  We investigate the orbital and rotational evolution of the CoRoT-7 two-planet
system, assuming that the innermost planet behaves like a Maxwell body. We
numerically resolve the coupled differential equations governing the
instantaneous deformation of the inner planet together with the orbital motion
of the system. We show that, depending on the relaxation time for the
deformation of the planet, the orbital evolution has two distinct behaviours:
for relaxation times shorter than the orbital period, we reproduce the results
from classic tidal theories, for which the eccentricity is always damped.
However, for longer relaxation times, the eccentricity of the inner orbit is
secularly excited and can grow to high values. This mechanism provides an
explanation for the present high eccentricity observed for CoRoT-7 b, as well
as for other close-in super-Earths in multiple planetary systems.
