2001AJ....122.1607C

One of the parameters fitted by Doppler radial velocity measurements of extrasolar planetary systems is ω, the argument of pericenter of a given planet's orbit referenced to the plane of the sky. Curiously, the ω's of the outer two planets orbiting υ Andromedae are presently nearly identical: Δω≡ω_D-ω_C=4°.8±4°.8 (1 σ). This observation is least surprising if planets C and D occupy orbits that are seen close to edge-on (sini_C, sini_D≳0.5) and whose mutual inclination Θ does not exceed 20°. In this case, planets C and D inhabit a secular resonance in which Δω librates about 0° with an amplitude of ∼30° and a period of ∼4x10³ yr. The resonant configuration spends about one-third of its time with |Δω|≤10°. If Θ≳40°, either Δω circulates or the system is unstable. This instability is driven by the Kozai mechanism, which couples the eccentricity of planet C to Θ to drive the former quantity to values approaching unity. Our expectation that Θ≲20° suggests that planets C and D formed in a flattened, circumstellar disk, and this may be tested by upcoming astrometric measurements with the FAME satellite.