Search for nearby Earth analogs I. 15 planet candidates found in PFS data

30 pages, 20 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in ApJSThe radial velocity (RV) method plays a major role in the discovery of nearby exoplanets. To efficiently find planet candidates from the data obtained in high-precision RV surveys, we apply a signal diagnostic framework to detect RV signals that are statistically significant, consistent in time, robust in the choice of noise models, and do not correlated with stellar activity. Based on the application of this approach to the survey data of the Planet Finder Spectrograph, we report 15 planet candidates located in 14 stellar systems. We find that the orbits of the planet candidates around HD 210193, 103949, 8326, and 71135 are consistent with temperate zones around these stars (where liquid water could exist on the surface). With periods of 7.76 and 15.14 days, respectively, the planet candidates around star HIP 54373 form a 1:2 resonance system. These discoveries demonstrate the feasibility of automated detection of exoplanets from large RV surveys, which may provide a complete sample of nearby Earth analogs.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Effects of Telluric Contamination in Iodine-calibrated Precise Radial Velocities

We characterized the effects of telluric absorption lines on the radial velocity (RV) precision of stellar spectra taken through an iodine cell. To isolate the effects induced by telluric contamination from other stellar, instrumental, or numerical systematic RV noise, we extracted RVs from simulated iodine-calibrated spectra of three RV standard stars regularly observed by Keck/HIRES. We add in water absorption lines according to measured precipitable water vapor (PWV) contents over a one-year period. We conclude that telluric contamination introduces additional RV noise and spurious periodic signals at the level of 10–20 cm s⁻¹, consistent with similar previous studies. Our findings show that forward modeling the telluric lines effectively recovers the RV precision and accuracy, with no prior knowledge of the PWV needed. Such a recovery is less effective when the water absorption lines are relatively deep in the stellar template used in the forward modeling. Overall, telluric contamination plays an insignificant role in typical iodine-calibrated RV programs aiming at ~1–2 m s⁻¹, but we recommend adding modeling of telluric lines and taking stellar template observations on nights with low humidity for programs aiming to achieve a precision of better than 1 m s⁻¹

Solar Contamination in Extreme-precision Radial-velocity Measurements: Deleterious Effects and Prospects for Mitigation

Solar contamination, due to moonlight and atmospheric scattering of sunlight, can cause systematic errors in stellar radial velocity (RV) measurements that significantly detract from the ~10 cm s−1 sensitivity required for the detection and characterization of terrestrial exoplanets in or near habitable zones of Sun-like stars. The addition of low-level spectral contamination at variable effective velocity offsets introduces systematic noise when measuring velocities using classical mask-based or template-based cross-correlation techniques. Here we present simulations estimating the range of RV measurement error induced by uncorrected scattered sunlight contamination. We explore potential correction techniques, using both simultaneous spectrometer sky fibers and broadband imaging via coherent fiber imaging bundles, that could reliably reduce this source of error to below the photon-noise limit of typical stellar observations. We discuss the limitations of these simulations, the underlying assumptions, and mitigation mechanisms. We also present and discuss the components designed and built into the NEID (NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler spectroscopy) precision RV instrument for the WIYN 3.5 m telescope, to serve as an ongoing resource for the community to explore and evaluate correction techniques. We emphasize that while "bright time" has been traditionally adequate for RV science, the goal of 10 cm s−1 precision on the most interesting exoplanetary systems may necessitate access to darker skies for these next-generation instruments

Search for Nearby Earth Analogs. II. detection of five new planets, eight planet candidates, and confirmation of three planets around nine nearby M dwarfs

© 2020 The American Astronomical Society. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ab5e7c.Zechmeister et al. surveyed 38 nearby M dwarfs from 2000 to 2007 March with VLT2 and the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) spectrometer. These data have recently been reanalyzed, yielding a significant improvement in the Doppler velocity precision. Spurred by this, we have combined the UVES data with velocity sets from High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, Magellan/Planet Finder Spectrograph, and Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer. Sixteen planet candidates have been uncovered orbiting nine M dwarfs. Five of them are new planets corresponding to radial velocity signals, which are not sensitive to the choice of noise models and are identified in multiple data sets over various time spans. Eight candidate planets require additional observation to be confirmed. We also confirm three previously reported planets. Among the new planets, GJ 180 d and GJ 229A c are super-Earths located in the conservative habitable zones of their host stars. We investigate their dynamical stability using the Monte Carlo approach and find both planetary orbits are robust to the gravitational perturbations of the companion planets. Due to their proximity to the Sun, the angular separation between the host stars and the potentially habitable planets in these two systems is 25 and 59 mas, respectively. They are thus good candidates for future direct imaging by James Webb Space Telescope and E-ELT. In addition, we find GJ 433 c, a cold super-Neptune belonging to an unexplored population of Neptune-like planets. With a separation of 0.″5 from its host star, GJ 433 c is probably the first realistic candidate for the direct imaging of cold Neptunes. A comprehensive survey of these planets is important for the studies of planet formation.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Solar Contamination in Extreme-precision Radial-velocity Measurements: Deleterious Effects and Prospects for Mitigation

Solar contamination, due to moonlight and atmospheric scattering of sunlight, can cause systematic errors in stellar radial velocity (RV) measurements that significantly detract from the ~10 cm s−1 sensitivity required for the detection and characterization of terrestrial exoplanets in or near habitable zones of Sun-like stars. The addition of low-level spectral contamination at variable effective velocity offsets introduces systematic noise when measuring velocities using classical mask-based or template-based cross-correlation techniques. Here we present simulations estimating the range of RV measurement error induced by uncorrected scattered sunlight contamination. We explore potential correction techniques, using both simultaneous spectrometer sky fibers and broadband imaging via coherent fiber imaging bundles, that could reliably reduce this source of error to below the photon-noise limit of typical stellar observations. We discuss the limitations of these simulations, the underlying assumptions, and mitigation mechanisms. We also present and discuss the components designed and built into the NEID (NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler spectroscopy) precision RV instrument for the WIYN 3.5 m telescope, to serve as an ongoing resource for the community to explore and evaluate correction techniques. We emphasize that while "bright time" has been traditionally adequate for RV science, the goal of 10 cm s−1 precision on the most interesting exoplanetary systems may necessitate access to darker skies for these next-generation instruments