Determination of stellar parameters for Ariel targets: a comparison analysis between different spectroscopic methods

Ariel has been selected as the next ESA M4 science mission and it is expected to be launched in 2028. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will observe the atmospheres of a large and diversified population of transiting exoplanets. A key factor for the achievement of the scientific goal of Ariel is the selection strategy for the definition of the input target list. A meaningful choice of the targets requires an accurate knowledge of the planet hosting star properties and this is necessary to be obtained well before the launch. In this work, we present the results of a bench-marking analysis between three different spectroscopic techniques used to determine stellar parameters for a selected number of targets belonging to the Ariel reference sample. We aim to consolidate a method that will be used to homogeneously determine the stellar parameters of the complete Ariel reference sample. Homogeneous, accurate and precise derivation of stellar parameters is crucial for characterising exoplanet-host stars and in turn is a key factor for the accuracy of the planet properties

Ariel stellar characterisation. I. Homogeneous stellar parameters of 187 FGK planet host stars: Description and validation of the method

Context. In 2020 the European Space Agency selected Ariel as the next mission to join the space fleet of observatories to study planets outside our Solar System. Ariel will be devoted to the characterisation of 1000 planetary atmospheres in order to understand what exoplanets are made of, how they form, and how they evolve. To achieve the last two goals all planets need to be studied within the context of their own host stars, which in turn must be analysed with the same technique, in a uniform way. Aims: We present the spectro-photometric method we developed to infer the atmospheric parameters of the known host stars in the Tier 1 of the Ariel Reference Sample. Methods: Our method is based on an iterative approach that combines spectral analysis, the determination of the surface gravity from Gaia data, and the determination of stellar masses from isochrone fitting. We validated our approach with the analysis of a control sample, composed of members of three open clusters with well-known ages and metallicities. Results: We measured effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g, and the metallicity [Fe/H] of 187 F-G-K stars within the Ariel Reference Sample. We presented the general properties of the sample, including their kinematics, which allows us to classify them into thin- and thick-disc populations. Conclusions: A homogeneous determination of the parameters of the host stars is fundamental in the study of the stars themselves and their planetary systems. Our analysis systematically improves agreement with theoretical models and decreases uncertainties in the mass estimate (from 0.21 ± 0.30 to 0.10 ± 0.02 M⊙), providing useful data for the Ariel consortium and the astronomical community at large. Tables A.1 and A.2 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/663/A161</A

The homogeneous characterisation of Ariel host stars

The Ariel mission will characterise the chemical and thermal properties of the atmospheres of about a thousand exoplanets transiting their host star(s). The observation of such a large sample of planets will allow to deepen our understanding of planetary and atmospheric formation at the early stages, providing a truly representative picture of the chemical nature of exoplanets, and relating this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. Hence, the accurate and precise determination of the host star fundamental properties is essential to Ariel for drawing a comprehensive picture of the underlying essence of these planetary systems. We present here a structured approach for the characterisation of Ariel stars that accounts for the concepts of homogeneity and coherence among a large set of stellar parameters. We present here the studies and benchmark analyses we have been performing to determine robust stellar fundamental parameters, elemental abundances, activity indices, and stellar ages. In particular, we present results for the homogeneous estimation of the activity indices S and log (RHK') , and preliminary results for elemental abundances of Na, Al, Mg, Si, C, N. In addition, we analyse the variation of a planetary spectrum, obtained with Ariel, as a function of the uncertainty on the stellar effective temperature. Finally, we present our observational campaign for precisely and homogeneously characterising all Ariel stars in order to perform a meaningful choice of final targets before the mission launch

Enabling planetary science across light-years. Ariel Definition Study Report

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

Ariel: Enabling planetary science across light-years

Ariel Definition Study ReportAriel Definition Study Report, 147 pages. Reviewed by ESA Science Advisory Structure in November 2020. Original document available at: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/documents/1783156/3267291/Ariel_RedBook_Nov2020.pdf/Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

Ariel: Enabling planetary science across light-years

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution