574 research outputs found
Adaptive Optics Images of Kepler Objects of Interest
All transiting planets are at risk of contamination by blends with nearby,
unresolved stars. Blends dilute the transit signal, causing the planet to
appear smaller than it really is, or produce a false positive detection when
the target star is blended with eclipsing binary stars. This paper reports on
high spatial-resolution adaptive optics images of 90 Kepler planetary
candidates. Companion stars are detected as close as 0.1 arcsec from the target
star. Images were taken in the near-infrared (J and Ks bands) with ARIES on the
MMT and PHARO on the Palomar Hale 200-inch. Most objects (60%) have at least
one star within 6 arcsec separation and a magnitude difference of 9. Eighteen
objects (20%) have at least one companion within 2 arcsec of the target star; 6
companions (7%) are closer than 0.5 arcsec. Most of these companions were
previously unknown, and the associated planetary candidates should receive
additional scrutiny. Limits are placed on the presence of additional companions
for every system observed, which can be used to validate planets statistically
using the BLENDER method. Validation is particularly critical for low-mass,
potentially Earth-like worlds, which are not detectable with current-generation
radial velocity techniques. High-resolution images are thus a crucial component
of any transit follow-up program.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted to A
Accretion-Induced Lithium Line Enhancements in Classical T Tauri Stars: RW Aur
It is widely accepted that much of the stochastic variability of T Tauri
stars is due to accretion by a circumstellar disk. The emission line spectrum
as well as the excess continuum emission are common probes of this process. In
this communication, we present additional probes of the circumstellar
environment in the form of resonance lines of low ionization potential
elements. Using a set of 14 high resolution echelle observations of the
classical T Tauri star (CTTS), RW Aur, taken between 1986 and 1996, we
carefully measure the continuum veiling at each epoch by comparing more than
500 absorption lines with those of an appropriate template. This allows us to
accurately subtract out the continuum emission and to recover the underlying
photospheric spectrum. In doing so, we find that selected photospheric lines
are enhanced by the accretion process, namely the resonance lines of LiI and
KI. A resonance line of TiI and a low excitation potential line of CaI also
show weak enhancements. Simple slab models and computed line bisectors lead us
to propose that these line enhancements are markers of cool gas at the
beginning of the accretion flow which provides an additional source of line
opacity. These results suggest that published values of surface lithium
abundances of classical T Tauri stars are likely to be overestimated. This
would account for the various reports of surface lithium abundances in excess
of meteoritic values among the extreme CTTS. Computing LTE lithium abundances
of RW Aur in a low and then high accretion state yields abundances which vary
by one order of magnitude. The low accretion state lithium abundance is
consistent with theoretical predictions for a star of this age and mass while
the high accretion state spectrum yields a super-meteoritic lithium abundance.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, accepted by Ap
Evaluation of Microencapsulation of The UFV-AREG1 Bacteriophage in Alginate-Ca Microcapsules using Microfluidic Devices
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the emergence of resistant
microorganisms have become a major challenge for the food industry. The purpose
of this work was to microencapsulate the bacteriophage UFV-AREG1 in a calcium
alginate matrix using microfluidic devices and to study the viability and
efficiency of retention. The microcapsules were added to gel of propylene
glycol for use as an antimicrobial in the food industry. The technique showed
the number of the phage encapsulation, yielding drops with an average 100-250
m of diameter, 82.1 2% retention efficiency and stability in the gel
matrix for 21 days. The gel added to the microencapsulated phage showed
efficiency (not detectable on the surface) in reducing bacterial contamination
on the surface at a similar level to antimicrobial chemicals (alcohol 70%).
Therefore, it was possible to microencapsulate bacteriophages in alginate-Ca
and apply the microcapsules in gels for use as sanitizers in the food industry.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
TW Hydrae: evidence of stellar spots instead of a Hot Jupiter
TW Hydrae shows significant radial-velocity variations in the optical regime.
They have been attributed to a 10 Jupiter Mass planet orbiting the star at 0.04
AU. In this work, we have tested whether the observed RV variations can be
caused by stellar spots. We have also analyzed new optical and infrared data to
confirm the signal of the planet companion. We fitted the RV variations of TW
Hya using a cool spot model. Our model shows that a cold spot covering 7% of
the stellar surface and located at a latitude of 54 deg can reproduce the
reported RV variations. The model also predicts a bisector semi-amplitude
variation <10 m/s, which is less than the errors of the RV measurements
discussed in an earlier publication. The analysis of new optical RV data, with
typical errors of 10 m/s, shows a larger RV amplitude that varies depending on
the correlation mask used. A slight correlation between the RV variation and
the bisector is also observed, although not at a very significant level. The
infrared H-band RV curve is almost flat, showing a small variation (<35 m/s)
that is not consistent with the optical orbit. All these results support the
spot scenario rather than the presence of a hot Jupiter around TW Hya.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
Variability of Southern T Tauri Stars I: The Continuum and the H Inverse PCygni Profile of GQ LUPI
We present time series spectrophotometric observations of GQ Lupi, a typical
representative of the YY Ori subgroup of T Tauri stars that show conspicuous
inverse PCygni profiles. The data set consists of 32 exposures taken over 5 and
8 consecutive nights of May and July 1998, respectively, and covers the
spectral range of 3100 \AA~ \AA. The region redward and
next to the Balmer jump varies significantly on a night-to-night basis and the
amplitude of such variability decreases sharply at 4600 \AA. The
Balmer continuum slope indicates that the spectral energy distribution is
governed by a gas of temperature greater than that of the stellar photosphere.
We find an anticorrelation between the veiling and the observed Balmer jump.
The time series of the redward absorption component behaves similarly to the
veiling time series. We model the emitting region by a gas of uniform
temperature and density. The models indicate that the gas densities and the
respective temperatures are strongly anticorrelated. In addition, the model
time series show that the increase in the gas density is mirrored by an
increase of the projected emitting area (filling factor). Large/small gas
densities and filling factors are characterized by high/low observed veiling.
As the accretion rate fades from night-to-night, the observed veiling
decreases, as does the gas density and the total projected emitting area.Comment: 26 pages, 14 postscript figures, ApJ accepte
The impact of spectral line wing cut-off : recommended standard method with application to MAESTRO opacity data base
KLC acknowledges funding from STFC under project number ST/V000861/1.When computing cross-sections from a line list, the result depends not only on the line strength, but also the line shape, pressure-broadening parameters, and line wing cut-off (i.e. the maximum distance calculated from each line centre). Pressure-broadening can be described using the Lorentz line shape, but it is known to not represent the true absorption in the far wings. Both theory and experiment have shown that far from the line centre, non-Lorentzian behaviour controls the shape of the wings and the Lorentz line shape fails to accurately characterize the absorption, leading to an underestimation or overestimation of the opacity continuum depending on the molecular species involved. The line wing cut-off is an often overlooked parameter when calculating absorption cross-sections, but can have a significant effect on the appearance of the spectrum since it dictates the extent of the line wing that contributes to the calculation either side of every line centre. Therefore, when used to analyse exoplanet and brown dwarf spectra, an inaccurate choice for the line wing cut-off can result in errors in the opacity continuum, which propagate into the modelled transit spectra, and ultimately impact/bias the interpretation of observational spectra, and the derived composition and thermal structure. Here, we examine the different methods commonly utilized to calculate the wing cut-off and propose a standard practice procedure (i.e. absolute value of 25 cm−1 for P ≤ 200 bar and 100 cm−1 for P > 200 bar) to generate molecular opacities which will be used by the open-access MAESTRO (Molecules and Atoms in Exoplanet Science: Tools and Resources for Opacities) data base. The pressing need for new measurements and theoretical studies of the far-wings is highlighted.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
TW Hya: Spectral Variability, X-Rays, and Accretion Diagnostics
The nearest accreting T Tauri star, TW Hya was observed with spectroscopic
and photometric measurements simultaneous with a long se gmented exposure using
the CHANDRA satellite. Contemporaneous optical photometry from WASP-S indicates
a 4.74 day period was present during this time. Absence of a similar
periodicity in the H-alpha flux and the total X-ray flux points to a different
source of photometric variations. The H-alpha emission line appears
intrinsically broad and symmetric, and both the profile and its variability
suggest an origin in the post-shock cooling region. An accretion event,
signaled by soft X-rays, is traced spectroscopically for the first time through
the optical emission line profiles. After the accretion event, downflowing
turbulent material observed in the H-alpha and H-beta lines is followed by He I
(5876A) broadening. Optical veiling increases with a delay of about 2 hours
after the X-ray accretion event. The response of the stellar coronal emission
to an increase in the veiling follows about 2.4 hours later, giving direct
evidence that the stellar corona is heated in part by accretion. Subsequently,
the stellar wind becomes re-established. We suggest a model that incorporates
this sequential series of events: an accretion shock, a cooling downflow in a
supersonically turbulent region, followed by photospheric and later, coronal
heating. This model naturally explains the presence of broad optical and
ultraviolet lines, and affects the mass accretion rates determined from
emission line profiles.Comment: 61 pages; 22 figures; to appear in The Astrophysical Journa
Mass-radius relationships for exoplanets
For planets other than Earth, interpretation of the composition and structure
depends largely on comparing the mass and radius with the composition expected
given their distance from the parent star. The composition implies a
mass-radius relation which relies heavily on equations of state calculated from
electronic structure theory and measured experimentally on Earth. We lay out a
method for deriving and testing equations of state, and deduce mass-radius and
mass-pressure relations for key materials whose equation of state is reasonably
well established, and for differentiated Fe/rock. We find that variations in
the equation of state, such as may arise when extrapolating from low pressure
data, can have significant effects on predicted mass- radius relations, and on
planetary pressure profiles. The relations are compared with the observed
masses and radii of planets and exoplanets. Kepler-10b is apparently 'Earth-
like,' likely with a proportionately larger core than Earth's, nominally 2/3 of
the mass of the planet. CoRoT-7b is consistent with a rocky mantle over an
Fe-based core which is likely to be proportionately smaller than Earth's. GJ
1214b lies between the mass-radius curves for H2O and CH4, suggesting an 'icy'
composition with a relatively large core or a relatively large proportion of
H2O. CoRoT-2b is less dense than the hydrogen relation, which could be
explained by an anomalously high degree of heating or by higher than assumed
atmospheric opacity. HAT-P-2b is slightly denser than the mass-radius relation
for hydrogen, suggesting the presence of a significant amount of matter of
higher atomic number. CoRoT-3b lies close to the hydrogen relation. The
pressure at the center of Kepler-10b is 1.5+1.2-1.0 TPa. The central pressure
in CoRoT-7b is probably close to 0.8TPa, though may be up to 2TPa.Comment: Added more recent exoplanets. Tidied text and references. Added extra
"rock" compositions. Responded to referee comment
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