608 research outputs found
III.2 Activity modelling and impact on planet’s parameters
This book is dedicated to all the people interested in the CoRoT mission and the beautiful data that were delivered during its six year duration. Either amateurs, professional, young or senior researchers, they will find treasures not only at the time of this publication but also in the future twenty or thirty years. It presents the data in their final version, explains how they have been obtained, how to handle them, describes the tools necessary to understand them, and where to find them. It also highlights the most striking first results obtained up to now. CoRoT has opened several unexpected directions of research and certainly new ones still to be discovered
Improved parameters of seven Kepler giant companions characterized with SOPHIE and HARPS-N
Radial-velocity observations of Kepler candidates obtained with the SOPHIE
and HARPS-N spectrographs have permitted unveiling the nature of the five giant
planets Kepler-41b, Kepler-43b, Kepler-44b, Kepler-74b, and Kepler-75b, the
massive companion Kepler-39b, and the brown dwarf KOI-205b. These companions
were previously characterized with long-cadence (LC) Kepler data. Here we aim
at refining the parameters of these transiting systems by i) modelling the
published radial velocities (RV) and Kepler short-cadence (SC) data that
provide a much better sampling of the transits, ii) performing new spectral
analyses of the SOPHIE and ESPaDOnS spectra, and iii) improving stellar
rotation periods hence stellar age estimates through gyrochronology, when
possible. Posterior distributions of the system parameters were derived with a
differential evolution Markov chain Monte Carlo approach. Our main results are
as follows: a) Kepler-41b is significantly larger and less dense than
previously found because a lower orbital inclination is favoured by SC data.
This also affects the determination of the geometric albedo that is lower than
previously derived: Ag < 0.135; b) Kepler-44b is moderately smaller and denser
than reported in the discovery paper; c) good agreement was achieved with
published Kepler-43, Kepler-75, and KOI-205 system parameters, although the
host stars Kepler-75 and KOI-205 were found to be slightly richer in metals and
hotter, respectively; d) the previously reported non-zero eccentricities of
Kepler-39b and Kepler-74b might be spurious. If their orbits were circular, the
two companions would be smaller and denser than in the eccentric case. The
radius of Kepler-39b is still larger than predicted by theoretical isochrones.
Its parent star is hotter and richer in metals than previously determined.
[ABRIDGED]Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
PASTIS: Bayesian extrasolar planet validation II. Constraining exoplanet blend scenarios using spectroscopic diagnoses
The statistical validation of transiting exoplanets proved to be an efficient
technique to secure the nature of small exoplanet signals which cannot be
established by purely spectroscopic means. However, the spectroscopic diagnoses
are providing us with useful constraints on the presence of blended stellar
contaminants. In this paper, we present how a contaminating star affects the
measurements of the various spectroscopic diagnoses as function of the
parameters of the target and contaminating stars using the model implemented
into the PASTIS planet-validation software. We find particular cases for which
a blend might produce a large radial velocity signal but no bisector variation.
It might also produce a bisector variation anti-correlated with the radial
velocity one, as in the case of stellar spots. In those cases, the full width
half maximum variation provides complementary constraints. These results can be
used to constrain blend scenarios for transiting planet candidates or radial
velocity planets. We review all the spectroscopic diagnoses reported in the
literature so far, especially the ones to monitor the line asymmetry. We
estimate their uncertainty and compare their sensitivity to blends. Based on
that, we recommend the use of BiGauss which is the most sensitive diagnosis to
monitor line-profile asymmetry. In this paper, we also investigate the
sensitivity of the radial velocities to constrain blend scenarios and develop a
formalism to estimate the level of dilution of a blended signal. Finally, we
apply our blend model to re-analyse the spectroscopic diagnoses of HD16702, an
unresolved face-on binary which exhibits bisector variations.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates VI. An additional companion in the KOI-13 system
We report the discovery of a new stellar companion in the KOI-13 system.
KOI-13 is composed by two fast-rotating A-type stars of similar magnitude. One
of these two stars hosts a transiting planet discovered by Kepler. We obtained
new radial velocity measurements using the SOPHIE spectrograph at the
Observatoire de Haute-Provence that revealed an additional companion in this
system. This companion has a mass between 0.4 and 1 Msun and orbits one of the
two main stars with a period of 65.831 \pm 0.029 days and an eccentricity of
0.52 \pm 0.02. The radial velocities of the two stars were derived using a
model of two fast-rotating line profiles. From the residuals, we found a hint
of the stellar variations seen in the Kepler light curve with an amplitude of
about 1.41 km/s and a period close to the rotational period. This signal
appears to be about three order of magnitude larger than expected for stellar
activity. From the analysis of the residuals, we also put a 3-sigma upper-limit
on the mass of the transiting planet KOI-13.01 of 14.8 Mjup and 9.4 Mjup,
depending on which star hosts the transit. We found that this new companion has
no significant impact on the photometric determination of the mass of KOI-13.01
but is expected to affect precise infrared photometry. Finally, using dynamical
simulations, we infer that the new companion is orbiting around KOI-13B while
the transiting planet candidate is expected to orbit KOI-13A. Thus, the
transiting planet candidate KOI-13.01 is orbiting the main component of a
hierarchical triple system.Comment: Accepted in A&A Letters. 4 pages including 4 figures and the RV tabl
CoRoT 101186644: A transiting low-mass dense M-dwarf on an eccentric 20.7-day period orbit around a late F-star
We present the study of the CoRoT transiting planet candidate 101186644, also
named LRc01_E1_4780. Analysis of the CoRoT lightcurve and the HARPS
spectroscopic follow-up observations of this faint (m_V = 16) candidate
revealed an eclipsing binary composed of a late F-type primary (T_eff = 6090
+/- 200 K) and a low-mass, dense late M-dwarf secondary on an eccentric (e =
0.4) orbit with a period of ~20.7 days. The M-dwarf has a mass of 0.096 +/-
0.011 M_Sun, and a radius of 0.104 +0.026/-0.006 R_Sun, which possibly makes it
the smallest and densest late M-dwarf reported so far. Unlike the claim that
theoretical models predict radii that are 5%-15% smaller than measured for
low-mass stars, this one seems to have a radius that is consistent and might
even be below the radius predicted by theoretical models.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 8 pages, 10
figure
SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates. XV. KOI-614b, KOI-206b, and KOI-680b: a massive warm Jupiter orbiting a G0 metallic dwarf and two highly inflated planets with a distant companion around evolved F-type stars
We report the validation and characterization of three new transiting
exoplanets using SOPHIE radial velocities: KOI-614b, KOI-206b, and KOI-680b.
KOI-614b has a mass of and a radius of
, and it orbits a G0, metallic
([Fe/H]=) dwarf in 12.9 days. Its mass and radius are familiar and
compatible with standard planetary evolution models, so it is one of the few
known transiting planets in this mass range to have an orbital period over ten
days. With an equilibrium temperature of K, this places
KOI-614b at the transition between what is usually referred to as "hot" and
"warm" Jupiters. KOI-206b has a mass of and a
radius of , and it orbits a slightly evolved F7-type
star in a 5.3-day orbit. It is a massive inflated hot Jupiter that is
particularly challenging for planetary models because it requires unusually
large amounts of additional dissipated energy in the planet. On the other hand,
KOI-680b has a much lower mass of and requires less
extra-dissipation to explain its uncommonly large radius of . It is one of the biggest transiting planets characterized so far,
and it orbits a subgiant F9-star well on its way to the red giant stage, with
an orbital period of 8.6 days. With host stars of masses of
and , respectively, KOI-206b,
and KOI-680b are interesting objects for theories of formation and survival of
short-period planets around stars more massive than the Sun. For those two
targets, we also find signs of a possible distant additional companion in the
system
SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates IX. KOI-415 b: a long-period, eccentric transiting brown dwarf to an evolved Sun
We report the discovery of a long-period brown-dwarf transiting companion of
the solar-type star KOI-415. The transits were detected by the Kepler space
telescope. We conducted Doppler measurements using the SOPHIE spectrograph at
the Observatoire de Haute-Provence. The photometric and spectroscopic signals
allow us to characterize a 62.14+-2.69 Mjup, brown-dwarf companion of an
evolved 0.94+-0.06 Msun star in a highly eccentric orbit of P =
166.78805+-0.00022 days and e = 0.698+-0.002. The radius of KOI-415 b is 0.79
(-0.07,+0.12) Rjup, a value that is compatible with theoretical predictions for
a 10 Gyr, low-metallicity and non-irradiated object.Comment: accepted in A&A Letter
Improved stellar parameters of CoRoT-7
Accurate parameters of the host stars of exoplanets are important for the
interpretation of the new planet systems that continue to emerge. The CoRoT
satellite recently discovered a transiting rocky planet with a density similar
to the inner planets in our solar system, a so-called Super Earth. This planet
is orbiting a relatively faint G9V star called CoRoT-7, and we wish to refine
its physical properties, which are important for the interpretation of the
properties of the planet system. We used spectra from [email protected] and
[email protected]. From the analysis of Fe-1 and Fe-2 lines we determine Teff, log
g and microturbulence. We use the Balmer lines to constrain Teff and pressure
sensitive Mg-1b and Ca lines to constrain log g. From the analysis we find
Teff=5250+-60K, log g = 4.47+-0.05, [M/H]=+0.12+-0.06, and vsini = 1.1 km/s. We
compared the L/M ratio with isochrones to constrain the evolutionary status.
Using the age estimate of 1.2-2.3 Gyr based on stellar activity, we determine
the mass and radius 0.91+-0.03 Msun and 0.82+-0.04 Rsun. With these updated
constraints we fitted the CoRoT transit light curve for CoRoT-7b. We revise the
planet radius to be slightly smaller, R = 1.58+-0.10 Rearth, and the density
becomes higher, rho = 7.2+-1.8 g/cm3. The host star CoRoT-7 is a slowly
rotating, metal rich, unevolved type G9V star. The star is relatively faint
(V=11.7) and its fundamental parameters can only be determined through indirect
methods. Our methods rely on detailed spectral analyses that depend on the
adopted model atmospheres. From the analysis of spectra of stars with
well-known parameters with similar parameters to CoRoT-7 (the Sun and alpha Cen
B) we demonstrate that our methods are robust within the claimed uncertainties.
Therefore our methods can be reliably used in subsequent analyses of similar
exoplanet host stars.Comment: Accepted by A&A; 10 pages; abstract abridged; resolution decreased in
Fig.
pastis: Bayesian extrasolar planet validation - I. General framework, models, and performance
A large fraction of the smallest transiting planet candidates discovered by the Kepler and CoRoT space missions cannot be confirmed by a dynamical measurement of the mass using currently available observing facilities. To establish their planetary nature, the concept of planet validation has been advanced. This technique compares the probability of the planetary hypothesis against that of all reasonably conceivable alternative false positive (FP) hypotheses. The candidate is considered as validated if the posterior probability of the planetary hypothesis is sufficiently larger than the sum of the probabilities of all FP scenarios. In this paper, we present pastis, the Planet Analysis and Small Transit Investigation Software, a tool designed to perform a rigorous model comparison of the hypotheses involved in the problem of planet validation, and to fully exploit the information available in the candidate light curves. pastis self-consistently models the transit light curves and follow-up observations. Its object-oriented structure offers a large flexibility for defining the scenarios to be compared. The performance is explored using artificial transit light curves of planets and FPs with a realistic error distribution obtained from a Kepler light curve. We find that data support the correct hypothesis strongly only when the signal is high enough (transit signal-to-noise ratio above 50 for the planet case) and remain inconclusive otherwise. PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO) shall provide transits with high enough signal-to-noise ratio, but to establish the true nature of the vast majority of Kepler and CoRoT transit candidates additional data or strong reliance on hypotheses priors is neede
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