|
Ahrer, E. M., Alderson, L., Batalha, N. M., Batalha, N. E., Bean, J. L., Beatty, T. G., et al. (2023). Identification of carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphere. Nature, Early Access.
Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key chemical species that is found in a wide range of planetary atmospheres. In the context of exoplanets, CO2 is an indicator of the metal enrichment (that is, elements heavier than helium, also called 'metallicity')(1-3), and thus the formation processes of the primary atmospheres of hot gas giants(4-6). It is also one of the most promising species to detect in the secondary atmospheres of terrestrial exoplanets(7-9). Previous photometric measurements of transiting planets with the Spitzer Space Telescope have given hints of the presence of CO2, but have not yielded definitive detections owing to the lack of unambiguous spectroscopic identification(10-12). Here we present the detection of CO2 in the atmosphere of the gas giant exoplanet WASP-39b from transmission spectroscopy observations obtained with JWST as part of the Early Release Science programme(13,14). The data used in this study span 3.0-5.5micrometres in wavelength and show a prominent CO2 absorption feature at 4.3micrometres (26-sigma significance). The overall spectrum is well matched by one-dimensional, ten-times solar metallicity models that assume radiative-convective-thermochemical equilibrium and have moderate cloud opacity. These models predict that the atmosphere should have water, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide in addition to CO2, but little methane. Furthermore, we also tentatively detect a small absorption feature near 4.0micrometres that is not reproduced by these models.
|
|
|
Brahm, R., Ulmer-Moll, S., Hobson, M. J., Jordan, A., Henning, T., Trifonov, T., et al. (2023). Three Long-period Transiting Giant Planets from TESS. Astron. J., 165(6), 227.
Abstract: We report the discovery and orbital characterization of three new transiting warm giant planets. These systems were initially identified as presenting single-transit events in the light curves generated from the full-frame images of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. Follow-up radial velocity measurements and additional light curves were used to determine the orbital periods and confirm the planetary nature of the candidates. The planets orbit slightly metal-rich late F- and early G-type stars. We find that TOI 4406b has a mass of M ( P ) = 0.30 +/- 0.04 M (J), a radius of R ( P ) = 1.00 +/- 0.02 R (J), and a low-eccentricity orbit (e = 0.15 +/- 0.05) with a period of P = 30.08364 +/- 0.00005 days. TOI 2338b has a mass of M ( P ) = 5.98 +/- 0.20 M (J), a radius of R ( P ) = 1.00 +/- 0.01 R (J), and a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.676 +/- 0.002) with a period of P = 22.65398 +/- 0.00002 days. Finally, TOI 2589b has a mass of M ( P ) = 3.50 +/- 0.10 M (J), a radius of R ( P ) = 1.08 +/- 0.03 R (J), and an eccentric orbit (e = 0.522 +/- 0.006) with a period of P = 61.6277 +/- 0.0002 days. TOI 4406b and TOI 2338b are enriched in metals compared to their host stars, while the structure of TOI 2589b is consistent with having similar metal enrichment to its host star.
|
|
|
Carleo, I., Gandolfi, D., Barragan, O., Livingston, J. H., Persson, C. M., Lam, K. W. F., et al. (2020). The Multiplanet System TOI-421*. Astron. J., 160(3), 23 pp.
Abstract: We report the discovery of a warm Neptune and a hot sub-Neptune transiting TOI-421 (BD-14 1137, TIC 94986319), a bright (V = 9.9) G9 dwarf star in a visual binary system observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission in Sectors 5 and 6. We performed ground-based follow-up observations-comprised of Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope transit photometry, NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging, and FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph, CORALIE, High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, High Resolution echelle Spectrometer, and Planet Finder Spectrograph high-precision Doppler measurements-and confirmed the planetary nature of the 16 day transiting candidate announced by the TESS team. We discovered an additional radial velocity signal with a period of five days induced by the presence of a second planet in the system, which we also found to transit its host star. We found that the inner mini-Neptune, TOI-421 b, has an orbital period of P-b = 5.19672 +/- 0.00049 days, a mass of M-b = 7.17 +/- 0.66 M-circle plus, and a radius of R-b = R-circle plus, whereas the outer warm Neptune, TOI-421 c, has a period of P-c = 16.06819 +/- 0.00035 days, a mass of M-c = 16.42(-1.04)(+1.06)M(circle plus), a radius of R-c = 5.09(-0.15)(+0.16)R(circle plus), and a density of rho(c) = 0.685(-0.072)(+0.080) cm(-3). With its characteristics, the outer planet (rho(c) = 0.685(-0.0072)(+0.080) cm(-3)) is placed in the intriguing class of the super-puffy mini-Neptunes. TOI-421 b and TOI-421 c are found to be well-suited for atmospheric characterization. Our atmospheric simulations predict significant Ly alpha transit absorption, due to strong hydrogen escape in both planets, as well as the presence of detectable CH4 in the atmosphere of TOI-421 c if equilibrium chemistry is assumed.
|
|
|
Carone, L., Molliere, P., Zhou, Y. F., Bouwman, J., Yan, F., Baeyens, R., et al. (2021). Indications for very high metallicity and absence of methane in the eccentric exo-Saturn WASP-117b. Astron. Astrophys., 646, A168.
Abstract: Aims. We investigate the atmospheric composition of the long-period (P-orb = 10 days) eccentric exo-Saturn WASP-117b. WASP-117b could be similar in atmospheric temperature and chemistry to WASP-107b. In mass and radius, WASP-117b is similar to WASP-39b, which allows a comparative study of these planets.Methods. We analyzed a near-infrared transmission spectrum of WASP-117b taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3 G141, which was reduced with two independent pipelines. High-resolution measurements were taken with VLT/ESPRESSO in the optical.Results. We report the robust (3 sigma) detection of a water spectral feature. In a 1D atmosphere model with isothermal temperature, uniform cloud deck, and equilibrium chemistry, the Bayesian evidence of a retrieval analysis of the transmission spectrum indicates a preference for a high atmospheric metallicity
[Fe/H] = 2.58(-0.37)(+0.26)
[Fe/H]=2.58-0.37+0.26 and clear skies. The data are also consistent with a lower metallicity composition [Fe/H] < 1.75 and a cloud deck between 10(-2.2) and 10(-5.1) bar, but with weaker Bayesian preference. We retrieve a low CH4 abundance of <10(-4) volume fraction within 1 sigma and <2 x 10(-1) volume fraction within 3<sigma>. We cannot constrain the equilibrium temperature between theoretically imposed limits of 700 and 1000 K. Further observations are needed to confirm quenching of CH4 with K-zz >= 10(8) cm(2) s(-1). We report indications of Na and K in the VLT/ESPRESSO high-resolution spectrum with substantial Bayesian evidence in combination with HST data.
|
|
|
Feinstein, A. D., Radica, M., Welbanks, L., Murray, C. A., Ohno, K., Coulombe, L. P., et al. (2023). Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRISS. Nature, Early Access.
Abstract: The Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b has been the subject of extensive efforts to determine its atmospheric properties using transmission spectroscopy(1-4). However, these efforts have been hampered by modelling degeneracies between composition and cloud properties that are caused by limited data quality(5-9). Here we present the transmission spectrum of WASP-39b obtained using the Single-Object Slitless Spectroscopy (SOSS) mode of the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument on the JWST. This spectrum spans 0.6-2.8 mu m in wavelength and shows several water-absorption bands, the potassium resonance doublet and signatures of clouds. The precision and broad wavelength coverage of NIRISS/SOSS allows us to break model degeneracies between cloud properties and the atmospheric composition of WASP-39b, favouring a heavy-element enhancement ('metallicity') of about 10-30 times the solar value, a sub-solar carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio and a solar-to-super-solar potassium-to-oxygen (K/O) ratio. The observations are also best explained by wavelength-dependent, non-grey clouds with inhomogeneous coverageof the planet's terminator.
|
|
|
Gill, S., Wheatley, P. J., Cooke, B. F., Jordan, A., Nielsen, L. D., Bayliss, D., et al. (2020). NGTS-11 b (TOI-1847 b): A Transiting Warm Saturn Recovered from a TESS Single-transit Event. Astrophys. J. Lett., 898(1), 6 pp.
Abstract: We report the discovery of NGTS-11 b (=TOI-1847b), a transiting Saturn in a 35.46 day orbit around a mid K-type star (T-eff = 5050 +/- 80 K). We initially identified the system from a single-transit event in a TESS full-frame image light curve. Following 79 nights of photometric monitoring with an NGTS telescope, we observed a second full transit of NGTS-11 b approximately one year after the TESS single-transit event. The NGTS transit confirmed the parameters of the transit signal and restricted the orbital period to a set of 13 discrete periods. We combined our transit detections with precise radial-velocity measurements to determine the true orbital period and measure the mass of the planet. We find NGTS-11 b has a radius of 0.817 +/-(0.028)(0.032) R-Jup, a mass of 0.344 +/-(0.092)(0.073) M-Jup, and an equilibrium temperature of just 435 +/-(34)(32) K, making it one of the coolest known transiting gas giants. NGTS-11 b is the first exoplanet to be discovered after being initially identified as a TESS single-transit event, and its discovery highlights the power of intense photometric monitoring in recovering longer-period transiting exoplanets from single-transit events.
|
|
|
Grieves, N., Bouchy, F., Lendl, M., Carmichael, T., Mireles, I., Shporer, A., et al. (2021). Populating the brown dwarf and stellar boundary: Five stars with transiting companions near the hydrogen-burning mass limit. Astron. Astrophys., 652.
Abstract: We report the discovery of five transiting companions near the hydrogen-burning mass limit in close orbits around main sequence stars originally identified by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) as TESS objects of interest (TOIs): TOI-148, TOI-587, TOI-681, TOI-746, and TOI-1213. Using TESS and ground-based photometry as well as radial velocities from the CORALIE, CHIRON, TRES, and FEROS spectrographs, we found the companions have orbital periods between 4.8 and 27.2 days, masses between 77 and 98 M-Jup , and radii between 0.81 and 1.66 R-Jup . These targets have masses near the uncertain lower limit of hydrogen core fusion (similar to 73-96 M-Jup ), which separates brown dwarfs and low-mass stars. We constrained young ages for TOI-587 (0.2 +/- 0.1 Gyr) and TOI-681 (0.17 +/- 0.03 Gyr) and found them to have relatively larger radii compared to other transiting companions of a similar mass. Conversely we estimated older ages for TOI-148 and TOI-746 and found them to have relatively smaller companion radii. With an effective temperature of 9800 +/- 200 K, TOI-587 is the hottest known main-sequence star to host a transiting brown dwarf or very low-mass star. We found evidence of spin-orbit synchronization for TOI-148 and TOI-746 as well as tidal circularization for TOI-148. These companions add to the population of brown dwarfs and very low-mass stars with well measured parameters ideal to test formation models of these rare objects, the origin of the brown dwarf desert, and the distinction between brown dwarfs and hydrogen-burning main sequence stars.
|
|
|
Grieves, N., Bouchy, F., Ulmer-Moll, S., Gill, S., Anderson, D. R., Psaridi, A., et al. (2023). An old warm Jupiter orbiting the metal-poor G-dwarf TOI-5542. Astron. Astrophys., 668, A29.
Abstract: We report the discovery of a 1.32(-0.10)(+0.10)M(Jup) planet orbiting on a 75.12 day period around the G3V 10.8(-3.6)(+2.1) Gyr old star TOI-5542 (TIC 466206508; TYC 9086-1210-1). The planet was first detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) as a single transit event in TESS Sector 13. A second transit was observed 376 days later in TESS Sector 27. The planetary nature of the object has been confirmed by ground-based spectroscopic and radial velocity observations from the CORALIE and HARPS spectrographs. A third transit event was detected by the ground-based facilities NGTS, EulerCam, and SAAO. We find the planet has a radius of 1.009(-0.035)(+0.036)R(Jup) and an insolation of 9.6(-0.8)(+0.9)S(circle plus), along with a circular orbit that most likely formed via disk migration or in situ formation, rather than high-eccentricity migration mechanisms. Our analysis of the HARPS spectra yields a host star metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.21 +/- 0.08, which does not follow the traditional trend of high host star metallicity for giant planets and does not bolster studies suggesting a difference among low- and high-mass giant planet host star metallicities. Additionally, when analyzing a sample of 216 well-characterized giant planets, we find that both high masses (4 M-Jup < M-p < 13 M-Jup) and low masses (0.5 M-Jup < M-p < 4 M-Jup), as well as both both warm (P > 10 days) and hot (P < 10 days) giant planets are preferentially located around metal-rich stars (mean [Fe/H] > 0.1). TOI-5542b is one of the oldest known warm Jupiters and it is cool enough to be unaffected by inflation due to stellar incident flux, making it a valuable contribution in the context of planetary composition and formation studies.
|
|
|
Grieves, N., Nielsen, L. D., Vines, J. I., Bryant, E. M., Gill, S., Bouchy, F., et al. (2021). NGTS-13b: a hot 4.8 Jupiter-mass planet transiting a subgiant star. Astron. Astrophys., 647, A180.
Abstract: We report the discovery of the massive hot Jupiter NGTS-13b by the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The V = 12.7 host star is likely in the subgiant evolutionary phase with logg(*) = 4.04 +/- 0.05, T-eff = 5819 +/- 73 K, M-* = 1.30(-0.18)(+0.11) M-circle dot, and R-* = 1.79 +/- 0.06 R-circle dot. The NGTS detected a transiting planet with a period of P = 4.12 days around the star, which was later validated with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS; TIC 454069765). We confirm the planet using radial velocities from the CORALIE spectrograph. Using NGTS and TESS full-frame image photometry combined with CORALIE radial velocities, we determine NGTS-13b to have a radius of R-P = 1.142 +/- 0.046 R-Jup, a mass of M-P = 4.84 +/- 0.44 M-Jup, and an eccentricity of e = 0.086 +/- 0.034. Previous studies have suggested that similar to 4 M-Jup may be the border separating two formation scenarios (e.g., core accretion and disk instability) and that massive giant planets share similar formation mechanisms as lower-mass brown dwarfs. NGTS-13b is just above 4 M-Jup, making it an important addition to the statistical sample needed to understand the differences between various classes of substellar companions. The high metallicity of NGTS-13, [Fe/H] = 0.25 +/- 0.17, does not support previous suggestions that massive giants are found preferentially around lower metallicity host stars, but NGTS-13b does support findings that more massive and evolved hosts may have a higher occurrence of close-in massive planets than lower-mass unevolved stars.
|
|
|
Hartman, J. D., Jordan, A., Bayliss, D., Bakos, G. A., Bento, J., Bhatti, W., et al. (2020). HATS-47b, HATS-48Ab, HATS-49b, and HATS-72b: Four Warm Giant Planets Transiting K Dwarfs. Astron. J., 159(4), 23 pp.
Abstract: We report the discovery of four transiting giant planets around K dwarfs. The planets HATS-47b, HATS-48Ab, HATS49b, and HATS-72b have masses of 0.369+ 0.0210.031MJ, 0.243+ 0.0300.022 MJ, 0.353+ 0.0270.038 MJ, and 0.1254. 0.0039 MJ, respectively, and radii of 1.117. 0.014 RJ, 0.800. 0.015 RJ, 0.765. 0.013 RJ, and 0.7224. 0.0032 RJ, respectively. The planets orbit close to their host stars with orbital periods of 3.9228 days, 3.1317 days, 4.1480 days, and 7.3279 days, respectively. The hosts are main-sequence K dwarfs with masses of 0.674+ 0.0120.016.M, 0.7279. 0.0066.M, 0.7133. 0.0075.M, and 0.7311. 0.0028, and with V-band magnitudes of V = 14.829. 0.010, 14.35. 0.11, 14.998. 0.040 and 12.469. 0.010. The super-Neptune HATS-72b (a.k.a. WASP-191b and TOI 294.01) was independently identified as a transiting planet candidate by the HATSouth, WASP, and TESS surveys, and we present a combined analysis of all of the data gathered by each of these projects (and their follow-up programs). An exceptionally precise mass is measured for HATS-72b thanks to high-precision radial velocity (RV) measurements obtained with VLT/ESPRESSO, FEROS, HARPS, and Magellan/PFS. We also incorporate TESS observations of the warm Saturn-hosting systems HATS-47 (a.k.a. TOI.1073.01), HATS-48A, and HATS-49. HATS-47 was independently identified as a candidate by the TESS team, while the other two systems were not previously identified from the TESS data. The RV orbital variations are measured for these systems using Magellan/PFS. HATS-48A has a resolved 5.. 4 neighbor in Gaia.DR2, which is a common-proper-motion binary star companion to HATS-48A with a mass of 0.22.M and a current projected physical separation of similar to 1400 au.
|
|
|
Kaye, L., Vissapragada, S., Gunther, M. N., Aigrain, S., Mikal-Evans, T., Jensen, E. L. N., et al. (2022). Transit timings variations in the three-planet system: TOI-270. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 510(4), 5464–5485.
Abstract: We present ground- and space-based photometric observations of TOI-270 (L231-32), a system of three transiting planets consisting of one super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes discovered by TESS around a bright (K-mag = 8.25) M3V dwarf. The planets orbit near low-order mean-motion resonances (5:3 and 2:1) and are thus expected to exhibit large transit timing variations (TTVs). Following an extensive observing campaign using eight different observatories between 2018 and 2020, we now report a clear detection of TTVs for planets c and d, with amplitudes of similar to 10 min and a super-period of similar to 3 yr, as well as significantly refined estimates of the radii and mean orbital periods of all three planets. Dynamical modelling of the TTVs alone puts strong constraints on the mass ratio of planets c and d and on their eccentricities. When incorporating recently published constraints from radial velocity observations, we obtain masses of M-b = 1.48 +/- 0.18 M-circle plus, M-c = 6.20 +/- 0.31 M-circle plus, and M-d = 4.20 +/- 0.16 M-circle plus for planets b, c, and d, respectively. We also detect small but significant eccentricities for all three planets : e(b) = 0.0167 +/- 0.0084, e(c) = 0.0044 +/- 0.0006, and e(d) = 0.0066 +/- 0.0020. Our findings imply an Earth-like rocky composition for the inner planet, and Earth-like cores with an additional He/H2O atmosphere for the outer two. TOI-270 is now one of the best constrained systems of small transiting planets, and it remains an excellent target for atmospheric characterization.
|
|
|
Kirk, J., Rackham, B. V., MacDonald, R. J., Lopez-Morales, M., Espinoza, N., Lendl, M., et al. (2021). ACCESS and LRG-BEASTS: A Precise New Optical Transmission Spectrum of the Ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b. Astron. J., 162(1), 34.
Abstract: We present a new ground-based optical transmission spectrum of the ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b (Teq=2484
|
|
|
Leleu, A., Alibert, Y., Hara, N. C., Hooton, M. J., Wilson, T. G., Robutel, P., et al. (2021). Six transiting planets and a chain of Laplace resonances in TOI-178. Astron. Astrophys., 649, A26.
Abstract: Determining the architecture of multi-planetary systems is one of the cornerstones of understanding planet formation and evolution. Resonant systems are especially important as the fragility of their orbital configuration ensures that no significant scattering or collisional event has taken place since the earliest formation phase when the parent protoplanetary disc was still present. In this context, TOI-178 has been the subject of particular attention since the first TESS observations hinted at the possible presence of a near 2:3:3 resonant chain. Here we report the results of observations from CHEOPS, ESPRESSO, NGTS, and SPECULOOS with the aim of deciphering the peculiar orbital architecture of the system. We show that TOI-178 harbours at least six planets in the super-Earth to mini-Neptune regimes, with radii ranging from
1.152(-0.070)(+0.073)</textual-form>
1.152-0.070+0.073 to
2.87(-0.13)(+0.14)</textual-form> 2.87-0.13+0.14 Earth radii and periods of 1.91, 3.24, 6.56, 9.96, 15.23, and 20.71 days. All planets but the innermost one form a 2:4:6:9:12 chain of Laplace resonances, and the planetary densities show important variations from planet to planet, jumping from
1.02(-0.23)(+0.28)</textual-form> 1.02-0.23+0.28 to
0.177(-0.061)(+0.055)</textual-form> 0.177-0.061+0.055 times the Earth's density between planets c and d. Using Bayesian interior structure retrieval models, we show that the amount of gas in the planets does not vary in a monotonous way, contrary to what one would expect from simple formation and evolution models and unlike other known systems in a chain of Laplace resonances. The brightness of TOI-178 (H = 8.76 mag, J = 9.37 mag, V = 11.95 mag) allows for a precise characterisation of its orbital architecture as well as of the physical nature of the six presently known transiting planets it harbours. The peculiar orbital configuration and the diversity in average density among the planets in the system will enable the study of interior planetary structures and atmospheric evolution, providing important clues on the formation of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes.
|
|
|
Lendl, M., Bouchy, F., Gill, S., Nielsen, L. D., Turner, O., Stassun, K., et al. (2020). TOI-222: a single-transit TESS candidate revealed to be a 34-d eclipsing binary with CORALIE, EulerCam, and NGTS. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 492(2), 1761–1769.
Abstract: We report the period, eccentricity, and mass determination for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) single-transit event candidate TOI-222, which displayed a single 3000 ppm transit in the TESS 2-min cadence data from Sector 2. We determine the orbital period via radial velocity measurements (P = 33.9 d), which allowed for ground-based photometric detection of two subsequent transits. Our data show that the companion to TOI-222 is a low-mass star, with a radius of 0.18(-0.10)(+0.39) R-circle dot and a mass of 0.23 +/- 0.01 M-circle dot. This discovery showcases the ability to efficiently discover long-period systems from TESS single-transit events using a combination of radial velocity monitoring coupled with high-precision ground-based photometry.
|
|
|
Nielsen, L. D., Brahm, R., Bouchy, F., Espinoza, N., Turner, O., Rappaport, S., et al. (2020). Three short-period Jupiters from TESS: HIP 65Ab, TOI-157b, and TOI-169b. Astron. Astrophys., 639, 17 pp.
Abstract: We report the confirmation and mass determination of three hot Jupiters discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission: HIP 65Ab (TOI-129, TIC-201248411) is an ultra-short-period Jupiter orbiting a bright (V = 11.1 mag) K4-dwarf every 0.98 days. It is a massive 3.213 +/- 0.078 M-J planet in a grazing transit configuration with an impact parameter of b = 1.17(-0.08)(+0.10) b=1.17-0.08+0.10 . As a result the radius is poorly constrained, 2.03(-0.49)(+0.61)R(J) 2.03-0.49+0.61 RJ . The planet's distance to its host star is less than twice the separation at which it would be destroyed by Roche lobe overflow. It is expected to spiral into HIP 65A on a timescale ranging from 80 Myr to a few gigayears, assuming a reduced tidal dissipation quality factor of Q(s)(') = 10(7) – 10(9) Qs ' =107-109 . We performed a full phase-curve analysis of the TESS data and detected both illumination- and ellipsoidal variations as well as Doppler boosting. HIP 65A is part of a binary stellar system, with HIP 65B separated by 269 AU (3.95 arcsec on sky). TOI-157b (TIC 140691463) is a typical hot Jupiter with a mass of 1.18 +/- 0.13 M-J and a radius of 1.29 +/- 0.02 R-J. It has a period of 2.08 days, which corresponds to a separation of just 0.03 AU. This makes TOI-157 an interesting system, as the host star is an evolved G9 sub-giant star (V = 12.7). TOI-169b (TIC 183120439) is a bloated Jupiter orbiting a V = 12.4 G-type star. It has a mass of 0.79 +/- 0.06 M-J and a radius of 1.09(-0.05)(+0.08)R(J) 1.09-0.05+0.08<mml:msub>RJ . Despite having the longest orbital period (P = 2.26 days) of the three planets, TOI-169b receives the most irradiation and is situated on the edge of the Neptune desert. All three host stars are metal rich with [Fe / H] ranging from 0.18 to0.24.
|
|
|
Nowak, G., Palle, E., Gandolfi, D., Deeg, H. J., Hirano, T., Barragan, O., et al. (2020). K2-280 b – a low density warm sub-Saturn around a mildly evolved star. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 497(4), 4423–4435.
Abstract: We present an independent discovery and detailed characterization of K2-280 b, a transiting low density warm sub-Saturn in a 19.9-d moderately eccentric orbit (e = 0.35(-0.04)(+0.05)) from K2 campaign 7. A joint analysis of high precision HARPS, HARPS-N, and FIES radial velocity measurements and K2 photometric data indicates that K2-280 b has a radius of R-b = 7.50 +/- 0.44 R-circle plus and a mass of M-b = 37.1 +/- 5.6 M-circle plus, yielding a mean density of rho(b) = 0.48(-0.10)(+0.13) g cm(-3). The host star is a mildly evolved G7 star with an effective temperature of T-eff = 5500 +/- 100 K, a surface gravity of log g(star) = 4.21 +/- 0.05 (cgs), and an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = 0.33 +/- 0.08 dex, and with an inferred mass of M-star = 1.03 +/- 0.03 M-circle dot and a radius of R-star = 1.28 +/- 0.07 R-circle dot. We discuss the importance of K2-280 b for testing formation scenarios of sub-Saturn planets and the current sample of this intriguing group of planets that are absent in the Solar system.
|
|
|
Osborn, A., Armstrong, D. J., Cale, B., Brahm, R., Wittenmyer, R. A., Dai, F., et al. (2021). TOI-431/HIP 26013: a super-Earth and a sub-Neptune transiting a bright, early K dwarf, with a third RV planet. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 507(2), 2782–2803.
Abstract: We present the bright (V-mag = 9.12), multiplanet system TOI-431, characterized with photometry and radial velocities (RVs). We estimate the stellar rotation period to be 30.5 +/- 0.7 d using archival photometry and RVs. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) objects of Interest (TOI)-431b is a super-Earth with a period of 0.49 d, a radius of 1.28 +/- 0.04 R-circle plus, a mass of 3.07 +/- 0.35 M-circle plus, and a density of 8.0 +/- 1.0 g cm(-3); TOI-431 d is a sub-Neptune with a period of 12.46 d, a radius of 3.29 +/- 0.09 R-circle plus, a mass of M-circle plus, and a density of 1.36 +/- 0.25 g cm(-3). We find a third planet, TOI-431c, in the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher RV data, but it is not seen to transit in the TESS light curves. It has an Msin i of M-circle plus, and a period of 4.85 d. TOI-431d likely has an extended atmosphere and is one of the most well-suited TESS discoveries for atmospheric characterization, while the super-Earth TOI-431b may be a stripped core. These planets straddle the radius gap, presenting an interesting case-study for atmospheric evolution, and TOI-431b is a prime TESS discovery for the study of rocky planet phase curves.
|
|
|
Psaridi, A., Bouchy, F., Lendl, M., Akinsanmi, B., Stassun, K. G., Smalley, B., et al. (2023). Three Saturn-mass planets transiting F-type stars revealed with TESS and HARPS TOI-615b, TOI-622b, and TOI-2641b. Astron. Astrophys., 675, A39.
Abstract: While the sample of confirmed exoplanets continues to grow, the population of transiting exoplanets around early-type stars is still limited. These planets allow us to investigate the planet properties and formation pathways over a wide range of stellar masses and study the impact of high irradiation on hot Jupiters orbiting such stars. We report the discovery of TOI-615b, TOI-622b, and TOI-2641b, three Saturn-mass planets transiting main sequence, F-type stars. The planets were identified by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and confirmed with complementary ground-based and radial velocity observations. TOI-615b is a highly irradiated (similar to 1277 F-circle dot) and bloated Saturn-mass planet (1.69(-0.06)(+0.05) R-Jup and 0.43(-0.08)(+0.09) M-Jup) in a 4.66 day orbit transiting a 6850 K star. TOI-622b has a radius of 0.82(-0.03)(+0.03) R-Jup and a mass of 0.30(-0.08)(+0.07) M-Jup in a 6.40 day orbit. Despite its high insolation flux (similar to 600 F-circle dot), TOI-622b does not show any evidence of radius inflation. TOI-2641b is a 0.39(-0.04)(+0.02) M-Jup planet in a 4.88 day orbit with a grazing transit (b = 1.04(-0.06)(+0.05)) that results in a poorly constrained radius of 1.61(-0.64)(+0.46) R-Jup. Additionally, TOI-615b is considered attractive for atmospheric studies via transmission spectroscopy with ground-based spectrographs and JWST. Future atmospheric and spin-orbit alignment observations are essential since they can provide information on the atmospheric composition, formation, and migration of exoplanets across various stellar types.
|
|
|
Psaridi, A., Bouchy, F., Lendl, M., Grieves, N., Stassun, K. G., Carmichael, T., et al. (2022). Three new brown dwarfs and a massive hot Jupiter revealed by TESS around early-type stars. Astron. Astrophys., 664, A94.
Abstract: ontext. The detection and characterization of exoplanets and brown dwarfs around massive AF-type stars is essential to investigate and constrain the impact of stellar mass on planet properties. However, such targets are still poorly explored in radial velocity (RV) surveys because they only feature a small number of stellar lines and those are usually broadened and blended by stellar rotation as well as stellar jitter. As a result, the available information about the formation and evolution of planets and brown dwarfs around hot stars is limited.
Aims. We aim to increase the sample and precisely measure the masses and eccentricities of giant planets and brown dwarfs transiting early-type stars detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Methods. We followed bright (V < 12 mag) stars with T-eff > 6200 K that host giant companions (R > 7R(circle plus)) using ground-based photometric observations as well as high precision radial velocity measurements from the CORALIE, CHIRON, TRES, FEROS, and MINERVA-Australis spectrographs.
Results. In the context of the search for exoplanets and brown dwarfs around early-type stars, we present the discovery of three brown dwarf companions, TOI-629b, TOI-1982b, and TOI-2543b, and one massive planet, TOI-1107b. From the joint analysis of TESS and ground-based photometry in combination with high precision radial velocity measurements, we find the brown dwarfs have masses between 66 and 68 M-Jup, periods between 7.54 and 17.17 days, and radii between 0.95 and 1.11 R-Jup. The hot Jupiter TOI-1107b has an orbital period of 4.08 days, a radius of 1.30 R-Jup, and a mass of 3.35 M-Jup. As a by-product of this program, we identified four low-mass eclipsing components (TOI-288b, TOI-446b, TOI-478b, and TOI-764b).
Conclusions. Both TOI-1107b and TOI-1982b present an anomalously inflated radius with respect to the age of these systems. TOI-629 is among the hottest stars with a known transiting brown dwarf. TOI-629b and T01-1982b are among the most eccentric brown dwarfs. The massive planet and the three brown dwarfs add to the growing population of well-characterized giant planets and brown dwarfs transiting AF-type stars and they reduce the apparent paucity.
|
|
|
Smith, A. M. S., Acton, J. S., Anderson, D. R., Armstrong, D. J., Bayliss, D., Belardi, C., et al. (2021). NGTS-14Ab: a Neptune-sized transiting planet in the desert. Astron. Astrophys., 646, A183.
Abstract: Context. The sub-Jovian, or Neptunian, desert is a previously identified region of parameter space where there is a relative dearth of intermediate-mass planets with short orbital periods.Aims. We present the discovery of a new transiting planetary system within the Neptunian desert, NGTS-14.Methods. Transits of NGTS-14Ab were discovered in photometry from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). Follow-up transit photometry was conducted from several ground-based facilities, as well as extracted from TESS full-frame images. We combine radial velocities from the HARPS spectrograph with the photometry in a global analysis to determine the system parameters.Results. NGTS-14Ab has a radius that is about 30 per cent larger than that of Neptune (0.444 +/- 0.030 R-Jup) and is around 70 per cent more massive than Neptune (0.092 +/- 0.012 M-Jup). It transits the main-sequence K1 star, NGTS-14A, with a period of 3.54 days, just far away enough to have maintained at least some of its primordial atmosphere. We have also identified a possible long-period stellar mass companion to the system, NGTS-14B, and we investigate the binarity of exoplanet host stars inside and outside the Neptunian desert using Gaia.
|
|