Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-short-options-paper-shared-by-prelims-and-parts-a-and-b-of-the-physics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/s30/1/3/solution

Assume the companion is much less massive than the star, the sinusoid represents a circular Keplerian orbit, and the transit implies . Ignore dilution, limb darkening and grazing geometry when estimating the radius. With ,
The stellar reflex radial-velocity semi-amplitude gives , while transit depth gives . Therefore
The mean density relative to the supplied Jupiter values is
This is a low-density hot gas giant. Strong irradiation can slow contraction or help sustain an inflated envelope; internal heating and a different heavy-element fraction are other possibilities. The inferred low mass also reduces gravitational compression. Mass and radius alone do not determine which inflation mechanism operates.

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