65 research outputs found
A snapshot of the inner dusty regions of a RCrB-type variable
R Coronae Borealis variable stars are suspected to sporadically eject
optically thick dust clouds causing, when one of them lies on the
line-of-sight, a huge brightness decline in visible light. Mid-infrared
interferometric observations of RYSgr allowed us to explore the circumstellar
regions very close to the central star (~20-40 mas) in order to look for the
signature of any heterogeneities. Using the VLTI/MIDI instrument, five
dispersed visibility curves were recorded with different projected baselines
oriented towards two roughly perpendicular directions. The large spatial
frequencies visibility curves exhibit a sinusoidal shape whereas, at shorter
spatial frequencies visibility curves follow a Gaussian decrease. These
observations are well interpreted with a geometrical model consisting in a
central star surrounded by an extended circumstellar envelope in which one
bright cloud is embedded. Within this simple geometrical scheme, the inner
110AU dusty environment of RYSgr is dominated at the time of observations by a
single dusty cloud which, at 10mic represents ~10% of the total flux of the
whole system. The cloud is located at about 100stellar radii from the centre
toward the East-North-East direction (or the symmetric direction with respect
to centre) within a circumstellar envelope which FWHM is about 120stellar
radii. This first detection of a cloud so close to the central star, supports
the classical scenario of the RCrB brightness variations in the optical
spectral domain
Studying the vertical extent of the ground layer turbulence using sonic-anemometers
The optical turbulence above Dome C in winter is mainly concentrated in the first tens of meters above the ground. The properties of this so-called surface layer were investigated during the last two winterover by a set of sonics anemometers placed on a 45 m high tower. These anemometers provide measurements of the temperature and the wind speed vector. The sampling rate of 10 Hz allows to derivate the refractive index structure constant C_n^2. We report here the first analysis of these data
Optical Emission Band Morphologies of the Red Rectangle
We present narrow-band images of the Red Rectangle (RR) nebula which reveal
the distinct morphologies of this intriguing nebula in different optical
emission bands. The morphology of the RR nebula in blue luminescence (BL) and
extended red emission (ERE) are almost mutually exclusive. We also present the
optical detection of the circum-binary disk of the RR in the light of the BL.
The total intensities from the two optical band emissions (BL and ERE) when
summed over the nebula are of comparable magnitude. Their spatial distributions
with respect to the embedded illumination sources lead us to suggest that they
may be attributed to different ionization stages of the same family of
carriers.Comment: Accepted to Ap
A mid-infrared imaging survey of post-AGB stars
Post-AGB stars are key objects for the study of the dramatic morphological changes of low- to intermediate-mass stars on their evolution from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) towards the planetary nebula stage. There is growing evidences that binary interaction processes may very well have a determining role in the shaping process of many objects, but so far direct evidence is still weak. We aim at a systematic study of the dust distribution around a large sample of post-AGB stars as a probe of the symmetry breaking in the nebulae around these systems. We used imaging in the mid-infrared to study the inner part of these evolved stars to probe direct emission from dusty structures in the core of post-AGB stars in order to better understand their shaping mechanisms. We imaged a sample of 93 evolved stars and nebulae in the mid-infrared using VISIR/VLT, T-Recs/Gemini South and Michelle/Gemini North. We found that all the the proto-planetary nebulae we resolved show a clear departure from spherical symmetry. 59 out of the 93 observed targets appear to be non resolved. The resolved targets can be divided in two categories. The nebulae with a dense central core, that are either bipolar and multipolar. The nebulae with no central core have an elliptical morphology. The dense central torus observed likely host binary systems which triggered fast outflows that shaped the nebulae
Evidence for transit-timing variations of the 11 Myr exoplanet TOI-1227 b
TOI-1227 b is an 11 Myr old validated transiting planet in the middle of its contraction phase, with a current radius of 0.85 RJ. It orbits a low-mass pre-main sequence star (0.170 Mâ, 0.56 Râ) every 27.4 days. The magnetic activity of its young host star induces radial velocity jitter and prevents good measurements of the planetary mass. We gathered additional transit observations of TOI-1227 b with space- and ground-based telescopes, and we detected highly significant transit-timing variations (TTVs). Their amplitude is about 40 minutes and their dominant timescale is longer than 3.7 years. Their most probable origin is dynamical interactions with additional planets in the system. We modeled the TTVs with inner and outer perturbers near first and second order resonances; several orbital configurations provide an acceptable fit. More data are needed to determine the actual orbital configuration and eventually measure the planetary masses. These TTVs and an updated transit chromaticity analysis reinforce the evidence that TOI-1227 b is a planet
Validating AU Microscopii d with Transit Timing Variations
AU Mic is a young (22 Myr) nearby exoplanetary system that exhibits excess
TTVs that cannot be accounted for by the two known transiting planets nor
stellar activity. We present the statistical "validation" of the tentative
planet AU Mic d (even though there are examples of "confirmed" planets with
ambiguous orbital periods). We add 18 new transits and nine midpoint times in
an updated TTV analysis to prior work. We perform the joint modeling of transit
light curves using EXOFASTv2 and extract the transit midpoint times. Next, we
construct an O-C diagram and use Exo-Striker to model the TTVs. We generate TTV
log-likelihood periodograms to explore possible solutions for the period of
planet d and then follow those up with detailed TTV and RV MCMC modeling and
stability tests. We find several candidate periods for AU Mic d, all of which
are near resonances with AU Mic b and c of varying order. Based on our model
comparisons, the most-favored orbital period of AU Mic d is 12.73596+/-0.00793
days (T_{C,d}=2458340.55781+/-0.11641 BJD), which puts the three planets near a
4:6:9 mean-motion orbital resonance. The mass for d is 1.053+/-0.511 M_E,
making this planet Earth-like in mass. If confirmed, AU Mic d would be the
first known Earth-mass planet orbiting a young star and would provide a
valuable opportunity in probing a young terrestrial planet's atmosphere.
Additional TTV observation of the AU Mic system are needed to further constrain
the planetary masses, search for possible transits of AU Mic d, and detect
possible additional planets beyond AU Mic c.Comment: 89 pages, 35 figures, 34 tables. Redid EXOFASTv2 transit modeling to
recover more reasonable stellar posteriors, so redid Exo-Striker TTV modeling
for consistency. Despite these changes, the overall results remain unchanged:
the 12-7-day case is still the most favored. Submitted to AAS Journals on
2023 Feb 9t
Validating AU Microscopii d with Transit Timing Variations
AU Mic is a young (22 Myr), nearby exoplanetary system that exhibits excess transit timing variations (TTVs) that cannot be accounted for by the two known transiting planets nor stellar activity. We present the statistical âvalidationâ of the tentative planet AU Mic d (even though there are examples of âconfirmedâ planets with ambiguous orbital periods). We add 18 new transits and nine midpoint times in an updated TTV analysis to prior work. We perform the joint modeling of transit light curves using EXOFASTv2 and extract the transit midpoint times. Next, we construct an O â C diagram and use Exo-Striker to model the TTVs. We generate TTV log-likelihood periodograms to explore possible solutions for dâs period, then follow those up with detailed TTV and radial velocity Markov Chain Monte Carlo modeling and stability tests. We find several candidate periods for AU Mic d, all of which are near resonances with AU Mic b and c of varying order. Based on our model comparisons, the most-favored orbital period of AU Mic d is 12.73596 ± 0.00793 days ( T _C _,d = 2458340.55781 ± 0.11641 BJD), which puts the three planets near 4:6:9 mean-motion resonance. The mass for d is 1.053 ± 0.511 M _â , making this planet Earth-like in mass. If confirmed, AU Mic d would be the first known Earth-mass planet orbiting a young star and would provide a valuable opportunity in probing a young terrestrial planetâs atmosphere. Additional TTV observations of the AU Mic system are needed to further constrain the planetary masses, search for possible transits of AU Mic d, and detect possible additional planets beyond AU Mic c
TESS hunt for young and maturing exoplanets (THYME). VI. an 11 Myr giant planet transiting a very-low-mass star in lower centaurus crux
Mature super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are predicted to be â Jovian radius when younger than 10 Myr. Thus, we expect to find 5â15 Râ planets around young stars even if their older counterparts harbor none. We report the discovery and validation of TOI 1227b, a 0.85 ± 0.05 RJ (9.5 Râ) planet transiting a very-low-mass star (0.170 ± 0.015 Mâ) every 27.4 days. TOI 1227's kinematics and strong lithium absorption confirm that it is a member of a previously discovered subgroup in the Lower Centaurus Crux OB association, which we designate the Musca group. We derive an age of 11 ± 2 Myr for Musca, based on lithium, rotation, and the colorâmagnitude diagram of Musca members. The TESS data and ground-based follow-up show a deep (2.5%) transit. We use multiwavelength transit observations and radial velocities from the IGRINS spectrograph to validate the signal as planetary in nature, and we obtain an upper limit on the planet mass of â0.5 MJ. Because such large planets are exceptionally rare around mature low-mass stars, we suggest that TOI 1227b is still contracting and will eventually turn into one of the more common <5 Râ planets
TOI-199 b: A well-characterized 100-day transiting warm giant planet with TTVs seen from Antarctica
We present the spectroscopic confirmation and precise mass measurement of the
warm giant planet TOI-199 b. This planet was first identified in TESS
photometry and confirmed using ground-based photometry from ASTEP in Antarctica
including a full 6.5h long transit, PEST, Hazelwood, and LCO; space
photometry from NEOSSat; and radial velocities (RVs) from FEROS, HARPS,
CORALIE, and CHIRON. Orbiting a late G-type star, TOI-199\,b has a
period, a mass of
, and a radius of .
It is the first warm exo-Saturn with a precisely determined mass and radius.
The TESS and ASTEP transits show strong transit timing variations, pointing to
the existence of a second planet in the system. The joint analysis of the RVs
and TTVs provides a unique solution for the non-transiting companion TOI-199 c,
which has a period of and an estimated
mass of . This period places it within
the conservative Habitable Zone.Comment: 33 pages, 23 figures. Accepted for publication in A
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