127 research outputs found
Measuring Organic Molecular Emission in Disks with Low Resolution Spitzer Spectroscopy
We explore the extent to which Spitzer IRS spectra taken at low spectral
resolution can be used in quantitative studies of organic molecular emission
from disks surrounding low mass young stars. We use Spitzer IRS spectra taken
in both the high and low resolution modules for the same sources to investigate
whether it is possible to define line indices that can measure trends in the
strength of the molecular features in low resolution data. We find that trends
in HCN emission strength seen in the high resolution data can be recovered in
low resolution data. In examining the factors that influence the HCN emission
strength, we find that the low resolution HCN flux is modestly correlated with
stellar accretion rate and X-ray luminosity. Correlations of this kind are
perhaps expected based on recent observational and theoretical studies of inner
disk atmospheres. Our results demonstrate the potential of using the large
number of low resolution disk spectra that reside in the Spitzer archive to
study the factors that influence the strength of molecular emission from disks.
Such studies would complement results for the much smaller number of
circumstellar disks that have been observed at high resolution with IRS
A SUBTLE INFRARED EXCESS ASSOCIATED WITH A YOUNG WHITE DWARF IN THE EDINBURGH-CAPE BLUE OBJECT SURVEY
We report the discovery of a subtle infrared excess associated with the young white dwarf EC 05365–4749 at 3.35 and 4.6 μ m. Follow-up spectroscopic observations are consistent with a hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf of effective temperature 22,800 K and log [ g (cm s{sup −2})] = 8.19. High-resolution spectroscopy reveals atmospheric metal pollution with logarithmic abundances of [Mg/H] = −5.36 and [Ca/H] = −5.75, confirming the white dwarf is actively accreting from a metal-rich source with an intriguing abundance pattern. We find that the infrared excess is well modeled by a flat, opaque debris disk, though disk parameters are not well constrained by the small number of infrared excess points. We further demonstrate that relaxing the assumption of a circular dusty debris disk to include elliptical disks expands the widths of acceptable disks, adding an alternative interpretation to the subtle infrared excesses commonly observed around young white dwarfs
KELT-9 and its ultra-hot Jupiter: stellar parameters, composition, and planetary pollution
KELT-9b is an ultra-hot Jupiter observed to be undergoing extreme mass loss.
Its A0-type host star has a radiative envelope, which makes its surface layers
prone to retaining recently accreted material. To search for potential signs of
planetary material polluting the stellar surface, we carry out the most
comprehensive chemical characterisation of KELT-9 to-date. New element
detections include Na and Y, which had previously been detected in the
ultra-hot Jupiter but not studied in the star; these detections complete the
set of nine elements measured in both star and planet. In comparing KELT-9 with
similar open cluster stars we find no strong anomalies. This finding is
consistent with calculations of photospheric pollution accounting for stellar
mixing and using observationally estimated KELT-9b mass loss rates. We also
rule out recent, short-lived intensive mass transfer such as the stellar
ingestion of an Earth-mass exomoon.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
A Comparison of Spectroscopic versus Imaging Techniques for Detecting Close Companions to Kepler Objects of Interest
(Abbreviated) Kepler planet candidates require both spectroscopic and imaging
follow-up observations to rule out false positives and detect blended stars.
[...] In this paper, we examine a sample of 11 Kepler host stars with
companions detected by two techniques -- near-infrared adaptive optics and/or
optical speckle interferometry imaging, and a new spectroscopic deblending
method. We compare the companion Teff and flux ratios (F_B/F_A, where A is the
primary and B is the companion) derived from each technique, and find no cases
where both companion parameters agree within 1sigma errors. In 3/11 cases the
companion Teff values agree within 1sigma errors, and in 2/11 cases the
companion F_B/F_A values agree within 1sigma errors. Examining each Kepler
system individually considering multiple avenues (isochrone mapping, contrast
curves, probability of being bound), we suggest two cases for which the
techniques most likely agree in their companion detections (detect the same
companion star). Overall, our results support the advantage the spectroscopic
deblending technique has for finding very close-in companions (0.02-0.05") that are not easily detectable with imaging. However, we
also specifically show how high-contrast AO and speckle imaging observations
detect companions at larger separations (0.02-0.05") that are
missed by the spectroscopic technique, provide additional information for
characterizing the companion and its potential contamination (e.g., PA,
separation, m), and cover a wider range of primary star effective
temperatures. The investigation presented here illustrates the utility of
combining the two techniques to reveal higher-order multiples in known
planet-hosting systems.Comment: Accepted to AJ. 40 pages, 12 figure
Carbon and Oxygen Abundances in the Hot Jupiter Exoplanet Host Star XO-2N and its Binary Companion
With the aim of connecting the compositions of stars and planets, we present
the abundances of carbon and oxygen, as well as iron and nickel, for the
transiting exoplanet host star XO-2N and its wide-separation binary companion
XO-2S. Stellar parameters are derived from high-resolution,
high-signal-to-noise spectra, and the two stars are found to be similar in
their Teff, log g, iron ([Fe/H]), nickel ([Ni/H]) abundances. Their carbon
([C/H]) and oxygen ([O/H]) abundances also overlap within errors, although
XO-2N may be slightly more C-rich and O-rich than XO-2S. The C/O ratios of both
stars (~0.60+/-0.20) may also be somewhat larger than solar (C/O~0.50). The
XO-2 system has a transiting hot Jupiter orbiting one binary component but not
the other, allowing us to probe the potential effects planet formation might
have on the host star composition. Additionally, with multiple observations of
its atmosphere the transiting exoplanet XO-2b lends itself to compositional
analysis, which can be compared to the natal chemical environment established
by our binary star elemental abundances. This work sets the stage for
determining how similar/different exoplanet and host star compositions are, and
the implications for planet formation, by discussing the C/O ratio measurements
in the unique environment of a visual binary system with one star hosting a
transiting hot Jupiter.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in
Astrophysical Journal Letter
The Effects of Stellar Companions on the Observed Transiting Exoplanet Radius Distribution
Understanding the distribution and occurrence rate of small planets was a fundamental goal of the Kepler transiting exoplanet mission, and could be improved with K2 and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Deriving accurate exoplanetary radii requires accurate measurements of the host star radii and the planetary transit depths, including accounting for any "third light" in the system due to nearby bound companions or background stars. High-resolution imaging of Kepler and K2 planet candidate hosts to detect very close (within ~0.”5) background or bound stellar companions has been crucial for both confirming the planetary nature of candidates, and the determination of accurate planetary radii and mean densities. Here we present an investigation of the effect of close companions, both detected and undetected, on the observed (raw count) exoplanet radius distribution. We demonstrate that the recently detected "gap" in the observed radius distribution (also seen in the completeness-corrected distribution) is fairly robust to undetected stellar companions, given that all of the systems in the sample have undergone some kind of vetting with high-resolution imaging. However, while the gap in the observed sample is not erased or shifted, it is partially filled in after accounting for possible undetected stellar companions. These findings have implications for the most likely core composition, and thus formation location, of super-Earth and sub-Neptune planets. Furthermore, we show that without high-resolution imaging of planet candidate host stars, the shape of the observed exoplanet radius distribution will be incorrectly inferred, for both Kepler- and TESS-detected systems
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