Tidally Distorted Barytropes and Their Roche Limits, with Application to WASP-12b

The hot Jupiter WASP-12b has been found to be on a decaying 1.09-day orbit. mean density of the planet inferred from transit and radial-velocity data is near its Roche limit; just how depends planet's uncertain internal structure. There also spectroscopic evidence mass loss. We accurately calculate assumption synchronously rotating $n=1$ polytrope, find this only $15-20\%$ below observational estimates for density. discuss implied shape planet, lifetime before complete disruption, current rate loss based our improved tidal model. present mass-loss at least as sensitive opacity temperature profiles atmosphere structure, however.