26 research outputs found
WEIRD: Wide-orbit Exoplanet search with InfraRed Direct imaging
We report results from the Wide-orbit Exoplanet search with InfraRed Direct
imaging (WEIRD), a survey designed to search for Jupiter-like companions on
very wide orbits (1000 to 5000 AU) around young stars (120 Myr) that are
known members of moving groups in the solar neighborhood (70 pc). Sharing
the same age, distance, and metallicity as their host while being on large
enough orbits to be studied as "isolated" objects make such companions prime
targets for spectroscopic observations and valuable benchmark objects for
exoplanet atmosphere models. The search strategy is based on deep imaging in
multiple bands across the near-infrared domain. For all 177 objects of our
sample, , , [3.6] and [4.5] images were obtained with
CFHT/MegaCam, GEMINI/GMOS, CFHT/WIRCam, GEMINI/Flamingos-2, and /IRAC.
Using this set of 4 images per target, we searched for sources with red
and colors, typically reaching good completeness
down to 2Mjup companions, while going down to 1Mjup for some targets, at
separations of AU. The search yielded 4 candidate companions with
the expected colors, but they were all rejected through follow-up proper motion
observations. Our results constrain the occurrence of 1-13 Mjup planetary-mass
companions on orbits with a semi-major axis between 1000 and 5000 AU at less
than 0.03, with a 95\% confidence level.Comment: 55 pages, 16 figures, accepted to A
Bayesian analysis to identify new star candidates in nearby young stellar kinematic groups
We present a new method based on a Bayesian analysis to identify new members
of nearby young kinematic groups. The analysis minimally takes into account the
position, proper motion, magnitude and color of a star, but other observables
can be readily added (e.g. radial velocity, distance). We use this method to
find new young low-mass stars in the \beta Pictoris (\beta PMG) and AB Doradus
(ABDMG) moving groups and in the TW Hydrae (TWA), Tucana-Horologium (THA),
Columba, Carina and Argus associations. Starting from a sample of 758 mid-KM
(K5V-M5V) stars showing youth indicators such as H\alpha\ and X-ray emission,
our analysis yields 215 new highly probable low-mass members of the kinematic
groups analyzed. One is in TWA, 37 in \beta PMG, 17 in THA, 20 in Columba, 6 in
Carina, 50 in Argus, 33 in ABDMG, and the remaining 51 candidates are likely
young but have an ambiguous membership to more than one association. The false
alarm rate for new candidates is estimated to be 5% for \beta PMG and TWA, 10%
for THA, Columba, Carina and Argus, and 14% for ABDMG. Our analysis confirms
the membership of 58 stars proposed in the literature. Firm membership
confirmation of our new candidates will require measurement of their radial
velocity (predicted by our analysis), parallax and lithium 6708 {\AA}
equivalent width. We have initiated these follow-up observations for a number
of candidates and we have identified two stars (2MASSJ0111+1526,
2MASSJ0524-1601) as very strong candidate members of the \beta PMG and one
strong candidate member (2MASSJ0533-5117) of the THA; these three stars have
radial velocity measurements confirming their membership and lithium detections
consistent with young age. Finally, we proposed that six stars should be
considered as new bona fide members of \beta PMG and ABDMG, one of which being
first identified in this work, the others being known candidates from the
literature.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
WEIRD: Wide-orbit Exoplanet Search with InfraRed Direct Imaging
We report results from the Wide-orbit Exoplanet search with InfraRed Direct imaging, or WEIRD, a survey designed to search for Jupiter-like companions on very wide orbits (1000–5000 au) around young stars (<120 Myr) that are known members of moving groups in the solar neighborhood (<70 pc). Companions that share the same age, distance, and metallicity as their host while being on large enough orbits to be studied as "isolated" objects make prime targets for spectroscopic observations, and they are valuable benchmark objects for exoplanet atmosphere models. The search strategy is based on deep imaging in multiple bands across the near-infrared domain. For all 177 objects of our sample, z_(ab)', J, [3.6], and [4.5] images were obtained with CFHT/MegaCam, GEMINI/GMOS, CFHT/WIRCam, GEMINI/Flamingos-2, and Spitzer/IRAC. Using this set of four images per target, we searched for sources with red z_(ab)' and [3.6]–[4.5] colors, typically reaching good completeness down to 2 M_(Jup) companions, while going down to 1 M_(Jup) for some targets, at separations of 1000–5000 au. The search yielded four candidate companions with the expected colors, but they were all rejected through follow-up proper motion observations. Our results constrain the occurrence of 1–13 M_(Jup) planetary-mass companions on orbits with a semimajor axis between 1000 and 5000 au at less than 0.03, with a 95% confidence level
New Mass and Radius Constraints on the LHS 1140 Planets -- LHS 1140 b is Either a Temperate Mini-Neptune or a Water World
The two-planet transiting system LHS 1140 has been extensively observed since
its discovery in 2017, notably with , HST, TESS, and ESPRESSO, placing
strong constraints on the parameters of the M4.5 host star and its small
temperate exoplanets, LHS 1140 b and c. Here, we reanalyse the ESPRESSO
observations of LHS 1140 with the novel line-by-line framework designed to
fully exploit the radial velocity content of a stellar spectrum while being
resilient to outlier measurements. The improved radial velocities, combined
with updated stellar parameters, consolidate our knowledge on the mass of LHS
1140 b (5.600.19 M) and LHS 1140 c (1.910.06 M)
with unprecedented precision of 3%. Transits from , HST, and TESS are
jointly analysed for the first time, allowing us to refine the planetary radii
of b (1.7300.025 R) and c (1.2720.026 R).
Stellar abundance measurements of refractory elements (Fe, Mg and Si) obtained
with NIRPS are used to constrain the internal structure of LHS 1140 b. This
planet is unlikely to be a rocky super-Earth as previously reported, but rather
a mini-Neptune with a 0.1% H/He envelope by mass or a water world with a
water-mass fraction between 9 and 19% depending on the atmospheric composition
and relative abundance of Fe and Mg. While the mini-Neptune case would not be
habitable, a water-abundant LHS 1140 b potentially has habitable surface
conditions according to 3D global climate models, suggesting liquid water at
the substellar point for atmospheres with relatively low CO concentration,
from Earth-like to a few bars.Comment: 31 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ