122 research outputs found
SImMER: A Pipeline for Reducing and Analyzing Images of Stars
We present the first public version of SImMER, an open-source Python
reduction pipeline for astronomical images of point sources. Current
capabilities include dark-subtraction, flat-fielding, sky-subtraction, image
registration, FWHM measurement, contrast curve calculation, and table and plot
generation. SImMER supports observations taken with the ShARCS camera on the
Shane 3-m telescope and the PHARO camera on the Hale 5.1-m telescope. The
modular nature of SImMER allows users to extend the pipeline to accommodate
additional instruments with relative ease. One of the core functions of the
pipeline is its image registration module, which is flexible enough to reduce
saturated images and images of similar-brightness, resolved stellar binaries.
Furthermore, SImMER can compute contrast curves for reduced images and produce
publication-ready plots. The code is developed online at
\url{https://github.com/arjunsavel/SImMER} and is both pip- and
conda-installable. We develop tutorials and documentation alongside the code
and host them online. With SImMER, we aim to provide a community resource for
accurate and reliable data reduction and analysis.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. Accepted to PAS
A Closer Look at Exoplanet Occurrence Rates: Considering the Multiplicity of Stars without Detected Planets
One core goal of the Kepler mission was to determine the frequency of Earth-like planets that orbit Sun-like stars. Accurately estimating this planet occurrence rate requires both a well-vetted list of planets and a clear understanding of the stars searched for planets. Previous ground-based follow-up observations have, through a variety of methods, sought to improve our knowledge of stars that are known to host planets. Kepler targets without detected planets, however, have not been subjected to the same intensity of follow-up observations. In this paper, we constrain better the stellar multiplicity for stars around which Kepler could have theoretically detected a transiting Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone. We subsequently aim to improve estimates of the exoplanet search completeness—the fraction of exoplanets that were detected by Kepler—with our analysis. By obtaining adaptive optics observations of 71 Kepler target stars from the Shane 3 m telescope at Lick Observatory, we detected 14 candidate stellar companions within 4'' of 13 target stars. Of these 14 candidate stellar companions, we determine through multiple independent methods that 3 are likely to be bound to their corresponding target star. We then assess the impact of our observations on exoplanet occurrence rate calculations, finding an increase in occurrence of 6% (0.9σ) for various estimates of the frequency of Earth-like planets and an increase of 26% (4.5σ) for super-Earths and sub-Neptunes. These occurrence increases are not entirely commensurate with theoretical predictions, though this discrepancy may be due to differences in the treatment of stellar binarity
Spitzer phase curve observations and circulation models of the inflated ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76b
The large radii of many hot Jupiters can only be matched by models that have
hot interior adiabats, and recent theoretical work has shown that the interior
evolution of hot Jupiters has a significant impact on their atmospheric
structure. Due to its inflated radius, low gravity, and ultra-hot equilibrium
temperature, WASP-76b is an ideal case study for the impact of internal
evolution on observable properties. Hot interiors should most strongly affect
the non-irradiated side of the planet, and thus full phase curve observations
are critical to ascertain the effect of the interior on the atmospheres of hot
Jupiters. In this work, we present the first Spitzer phase curve observations
of WASP-76b. We find that WASP-76b has an ultra-hot day side and relatively
cold nightside with brightness temperatures of / at 3.6~\micron and / at 4.5~\micron, respectively. These results provide evidence
for a dayside thermal inversion. Both channels exhibit small phase offsets of
at 3.6~\micron and at
. We compare our observations to a suite of general
circulation models that consider two end-members of interior temperature along
with a broad range of frictional drag strengths. Strong frictional drag is
necessary to match the small phase offsets and cold nightside temperatures
observed. From our suite of cloud-free GCMs, we find that only cases with a
cold interior can reproduce the cold nightsides and large phase curve amplitude
at 4.5~\micron, hinting that the hot interior adiabat of WASP-76b does not
significantly impact its atmospheric dynamics or that clouds blanket its
nightside.Comment: 24 pages, 10 Figures, 5 Tables. Accepted to AJ. Co-First Author
Coherent Quantum Network of Superconducting Qubits as a Highly Sensitive Detector of Microwave Photons for Searching of Galactic Axions
We propose a novel approach to detect a low power microwave signal with a frequency of the order of several GHz based on a coherent collective response of quantum states occurring in a superconducting qubits network (SQN). An SQN composes of a large number of superconducting qubits embedded in a low-dissipative superconducting resonator. Our theory predicts that an SQN interacting with the off-resonance microwave radiation, demonstrates the collective alternating current Stark effect that can be measured even in the limit of single photon counting. A design of the layout of three terminals SQN detectors containing 10 flux qubits weakly coupled to a low-dissipative R-resonator and T-transmission line was developed. The samples were fabricated by Al-based technology with Nb resonator. The SQN detector was tested in terms of microwave measurements of scattering parameters and two-tone spectroscopy. A substantial shift of the frequency position of the transmission coefficient drop induced by a second tone pump signal was observed, and this effect clearly manifests a nonlinear multiphoton interaction between the second-tone microwave pump signal and an array of qubits
Evaluation of Biological Properties of New Selective Differential Medium for Cholera Vibrios Isolation Based on the Results of Laboratоry Trials
Previously developed selective differential medium for V. cholerae growth was modernized. The modernized medium called SDMV-M was shown to possess the required sensitivity and germination index. The growth of E. coli was entirely inhibited, that of P. vulgaris was inhibited considerably. The medium possessed good differentiating ability: orange V. cholerae colonies were clearly distinguished from concomitant microorganisms. In the laboratory trials SDMV-M demonstrated some advantages as regards V. cholerae isolation from contaminated faeces in comparison with the reference medium TCBS
TOI-969: a late-K dwarf with a hot mini-Neptune in the desert and an eccentric cold Jupiter
Context. The current architecture of a given multi-planetary system is a key fingerprint of its past formation and dynamical evolution history. Long-term follow-up observations are key to complete their picture. Aims. In this paper, we focus on the confirmation and characterization of the components of the TOI-969 planetary system, where TESS detected a Neptune-size planet candidate in a very close-in orbit around a late K-dwarf star. Methods. We use a set of precise radial velocity observations from HARPS, PFS, and CORALIE instruments covering more than two years in combination with the TESS photometric light curve and other ground-based follow-up observations to confirm and characterize the components of this planetary system. Results. We find that TOI-969 b is a transiting close-in (Pb ∼ 1.82 days) mini-Neptune planet (Formula Presented), placing it on the lower boundary of the hot-Neptune desert (Teq,b = 941 \ub1 31 K). The analysis of its internal structure shows that TOI-969 b is a volatile-rich planet, suggesting it underwent an inward migration. The radial velocity model also favors the presence of a second massive body in the system, TOI-969 c, with a long period of (Formula Presented) days, a minimum mass of (Formula Presented), and a highly eccentric orbit of (Formula Presented). Conclusions. The TOI-969 planetary system is one of the few around K-dwarfs known to have this extended configuration going from a very close-in planet to a wide-separation gaseous giant. TOI-969 b has a transmission spectroscopy metric of 93 and orbits a moderately bright (G = 11.3 mag) star, making it an excellent target for atmospheric studies. The architecture of this planetary system can also provide valuable information about migration and formation of planetary systems
TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME) VII : Membership, rotation, and lithium in the young cluster Group-X and a new young exoplanet
The public, all-sky surveys Gaia and TESS provide the ability to identify new
young associations and determine their ages. These associations enable study of
planetary evolution by providing new opportunities to discover young
exoplanets. A young association was recently identified by Tang et al. and
F{\"u}rnkranz et al. using astrometry from Gaia (called "Group-X" by the
former). In this work, we investigate the age and membership of this
association; and we validate the exoplanet TOI 2048 b, which was identified to
transit a young, late G dwarf in Group-X using photometry from TESS. We first
identified new candidate members of Group-X using Gaia EDR3 data. To infer the
age of the association, we measured rotation periods for candidate members
using TESS data. The clear color--period sequence indicates that the
association is the same age as the Myr-old NGC 3532. We obtained
optical spectra for candidate members that show lithium absorption consistent
with this young age. Further, we serendipitously identify a new, small
association nearby Group-X, which we call MELANGE-2. Lastly, we statistically
validate TOI 2048 b, which is \rearth\ radius planet on a 13.8-day
orbit around its 300 Myr-old host star.Comment: Revised to correct error in reported planet radius (original: 2.1
Earth radii, corrected: 2.6 Earth radii) and units for planetary radius ratio
entries in Table 8. All data tables available open-access with the AJ articl
A hot sub-Neptune in the desert and a temperate super-Earth around faint M dwarfs: Color validation of TOI-4479b and TOI-2081b
We report the discovery and validation of two TESS exoplanets orbiting faint
M dwarfs: TOI-4479b and TOI-2081b. We have jointly analyzed space (TESS
mission) and ground based (MuSCAT2, MuSCAT3 and SINISTRO instruments)
lightcurves using our multi-color photometry transit analysis pipeline. This
allowed us to compute contamination limits for both candidates and validate
them as planet-sized companions. We found TOI-4479b to be a sub-Neptune-sized
planet () and TOI-2081b to be a
super-Earth-sized planet ().
Furthermore, we obtained that TOI-4479b, with a short orbital period of
, lies within the Neptune desert and is
in fact the largest nearly ultra-short period planet around an M dwarf known to
date. These results make TOI-4479b rare among the currently known exoplanet
population around M dwarf stars, and an especially interesting target for
spectroscopic follow-up and future studies of planet formation and evolution.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy&Astrophysic
TOI-1634 b: An Ultra-short-period Keystone Planet Sitting inside the M-dwarf Radius Valley
Studies of close-in planets orbiting M dwarfs have suggested that the M dwarf
radius valley may be well-explained by distinct formation timescales between
enveloped terrestrials, and rocky planets that form at late times in a
gas-depleted environment. This scenario is at odds with the picture that
close-in rocky planets form with a primordial gaseous envelope that is
subsequently stripped away by some thermally-driven mass loss process. These
two physical scenarios make unique predictions of the rocky/enveloped
transition's dependence on orbital separation such that studying the
compositions of planets within the M dwarf radius valley may be able to
establish the dominant physics. Here, we present the discovery of one such
keystone planet: the ultra-short period planet TOI-1634 b ( days,
, ) orbiting a
nearby M2 dwarf (, , ) and
whose size and orbital period sit within the M dwarf radius valley. We confirm
the TESS-discovered planet candidate using extensive ground-based follow-up
campaigns, including a set of 32 precise radial velocity measurements from
HARPS-N. We measure a planetary mass of ,
which makes TOI-1634 b inconsistent with an Earth-like composition at
and thus requires either an extended gaseous envelope, a large
volatile-rich layer, or a rocky portion that is not dominated by iron and
silicates to explain its mass and radius. The discovery that the bulk
composition of TOI-1634 b is inconsistent with that of the Earth favors the
gas-depleted formation mechanism to explain the emergence of the radius valley
around M dwarfs with
A super-Earth and a sub-Neptune orbiting the bright, quiet M3 dwarf TOI-1266
We report the discovery and characterisation of a super-Earth and a sub-Neptune transiting the bright (K = 8.8), quiet, and nearby (37 pc) M3V dwarf TOI-1266. We validate the planetary nature of TOI-1266 b and c using four sectors of TESS photometry and data from the newly-commissioned 1-m SAINT-EX telescope located in San Pedro Mártir (México). We also include additional ground-based follow-up photometry as well as high-resolution spectroscopy and high-angular imaging observations. The inner, larger planet has a radius of R = 2.37_(−0.12)^(+0.16) R_⊕ and an orbital period of 10.9 days. The outer, smaller planet has a radius of R = 1.56_(−0.13)^(+0.15) R_⊕ on an 18.8-day orbit. The data are found to be consistent with circular, co-planar and stable orbits that are weakly influenced by the 2:1 mean motion resonance. Our TTV analysis of the combined dataset enables model-independent constraints on the masses and eccentricities of the planets. We find planetary masses of M_p = 13.5_(−9.0)^(+11.0) M_⊕ (<36.8 M_⊕ at 2-σ) for TOI-1266 b and 2.2_(−1.5)^(+2.0) M_⊕ (<5.7 M_⊕ at 2-σ) for TOI-1266 c. We find small but non-zero orbital eccentricities of 0.09_(−0.05)^(+0.06) (<0.21 at 2-σ) for TOI-1266 b and 0.04 ± 0.03 (< 0.10 at 2-σ) for TOI-1266 c. The equilibrium temperatures of both planets are of 413 ± 20 and 344 ± 16 K, respectively, assuming a null Bond albedo and uniform heat redistribution from the day-side to the night-side hemisphere. The host brightness and negligible activity combined with the planetary system architecture and favourable planet-to-star radii ratios makes TOI-1266 an exquisite system for a detailed characterisation
- …