Can Planets Influence the Horizontal Branch Morphology?

Abstract

As stars which have planetary systems evolve along the red giant branch and expand, they interact with the close planets. The planets deposit angular momentum and energy into the red giant stars' envelopes, both of which are likely to enhance mass loss on the red giant branch. The enhanced mass loss causes the star to become bluer as it turns to the horizontal branch. I propose that the presence of planetary systems, through this mechanism, can explain some anomalies in horizontal branch morphologies. In particular, planetary systems may be related to the ``second parameter'', which determines the distribution of horizontal branch stars on the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram. The proposed scenario predicts that surviving massive planets or brown dwarfs orbit many of the extreme blue horizontal branch stars, at orbital periods of tens days.