Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 316 3 v Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
A simultaneous transit in a resonant chain requires both conjunction patterns to admit the observer's longitude at the same time. In the leading mean-conjunction geometry put . The necessary phase compatibility at symmetric centres isLet . Eliminating , and using that ranges over multiples of , gives the exact modular compatibility criterionHere denotes the greatest common divisor. For the orders above, the two phase sets intersect only whenThe common directions are the two quadratures relative to periapsis. In reduced resonances this requires and odd; otherwise the apparent second-order ratios reduce to different resonance orders. There is no additional restriction on those odd values from angular compatibility alone. A shared direction and suitable temporal phase can be chosen, and the rational period ratios allow its recurrence.
This is a potential low-amplitude configuration, not a guarantee of an observed triple exoplanet transit. The observer must lie in the common orbital plane and near an allowed direction. Finite stellar radii, nonzero libration amplitudes of a resonant argument, apsidal motion and asymmetric centres broaden or change the possibilities. At finite , true simultaneous alignment obeys the more precise equations and , with . Thus the order-only conclusion is not a universal necessary condition for every eccentric resonant chain.