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The TESS-Keck Survey II: An Ultra-Short Period Rocky Planet and its Siblings Transiting the Galactic Thick-Disk Star TOI-561
We report the discovery of TOI-561, a multi-planet system in the galactic
thick disk that contains a rocky, ultra-short period planet (USP). This bright
() star hosts three small transiting planets identified in photometry
from the NASA TESS mission: TOI-561 b (TOI-561.02, P=0.44 days, ), c (TOI-561.01, P=10.8 days,
), and d (TOI-561.03, P=16.3 days,
). The star is chemically ([Fe/H],
[/H]) and kinematically consistent with the galactic
thick disk population, making TOI-561 one of the oldest (Gyr) and
most metal-poor planetary systems discovered yet. We dynamically confirm
planets b and c with radial velocities from the W. M. Keck Observatory High
Resolution Echelle Spectrometer. Planet b has a mass and density of
and gcm, consistent with
a rocky composition. Its lower-than-average density is consistent with an
iron-poor composition, although an Earth-like iron-to-silicates ratio is not
ruled out. Planet c is and gcm,
consistent with an interior rocky core overlaid with a low-mass volatile
envelope. Several attributes of the photometry for planet d (which we did not
detect dynamically) complicate the analysis, but we vet the planet with
high-contrast imaging, ground-based photometric follow-up and radial
velocities. TOI-561 b is the first rocky world around a galactic thick-disk
star confirmed with radial velocities and one of the best rocky planets for
thermal emission studies.Comment: Accepted at The Astronomical Journal; 25 pages, 10 figure