Perspectives of the Radial Velocity Method: Physical Modeling of the Wavelength Solution & Exoplanetary Detections around Giant Stars

First, I present the design and construction of the Front-end of the Waltz Spectrograph. I designed upgrades in the system to optimize its mechanical stability and light coupling efficiency. To improve the instrument performance, I changed the original spectrograph fiber for one with slightly larger core and better focal ratio degradation, providing a spectral resolving power of 60.000, a mean spectral sampling of 2.6 pixels and only 5% losses due to focal ratio degradation. In the second part I present a ray tracing software that calculates the optical path of individual rays through an echelle spectrograph from the slit to the detector. By including the effects of the environment on the physical properties of the optical elements that compose the spectrograph, I am able to reproduce some of the trends observed in the time series of the spectral line positions of the calibration data. Finally, I report the discovery of two planets orbiting the stars HD 25723 and 17 Sco and two planet candidates orbiting 3 Cnc and 44 Uma. Also, I investigate the planet occurrence rates as a function of evolutionary stage for two surveys, Lick and EXPRESS, concluding that there is no strong effect of stellar evolution in planet occurrence rates

Three Warm Jupiters around Solar-analog Stars Detected with TESS*

We report the discovery and characterization of three giant exoplanets orbiting solar-analog stars, detected by the TESS space mission and confirmed through ground-based photometry and radial velocity measurements taken at La Silla observatory with FEROS. TOI-2373 b is a warm Jupiter orbiting its host star every ∼13.3 days, and is one of the most massive known exoplanet with a precisely determined mass and radius around a star similar to the Sun, with an estimated mass of m _p = ${9.3}_{-0.2}^{+0.2}\,{M}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ and a radius of r _p = ${0.93}_{-0.2}^{+0.2}\,{R}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ . With a mean density of $\rho ={14.4}_{-1.0}^{+0.9}\,{\rm{g}}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ , TOI-2373 b is among the densest planets discovered so far. TOI-2416 b orbits its host star on a moderately eccentric orbit with a period of ∼8.3 days and an eccentricity of e = ${0.32}_{-0.02}^{+0.02}$ . TOI-2416 b is more massive than Jupiter with m _p = ${3.0}_{-0.09}^{+0.10}\,{M}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ , however is significantly smaller with a radius of r _p = ${0.88}_{-0.02}^{+0.02},{R}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ , leading to a high mean density of $\rho ={5.4}_{-0.3}^{+0.3}\,{\rm{g}}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ . TOI-2524 b is a warm Jupiter near the hot Jupiter transition region, orbiting its star every ∼7.2 days on a circular orbit. It is less massive than Jupiter with a mass of m _p = ${0.64}_{-0.04}^{+0.04}\,{M}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ , and is consistent with an inflated radius of r _p = ${1.00}_{-0.03}^{+0.02}\,{R}_{\mathrm{jup}}$ , leading to a low mean density of $\rho ={0.79}_{-0.08}^{+0.08}\,{\rm{g}}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ . The newly discovered exoplanets TOI-2373 b, TOI-2416 b, and TOI-2524 b have estimated equilibrium temperatures of ${860}_{-10}^{+10}$ K, ${1080}_{-10}^{+10}$ K, and ${1100}_{-20}^{+20}$ K, respectively, placing them in the sparsely populated transition zone between hot and warm Jupiters

A long-period transiting substellar companion in the super-Jupiters to brown dwarfs mass regime and a prototypical warm-Jupiter detected by TESS

We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant, in the transition between the super-Jupiters and brown-dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480+0.0004−0.0005 d, Mp = 12.74+1.01−1.01 MJ, Rp =1.026+0.065−0.067 RJ and e = 0.018+0.004−0.004 . In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the ∼ 350 m s−1 yr−1level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949+0.0003−0.0003 d, Mp =2.340+0.197−0.195 MJ, Rp = 1.030+0.050−0.050 RJ and e = 0.021+0.024−0.015 , making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant 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 6.5$\,$h 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 $\mathrm{104.854_{-0.002}^{+0.001} \, d}$ period, a mass of $\mathrm{0.17\pm0.02 \, M_J}$, and a radius of $\mathrm{0.810\pm0.005 \, R_J}$. 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 $\mathrm{273.69_{-0.22}^{+0.26} \, d}$ and an estimated mass of $\mathrm{0.28_{-0.01}^{+0.02} \, M_J}$. This period places it within the conservative Habitable Zone.Comment: 33 pages, 23 figures. Accepted for publication in A

Precise radial velocities of giant stars

Context. More than 100 exoplanets have been discovered around K and G giant stars, and their properties differ considerably from those of the planets found orbiting Sun-like and late-type main-sequence stars. This allows us to study the properties of planetary systems after the host star has evolved off the main-sequence, and it helps us to constrain planetary formation and evolution models. Aims. Our aim is to find out whether the long-period radial velocity variations observed in four giant stars of the Lick survey are caused by orbiting planets, and to study the properties of the planet population as a function of the stellar evolutionary stage. Methods. We analyzed 12 yr of precise radial velocity data for four stars of the Lick sample. In addition, we compared the planet frequency as a function of the evolutionary stage for two surveys, Lick and Express, based on the evolutionary stages derived using Bayesian inference. Results. We report the discovery of two new exoplanets and three exoplanet candidates orbiting giant stars. The best Keplerian fits to the data yield minimum masses of 2.5 MJ and 4.3 MJ for the planets orbiting HD 25723 and 17 Sco, respectively. The minimum masses of an additional candidate around HD 25723, and of planet candidates around 3 Cnc and 44 UMa, would be 1.3 MJ, 20.7 MJ, and 12.1 MJ, respectively. In addition, we compute planet frequencies for the Lick and Express samples as a function of the evolutionary stage. Within each sample, the planet frequency for the horizontal branch stars is the same as for the red giant branch stars. Conclusions. We have discovered two new exoplanets and three new exoplanet candidates, one of them being the second planet in a possible multi-planetary system. Based on our derived planet frequencies, we conclude that stellar evolution does not affect the number of observable planets between the red-giant and horizontal-branch evolutionary stages

A long-period transiting substellar companion in the super-Jupiters to brown dwarfs mass regime and a prototypical warm-Jupiter detected by TESS

We report on the confirmation and follow-up characterization of two long-period transiting substellar companions on low-eccentricity orbits around TIC 4672985 and TOI-2529, whose transit events were detected by the TESS space mission. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic follow-up from different facilities, confirmed the substellar nature of TIC 4672985 b, a massive gas giant in the transition between the super-Jupiters and brown dwarfs mass regime. From the joint analysis we derived the following orbital parameters: P = 69.0480₋₀.₀₀₀₅⁺⁰.⁰⁰⁰⁴ d, Mₚ = 12.74₋₁.₀₁⁺¹.⁰¹ Mⱼ, Rₚ = 1.026₋₀.₀₆₇⁺⁰.⁰⁶⁵ Rⱼ and e = 0.018₋₀.₀₀₄⁺⁰.⁰⁰⁴. In addition, the RV time series revealed a significant trend at the ~350 m s−1 yr−1 level, which is indicative of the presence of a massive outer companion in the system. TIC 4672985 b is a unique example of a transiting substellar companion with a mass above the deuterium-burning limit, located beyond 0.1 AU and in a nearly circular orbit. These planetary properties are difficult to reproduce from canonical planet formation and evolution models. For TOI-2529 b, we obtained the following orbital parameters: P = 64.5949₋₀.₀₀₀₃⁺⁰.⁰⁰⁰³ d, Mₚ = 2.340₋₀.₁₉₅⁺⁰.¹⁹⁷ Mⱼ, Rₚ = 1.030₋₀.₀₅₀⁺⁰.⁰⁵⁰ Rⱼ and e = 0.021₋₀.₀₁₅⁺⁰.⁰²⁴, making this object a new example of a growing population of transiting warm giant planets.ISSN:0004-6361ISSN:1432-074

NGTS-11 b / TIC-54002556 b: A transiting warm Saturn recovered from a TESS single-transit event

We report the discovery of NGTS-11 b (=TIC-54002556 b), a transiting Saturn in a 35.46-day orbit around a mid K-type star (Teff=5050+-80 K). The system was initially identified from a single-transit event in our TESS full-frame image light-curves. Following seventy-nine nights of photometric monitoring with an NGTS telescope, we observed a second full transit of NGTS-11 b approximately one year after the TESS single-transit event. The NGTS transit confirmed the parameters of the transit signal and restricted the orbital period to a set of 13 discrete periods. We combined our transit detections with precise radial velocity measurements to determine the true orbital period and measure the mass of the planet. We find NGTS-11 b has a radius of 0.823+-0.035 RJup, a mass of 0.37+-0.14 MJup, and an equilibrium temperature of just 440+-40 K, making it one of the coolest known transiting gas giants. NGTS-11 b is the first exoplanet to be discovered after being initially identified as a TESS single transit event, and its discovery highlights the power of intense photometric monitoring in recovering longer-period transiting exoplanets from single-transit events

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortiu (INICC) report, data summary of 43 countries for 2007-2012. Device-associated module

We report the results of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2007-December 2012 in 503 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) U.S. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care–associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 605,310 patients hospitalized in the INICC's ICUs for an aggregate of 3,338,396 days. Although device utilization in the INICC's ICUs was similar to that reported from ICUs in the U.S. in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals: the pooled rate of central line–associated bloodstream infection in the INICC's ICUs, 4.9 per 1,000 central line days, is nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.9 per 1,000 central line days reported from comparable U.S. ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher (16.8 vs 1.1 per 1,000 ventilator days) as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.5 vs 1.3 per 1,000 catheter days). Frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (42.8% vs 10%) and imipenem (42.4% vs 26.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (71.2% vs 28.8%) and imipenem (19.6% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC's ICUs compared with the ICUs of the CDC's NHSN