2,015 research outputs found
Revised Orbit and Transit Exclusion for HD 114762b
Transiting planets around bright stars have allowed the detailed follow-up
and characterization of exoplanets, such as the study of exoplanetary
atmospheres. The Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey (TERMS) is
refining the orbits of the known exoplanets to confirm or rule out both transit
signatures and the presence of additional companions. Here we present results
for the companion orbiting HD 114762 in an eccentric 84 day orbit. Radial
velocity analysis performed on 19 years of Lick Observatory data constrain the
uncertainty in the predicted time of mid-transit to ~5 hours, which is less
than the predicted one-half day transit duration. We find no evidence of
additional companions in this system. New photometric observations with one of
our Automated Photoelectric Telescopes (APTs) at Fairborn Observatory taken
during a revised transit time for companion b, along with 23 years of nightly
automated observations, allow us to rule out on-time central transits to a
limit of ~0.001 mag. Early or late central transits are ruled out to a limit of
~0.002 mag, and transits with half the duration of a central transit are ruled
out to a limit of ~0.003 mag.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ
Molecular dynamics in arbitrary geometries : parallel evaluation of pair forces
A new algorithm for calculating intermolecular pair forces in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on a distributed parallel computer is presented. The arbitrary interacting cells algorithm (AICA) is designed to operate on geometrical domains defined by an unstructured, arbitrary polyhedral mesh that has been spatially decomposed into irregular portions for parallelisation. It is intended for nano scale fluid mechanics simulation by MD in complex geometries, and to provide the MD component of a hybrid MD/continuum simulation. The spatial relationship of the cells of the mesh is calculated at the start of the simulation and only the molecules contained in cells that have part of their surface closer than the cut-off radius of the intermolecular pair potential are required to interact. AICA has been implemented in the open source C++ code OpenFOAM, and its accuracy has been indirectly verified against a published MD code. The same system simulated in serial and in parallel on 12 and 32 processors gives the same results. Performance tests show that there is an optimal number of cells in a mesh for maximum speed of calculating intermolecular forces, and that having a large number of empty cells in the mesh does not add a significant computational overhead
Retired A Stars and Their Companions IV. Seven Jovian Exoplanets from Keck Observatory
We report precise Doppler measurements of seven subgiants from Keck
Observatory. All seven stars show variability in their radial velocities
consistent with planet-mass companions in Keplerian orbits. The host stars have
masses ranging from 1.1 < Mstar/Msun < 1.9, radii 3.4 < Rstar/Rsun < 6.1, and
metallicities -0.21 < [Fe/H] < +0.26. The planets are all more massive than
Jupiter (Msini > 1 Mjup) and have semimajor axes > 1 AU. We present
millimagnitude photometry from the T3 0.4m APT at Fairborn observatory for five
of the targets. Our monitoring shows these stars to be photometrically stable,
further strengthening the interpretation of the observed radial velocity
variability. The orbital characteristics of the planets thus far discovered
around former A-type stars are very different from the properties of planets
around dwarf stars of spectral type F, G and K, and suggests that the formation
and migration of planets is a sensitive function of stellar mass. Three of the
planetary systems show evidence of long-term, linear trends indicative of
additional distant companions. These trends, together with the high planet
masses and increased occurrence rate, indicate that A-type stars are very
promising targets for direct imaging surveys.Comment: PASP Accepted, final submission awaiting comments from the communit
The TRENDS High-Contrast Imaging Survey. V. Discovery of an Old and Cold Benchmark T-dwarf Orbiting the Nearby G-star HD 19467
The nearby Sun-like star HD 19467 shows a subtle radial velocity (RV)
acceleration of -1.37+/-0.09 m/s/yr over an 16.9 year time baseline (an RV
trend), hinting at the existence of a distant orbiting companion. We have
obtained high-contrast adaptive optics images of the star using NIRC2 at Keck
Observatory and report the direct detection of the body that causes the
acceleration. The companion, HD 19467 B, is dK=12.57+/-0.09 mag fainter than
its parent star (contrast ratio of 9.4e-6), has blue colors J-K_s=-0.36+/-0.14
(J-H=-0.29+/-0.15), and is separated by 1.653+/-0.004" (51.1+/-1.0 AU).
Follow-up astrometric measurements obtained over an 1.1 year time baseline
demonstrate physical association through common parallactic and proper motion.
We calculate a firm lower-limit of m>51.9^{+3.6}_{-4.3}Mjup for the companion
mass from orbital dynamics using a combination of Doppler observations and
imaging. We estimate a model-dependent mass of m=56.7^{+4.6}_{-7.2}Mjup from a
gyrochronological age of 4.3^{+1.0}_{-1.2} Gyr. Isochronal analysis suggests a
much older age of Gyr, which corresponds to a mass of
m=67.4^{+0.9}_{-1.5}Mjup. HD 19467 B's measured colors and absolute magnitude
are consistent with a late T-dwarf [~T5-T7]. We may infer a low metallicity of
[Fe/H]=-0.15+/-0.04 for the companion from its G3V parent star. HD 19467 B is
the first directly imaged benchmark T-dwarf found orbiting a Sun-like star with
a measured RV acceleration.Comment: Updated to reflect ApJ versio
Refined Properties of the HD 130322 Planetary System
Exoplanetary systems closest to the Sun, with the brightest host stars,
provide the most favorable opportunities for characterization studies of the
host star and their planet(s). The Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring
Survey uses both new radial velocity measurements and photometry in order to
greatly improve planetary orbit uncertainties and the fundamental properties of
the star, in this case HD 130322. The only companion, HD 130322b, orbits in a
relatively circular orbit, e = 0.029 every ~10.7 days. Radial velocity
measurements from multiple sources, including 12 unpublished from the Keck I
telescope, over the course of ~14 years have reduced the uncertainty in the
transit midpoint to ~2 hours. The transit probability for the b-companion is
4.7%, where M_p sin i = 1.15 M_J and a = 0.0925 AU. In this paper, we compile
photometric data from the T11 0.8m Automated Photoelectric Telescope at
Fairborn Observatory taken over ~14 years, including the constrained transit
window, which results in a dispositive null result for both full transit
exclusion of HD 130322b to a depth of 0.017 mag and grazing transit exclusion
to a depth of ~0.001 mag. Our analysis of the starspot activity via the
photometric data reveals a highly accurate stellar rotation period: 26.53
+/-0.70 days. In addition, the brightness of the host with respect to the
comparison stars is anti-correlated with the Ca II H and K indices, typical for
a young solar-type star.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, accepted to Ap
The California Planet Survey II. A Saturn-Mass Planet Orbiting the M Dwarf Gl649
We report precise Doppler measurements of the nearby (d = 10.34 pc) M dwarf
Gl649 that reveal the presence of a planet with a minimum mass Msini = 0.328
Mjup in an eccentric (e = 0.30), 598.3 day orbit. Our photometric monitoring
reveals Gl649 to be a new variable star with brightness changes on both
rotational and decadal timescales. However, neither of these timescales are
consistent with the 600-day Doppler signal and so provide strong support for
planetary reflex motion as the best interpretation of the observed radial
velocity variations. Gl649b is only the seventh Doppler-detected giant planet
around an M dwarf. The properties of the planet and host-star therefore
contribute significant information to our knowledge of planet formation around
low-mass stars. We revise and refine the occurrence rate of giant planets
around M dwarfs based on the California Planet Survey sample of low-mass stars
(M* < 0.6 Msun). We find that f = 3.4^{+2.2}_{-0.9}% of stars with M* < 0.6
Msun harbor planets with Msini > 0.3$ Mjup and a < 2.5 AU. When we restrict our
analysis to metal-rich stars with [Fe/H] > +0.2 we find the occurrence rate is
10.7^{+5.9}_{-4.2}%.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, PASP accepte
Two Exoplanets Discovered at Keck Observatory
We present two exoplanets detected at Keck Observatory. HD 179079 is a G5
subgiant that hosts a hot Neptune planet with Msini = 27.5 M_earth in a 14.48
d, low-eccentricity orbit. The stellar reflex velocity induced by this planet
has a semiamplitude of K = 6.6 m/s. HD 73534 is a G5 subgiant with a
Jupiter-like planet of Msini = 1.1 M_jup and K = 16 m/s in a nearly circular
4.85 yr orbit. Both stars are chromospherically inactive and metal-rich. We
discuss a known, classical bias in measuring eccentricities for orbits with
velocity semiamplitudes, K, comparable to the radial velocity uncertainties.
For exoplanets with periods longer than 10 days, the observed exoplanet
eccentricity distribution is nearly flat for large amplitude systems (K > 80
m/s), but rises linearly toward low eccentricity for lower amplitude systems (K
> 20 m/s).Comment: 8 figures, 6 tables, accepted, Ap
Fourteen New Companions from the Keck & Lick Radial Velocity Survey Including Five Brown Dwarf Candidates
We present radial velocities for 14 stars on the California & Carnegie Planet
Search target list that reveal new companions. One star, HD 167665, was fit
with a definitive Keplerian orbit leading to a minimum mass for the companion
of 50.3 Mjup at a separation from its host of ~5.5 AU. Incomplete or limited
phase coverage for the remaining 13 stars prevents us from assigning to them
unique orbital parameters. Instead, we fit their radial velocities with
Keplerian orbits across a grid of fixed values for Msini and period, P, and use
the resulting reduced chi-square surface to place constraints on Msini, P, and
semimajor axis, a. This technique allowed us to restrict Msini below the brown
dwarf -- stellar mass boundary for an additional 4 companions (HD 150554, HD
8765, HD 72780, HD 74014). If the combined 5 companions are confirmed as brown
dwarfs, these results would comprise the first major catch of such objects from
our survey beyond ~3 AU.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figures, accepted to Ap
The 55 Cancri Planetary System: Fully Self-Consistent N-body Constraints and a Dynamical Analysis
We present an updated study of the planets known to orbit 55 Cancri A using
1,418 high-precision radial velocity observations from four observatories
(Lick, Keck, Hobby-Eberly Telescope, Harlan J. Smith Telescope) and transit
time/durations for the inner-most planet, 55 Cancri "e" (Winn et al. 2011). We
provide the first posterior sample for the masses and orbital parameters based
on self-consistent n-body orbital solutions for the 55 Cancri planets, all of
which are dynamically stable (for at least years). We apply a GPU
version of Radial velocity Using N-body Differential evolution Markov Chain
Monte Carlo (RUN DMC; B. Nelson et al. 2014) to perform a Bayesian analysis of
the radial velocity and transit observations. Each of the planets in this
remarkable system has unique characteristics. Our investigation of high-cadence
radial velocities and priors based on space-based photometry yields an updated
mass estimate for planet "e" ( M), which affects its
density ( g cm) and inferred bulk composition.
Dynamical stability dictates that the orbital plane of planet "e" must be
aligned to within of the orbital plane of the outer planets (which we
assume to be coplanar). The mutual interactions between the planets "b" and "c"
may develop an apsidal lock about . We find 36-45% of all our model
systems librate about the anti-aligned configuration with an amplitude of
. Other cases showed short-term perturbations in the
libration of , circulation, and nodding, but we find the
planets are not in a 3:1 mean-motion resonance. A revised orbital period and
eccentricity for planet "d" pushes it further toward the closest known Jupiter
analog in the exoplanet population.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, accepted to MNRAS. Figure 2 (left) is
updated from published version. Posterior samples available at
http://www.personal.psu.edu/ben125/Downloads.htm
A High Eccentricity Component in the Double Planet System Around HD 163607 and a Planet Around HD 164509
We report the detection of three new exoplanets from Keck Observatory. HD
163607 is a metal-rich G5IV star with two planets. The inner planet has an
observed orbital period of 75.29 0.02 days, a semi-amplitude of 51.1
1.4 \ms, an eccentricity of 0.73 0.02 and a derived minimum mass of
\msini = 0.77 0.02 \mjup. This is the largest eccentricity of any known
planet in a multi-planet system. The argument of periastron passage is 78.7
2.0; consequently, the planet's closest approach to its parent
star is very near the line of sight, leading to a relatively high transit
probability of 8%. The outer planet has an orbital period of 3.60 0.02
years, an orbital eccentricity of 0.12 0.06 and a semi-amplitude of 40.4
1.3 \ms. The minimum mass is \msini = 2.29 0.16 \mjup. HD 164509 is
a metal-rich G5V star with a planet in an orbital period of 282.4 3.8
days and an eccentricity of 0.26 0.14. The semi-amplitude of 14.2
2.7 \ms\ implies a minimum mass of 0.48 0.09 \mjup. The radial velocities
of HD 164509 also exhibit a residual linear trend of -5.1 0.7 \ms\ per
year, indicating the presence of an additional longer period companion in the
system. Photometric observations demonstrate that HD 163607 and HD 164509 are
constant in brightness to sub-millimag levels on their radial velocity periods.
This provides strong support for planetary reflex motion as the cause of the
radial velocity variations.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted to Ap
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