Structure and evolution of transiting giant planets: a Bayesian homogeneous determination of orbital and physical parameters

Abstract

We present a Bayesian homogeneous determination of orbital and physical parameters of a large sample of 211 giant transiting planets with masses between 0.1 and 24 M_{Jup} and precision on mass estimates better than 30%. We analyse new high-precision radial velocities for forty-five of them obtained with the HARPS-N@TNG spectrograph to improve and, in some cases, to revise the measure of their orbital eccentricity, and to search for long-period companions. From the updated orbital eccentricities we put constraints on the modified tidal quality factors of giant planets and their host stars. Our comprehensive study 1) allows for improved understanding of orbital evolution and migration scenarios for giant planets, and 2) provides the much needed benchmark statistics for thorough investigations of the diversity of giant planet densities and interior structures.