127 research outputs found
Characterising Young Visual M-dwarf Binaries with Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectra
We present the results from an integral field spectroscopy study of seven
close visual binary pairs of young M-dwarf multiple systems. The target systems
are part of the astrometric monitoring AstraLux program, surveying hundreds of
M-dwarf systems for multiplicity and obtaining astrometric epochs for orbital
constraints. Our new VLT/SINFONI data provides resolved spectral type
classification in the J, H and K bands for seven of these low-mass M-dwarf
binaries, which we determine by comparing them to empirical templates and
examining the strength of water absorption in the K-band. The medium resolution
K-band spectra also allows us to derive effective temperatures for the
individual components. All targets in the survey display several signs of
youth, and some have kinematics similar to young moving groups, or low surface
gravities which we determine from measuring equivalent widths of gravity
sensitive alkali lines in the J-band. Resolved photometry from our targets is
also compared with isochrones from theoretical evolutionary models, further
implying young ages. Dynamical masses will be provided from ongoing monitoring
of these systems, which can be seen as emblematic binary benchmarks that may be
used to calibrate evolutionary models for low-mass stars in the future.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 8 tables, preprint, accepted for publication in
A&
Independent confirmation of {\beta} Pictoris b imaging with NICI
Context. {\beta} Pictoris b is one of the most studied objects nowadays since
it was identified with VLT/NaCo as a bona-fide exoplanet with a mass of about 9
times that of Jupiter at an orbital separation of 8-9 AU. The link between the
planet and the dusty disk is unambiguously attested and this system provides an
opportunity to study the disk/planet interactions and to constrain formation
and evolutionary models of gas giant planets. Still, {\beta} Pictoris b had
never been confirmed with other telescopes so far. Aims. We aimed at an
independent confirmation using a different instrument. Methods. We retrieved
archive images from Gemini South obtained with the instrument NICI, which is
designed for high contrast imaging. The observations combine coronagraphy and
angular differential imaging and were obtained at three epochs in Nov. 2008,
Dec. 2009 and Dec. 2010. Results. We report the detection with NICI of the
planet {\beta} Pictoris b in Dec. 2010 images at a separation of 404 \pm 10 mas
and P A = 212.1 \pm 0.7{\deg} . It is the first time this planet is observed
with a telescope different than the VLT.Comment: Letter accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics on Feb.
21, 2013. 4 pages, 2 figure
HELIOS-Retrieval: An Open-source, Nested Sampling Atmospheric Retrieval Code, Application to the HR 8799 Exoplanets and Inferred Constraints for Planet Formation
We present an open-source retrieval code named HELIOS-Retrieval (hereafter
HELIOS-R), designed to obtain chemical abundances and temperature-pressure
profiles from inverting the measured spectra of exoplanetary atmospheres. In
the current implementation, we use an exact solution of the radiative transfer
equation, in the pure absorption limit, in our forward model, which allows us
to analytically integrate over all of the outgoing rays (instead of performing
Gaussian quadrature). Two chemistry models are considered: unconstrained
chemistry (where the mixing ratios are treated as free parameters) and
equilibrium chemistry (enforced via analytical formulae, where only the
elemental abundances are free parameters). The nested sampling algorithm allows
us to formally implement Occam's Razor based on a comparison of the Bayesian
evidence between models. We perform a retrieval analysis on the measured
spectra of the HR 8799b, c, d and e directly imaged exoplanets. Chemical
equilibrium is disfavored by the Bayesian evidence for HR 8799b, c and d. We
find supersolar C/O, C/H and O/H values for the outer HR 8799b and c
exoplanets, while the inner HR 8799d and e exoplanets have substellar C/O,
substellar C/H and superstellar O/H values. If these retrieved properties are
representative of the bulk compositions of the exoplanets, then they are
inconsistent with formation via gravitational instability (without late-time
accretion) and consistent with a core accretion scenario in which late-time
accretion of ices occurred differently for the inner and outer exoplanets. For
HR 8799e, we find that spectroscopy in the K band is crucial for constraining
C/O and C/H. HELIOS-R is publicly available as part of the Exoclimes Simulation
Platform (ESP; www.exoclime.org).Comment: 27 pages, 21 figures, 3 tables, published in A
An Enigmatic Pointlike Feature within the HD 169142 Transitional Disk
We report the detection of a faint pointlike feature possibly related to
ongoing planet-formation in the disk of the transition disk star HD 169142. The
pointlike feature has a mag(L)6.4, at a separation of 0.11"
and PA0. Given its lack of an H or K counterpart despite
its relative brightness, this candidate cannot be explained by purely
photospheric emission and must be a disk feature heated by an as yet unknown
source. Its extremely red colors make it highly unlikely to be a background
object, but future multi-wavelength followup is necessary for confirmation and
characterization of this feature.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Letters, see also Reggiani et al. 201
Weather on the Nearest Brown Dwarfs: Resolved Simultaneous Multi-Wavelength Variability Monitoring of WISE J104915.57-531906.1AB
We present two epochs of MPG/ESO 2.2m GROND simultaneous 6-band ()
photometric monitoring of the closest known L/T transition brown dwarf binary
WISE J104915.57-531906.1AB. We report here the first resolved variability
monitoring of both the T0.5 and L7.5 components. We obtained 4 hours of focused
observations on the night of UT 2013-04-22, as well as 4 hours of defocused
(unresolved) observations on the night of UT 2013-04-16. We note a number of
robust trends in our light curves. The and light curves appear to be
anticorrelated with and for the T0.5 component and in the unresolved
lightcurve. In the defocused dataset, appears correlated with and
and anticorrelated with and , while in the focused dataset we measure
no variability for at the level of our photometric precision, likely due to
evolving weather phenomena. In our focused T0.5 component lightcurve, the
band lightcurve displays a significant phase offset relative to both and
. We argue that the measured phase offsets are correlated with atmospheric
pressure probed at each band, as estimated from 1D atmospheric models. We also
report low-amplitude variability in and intrinsic to the L7.5
component.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted to ApJ Letter
Experimental Observation of Spatially Localized Dynamo Magnetic Fields
International audienceWe report the first experimental observation of a spatially localized dynamo magnetic field, a common feature of astrophysical dynamos and convective dynamo simulations. When the two propellers of the von Ka ́rma ́n sodium experiment are driven at frequencies that differ by 15%, the mean magnetic field's energy measured close to the slower disk is nearly 10 times larger than the one close to the faster one. This strong localization of the magnetic field when a symmetry of the forcing is broken is in good agreement with a prediction based on the interaction between a dipolar and a quadrupolar magnetic mode
Binaries among low-mass stars in nearby young moving groups
The solar galactic neighborhood contains a number of young co-moving associations of stars (known as young moving groups) with ages of ~10–150 Myr, which are prime targets for a range of scientific studies, including direct imaging planet searches. The late-type stellar populations of such groups still remain in their pre-main sequence phase, and are thus well suited for purposes such as isochronal dating. Close binaries are particularly useful in this regard since they allow for a model-independent dynamical mass determination. Here we present a dedicated effort to identify new close binaries in nearby young moving groups, through high-resolution imaging with the AstraLux Sur Lucky Imaging camera. We surveyed 181 targets, resulting in the detection of 61 companions or candidates, of which 38 are new discoveries. An interesting example of such a case is 2MASS J00302572-6236015 AB, which is a high-probability member of the Tucana-Horologium moving group, and has an estimated orbital period of less than 10 yr. Among the previously known objects is a serendipitous detection of the deuterium burning boundary circumbinary companion 2MASS J01033563-5515561 (AB)b in the z′ band, thereby extending the spectral coverage for this object down to near-visible wavelengths
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