OrbDot: A Python package for studying the secular evolution of exoplanet orbits
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
2025-09-08 v1 Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract
OrbDot is a Python package for studying the secular (long-term) evolution of exoplanet orbits from observational data. It employs nested sampling algorithms to fit evolutionary models to any combination of transit and eclipse mid-times, radial velocities, and transit durations. Beyond model fitting, OrbDot offers tools for interpreting results, generating reports on model comparisons, derived tidal decay parameters, predicted precession rates, implications for planetary companions, and more.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2509.04531,
title = {OrbDot: A Python package for studying the secular evolution of exoplanet orbits},
author = {Simone R. Hagey and Aaron Boley},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.04531},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
5 pages, accepted to JOSS, examples and documentation are hosted on https://orbdot.readthedocs.io