43 research outputs found

    TOI-2015b: A Warm Neptune with Transit Timing Variations Orbiting an Active mid M Dwarf

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    We report the discovery of a close-in (Porb=3.349 daysP_{\mathrm{orb}} = 3.349\:\mathrm{days}) warm Neptune with clear transit timing variations (TTVs) orbiting the nearby (d=47.3 pcd=47.3\:\mathrm{pc}) active M4 star, TOI-2015. We characterize the planet's properties using TESS photometry, precise near-infrared radial velocities (RV) with the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HP) Spectrograph, ground-based photometry, and high-contrast imaging. A joint photometry and RV fit yields a radius Rp = 3.37−0.20+0.15 R⊕R_p~=~3.37_{-0.20}^{+0.15} \:\mathrm{R_\oplus}, mass mp = 16.4−4.1+4.1 M⊕m_p~=~16.4_{-4.1}^{+4.1}\:\mathrm{M_\oplus}, and density ρp = 2.32−0.37+0.38 gcm−3\rho_p~=~2.32_{-0.37}^{+0.38} \:\mathrm{g cm^{-3}} for TOI-2015b, suggesting a likely volatile-rich planet. The young, active host star has a rotation period of Prot = 8.7± 0.9 daysP_{\mathrm{rot}}~=~8.7 \pm~0.9~\mathrm{days} and associated rotation-based age estimate of 1.1 ± 0.1 Gyr1.1~\pm~0.1\:\mathrm{Gyr}. Though no other transiting planets are seen in the TESS data, the system shows clear TTVs of super period Psup ≈ 430 daysP_{\mathrm{sup}}~\approx~430\:\mathrm{days} and amplitude ∌\sim100 minutes100\:\mathrm{minutes}. After considering multiple likely period ratio models, we show an outer planet candidate near a 2:1 resonance can explain the observed TTVs while offering a dynamically stable solution. However, other possible two-planet solutions -- including 3:2 and 4:3 resonance -- cannot be conclusively excluded without further observations. Assuming a 2:1 resonance in the joint TTV-RV modeling suggests a mass of mb = 13.3−4.5+4.7 M⊕m_b~=~13.3_{-4.5}^{+4.7}\:\mathrm{M_\oplus} for TOI-2015b and mc = 6.8−2.3+3.5 M⊕m_c~=~6.8_{-2.3}^{+3.5}\:\mathrm{M_\oplus} for the outer candidate. Additional transit and RV observations will be beneficial to explicitly identify the resonance and further characterize the properties of the system.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables. As submitted to AAS Journal

    CMB-S4: Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves

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    CMB-S4---the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment---is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe, from the highest energies at the dawn of time through the growth of structure to the present day. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semi-analytic projection tool, targeted explicitly towards optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, rr, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2--3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semi-analytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for r>0.003r > 0.003 at greater than 5σ5\sigma, or, in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of r<0.001r < 0.001 at 95%95\% CL.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, 9 tables, submitted to ApJ. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1907.0447

    A Super-Earth and Sub-Neptune Transiting the Late-type M Dwarf LP 791-18

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    Planets occur most frequently around cool dwarfs, but only a handful of specific examples are known to orbit the latest-type M stars. Using TESS photometry, we report the discovery of two planets transiting the low-mass star called LP 791-18 (identified by TESS as TOI 736). This star has spectral type M6V, effective temperature 2960 K, and radius 0.17 R o, making it the third-coolest star known to host planets. The two planets straddle the radius gap seen for smaller exoplanets; they include a 1.1R ⊕ planet on a 0.95 day orbit and a 2.3R ⊕ planet on a 5 day orbit. Because the host star is small the decrease in light during these planets' transits is fairly large (0.4% and 1.7%). This has allowed us to detect both planets' transits from ground-based photometry, refining their radii and orbital ephemerides. In the future, radial velocity observations and transmission spectroscopy can both probe these planets' bulk interior and atmospheric compositions, and additional photometric monitoring would be sensitive to even smaller transiting planets

    CMB-S4

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    We describe the stage 4 cosmic microwave background ground-based experiment CMB-S4

    CMB-S4: Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves

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    Abstract: CMB-S4—the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment—is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semianalytic projection tool, targeted explicitly toward optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2–3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments, given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semianalytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for r > 0.003 at greater than 5σ, or in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of r < 0.001 at 95% CL
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