08-29-2016, 10:31 PM
Andrew LePage has this to say
Basically it is the eccentricity that counts here, as well as the mass distribution within the planet itself. I think we'll go with 3:2 resonance (as shown in the current article) until we get more data- there aren't many 3:2 resonant planets in OA at the moment, and they have some intriguing characteristics.
Quote:The 3:2 resonance is very possible and we see it in Mercury in our solar system because of its moderate orbital eccentricity. The chances of Proxima b settling into this rotation state depends on its orbital eccentricity (which is very poorly constrained by the current RV data) and the precise shape of the planet (which won't be known for a long time). We will get a better feel for the rotation state after we get more RV data to pin down its orbit better (hopefully about a year from now after what I'm sure will be another HARPS observation campaign this winter).
Basically it is the eccentricity that counts here, as well as the mass distribution within the planet itself. I think we'll go with 3:2 resonance (as shown in the current article) until we get more data- there aren't many 3:2 resonant planets in OA at the moment, and they have some intriguing characteristics.