out ∼ 0.10–0.16 au) can allow the survival of short-period inner planets while potentially also circularizing on ≲1 Gyr timescales. Our results provide a framework for distinguishing disk migration from tidal migration in observed multi-planet systems containing close-in gas giants.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Stellar
planetary
and galactic studies
Astro and Planetary Science
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Publisher
- American Astronomical Society
- Volume
- 997
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 327–327
- Publication date
- 29 January 2026