172 research outputs found
Observation of a possible superflare on Proxima Centauri
We report the observation on UT 2017 July 1 of an unusually powerful flare detected in near-infrared continuum photometry of Proxima Centauri. During a campaign monitoring the star for possible exoplanet transits, we identified an increase in Sloan i' flux leading to an observed peak at BJD 2457935.996 that was at least 10 per cent over pre-flare flux in this band. It was followed by a two-component rapid decline in the first 100 s that became a slower exponential decay with time constant of 1350 s. A smaller flare event 1300 s after the first added an incremental peak flux increase of 1 per cent of pre-flare flux. Since the onset of the flare was not fully time resolved at a cadence of 62 s, its actual peak value is unknown but greater than the time average over a single exposure of 20 s. The i' band is representative of broad optical and near-IR continuum flux over which the integrated energy of the flare is 100 times the stellar luminosity. This meets the criteria that established the concept of superflares on similar stars. The resulting implied ultraviolet flux and space weather could have had an extreme effect on the atmospheres of planets within the star's otherwise habitable zone
LiHe spectra from brown dwarfs to helium clusters
International audienceThe detection of Li I lines is the most decisive spectral indicator of substellarity for young brown dwarfs with masses below about 0.06 solar mass. Due to the weakness of the Li resonance lines, it is important to be able to model precisely both their core widths and their wing profiles. This allows an adequate prediction of the mass at which Li lines reappear in the spectra of brown dwarfs for a given age, or reversely an accurate determination of the age of a cluster. We report improved line profiles and the dependence of line width on temperature suitable for modeling substellar atmospheres that were determined from new LiHe molecular potential energies. Over a limited range of density and temperature, comparison with laboratory measurements was used to validate the potential energies which support the spectral line profile theory
Spitzer and z' Secondary Eclipse Observations of the Highly Irradiated Transiting Brown Dwarf KELT-1b
We present secondary eclipse observations of the highly irradiated transiting
brown dwarf KELT-1b. These observations represent the first constraints on the
atmospheric dynamics of a highly irradiated brown dwarf, and the atmospheres of
irradiated giant planets at high surface gravity. Using the Spitzer Space
Telescope, we measure secondary eclipse depths of 0.195+/-0.010% at 3.6um and
0.200+/-0.012% at 4.5um. We also find tentative evidence for the secondary
eclipse in the z' band with a depth of 0.049+/-0.023%. These measured eclipse
depths are most consistent with an atmosphere model in which there is a strong
substellar hotspot, implying that heat redistribution in the atmosphere of
KELT-1b is low. While models with a more mild hotspot or even with dayside heat
redistribution are only marginally disfavored, models with complete heat
redistribution are strongly ruled out. The eclipse depths also prefer an
atmosphere with no TiO inversion layer, although a model with TiO inversion is
permitted in the dayside heat redistribution case, and we consider the
possibility of a day-night TiO cold trap in this object. For the first time, we
compare the IRAC colors of brown dwarfs and hot Jupiters as a function of
effective temperature. Importantly, our measurements reveal that KELT-1b has a
[3.6]-[4.5] color of 0.07+/-0.11, identical to that of isolated brown dwarfs of
similarly high temperature. In contrast, hot Jupiters generally show redder
[3.6]-[4.5] colors of ~0.4, with a very large range from ~0 to ~1. Evidently,
despite being more similar to hot Jupiters than to isolated brown dwarfs in
terms of external forcing of the atmosphere by stellar insolation, KELT-1b has
an atmosphere most like that of other brown dwarfs. This suggests that surface
gravity is very important in controlling the atmospheric systems of substellar
mass bodies.Comment: 14 pages, 3 tables, 11 figures. Accepted by ApJ. Updated to reflect
the accepted versio
A Young Solar Twin in the Rosette Cluster NGC 2244 Line of Sight
Based on prior precision photometry and cluster age analysis, the bright star GSC 00154−01819 is a possible young pre-main sequence member of the Rosette cluster, NGC 2244. As part of a comprehensive study of the large-scale structure of the Rosette and its excitation by the cluster stars, we noted this star as a potential backlight for a probe of the interstellar medium and extinction along the sight line towards a distinctive nebular feature projected on to the cluster centre. New high-resolution spectra of the star were taken with the University College London Echelle Spectrograph of the AAT. They reveal that rather than being a reddened spectral type B or A star within the Mon OB2 association, it is a nearby, largely unreddened, solar twin of spectral type G2V less than 180 Myr old. It is about 219 pc from the Sun with a barycentric radial velocity of +14.35 ± 1.99 km s−1. The spectrum of the Rosette behind it and along this line of sight shows a barycentric radial velocity of +26.0 ± 2.4 km s−1 in H α, and a full width at half-maximum velocity dispersion of 61.94 ± 1.38 km s−1
KELT-2Ab: A Hot Jupiter Transiting the Bright (V=8.77) Primary Star of a Binary System
We report the discovery of KELT-2Ab, a hot Jupiter transiting the bright
(V=8.77) primary star of the HD 42176 binary system. The host is a slightly
evolved late F-star likely in the very short-lived "blue-hook" stage of
evolution, with \teff=6148\pm48{\rm K}, and
\feh=0.034\pm0.78. The inferred stellar mass is
\msun\ and the star has a relatively large radius
of \rsun. The planet is a typical hot Jupiter with
period days and a mass of \mj\ and
radius of \rj. This is mildly inflated as compared
to models of irradiated giant planets at the 4 Gyr age of the system.
KELT-2A is the third brightest star with a transiting planet identified by
ground-based transit surveys, and the ninth brightest star overall with a
transiting planet. KELT-2Ab's mass and radius are unique among the subset of
planets with host stars, and therefore increases the diversity of bright
benchmark systems. We also measure the relative motion of KELT-2A and -2B over
a baseline of 38 years, robustly demonstrating for the first time that the
stars are bound. This allows us to infer that KELT-2B is an early K-dwarf. We
hypothesize that through the eccentric Kozai mechanism KELT-2B may have
emplaced KELT-2Ab in its current orbit. This scenario is potentially testable
with Rossiter-McLaughlin measurements, which should have an amplitude of
44 m s.Comment: 9 pages, 2 tables, 4 figures. A short video describing this paper is
available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVS8lnkXXlE. Revised to reflect
the ApJL version. Note that figure 4 is not in the ApJL versio
KELT-1b: A Strongly Irradiated, Highly Inflated, Short Period, 27 Jupiter-mass Companion Transiting a mid-F Star
We present the discovery of KELT-1b, the first transiting low-mass companion
from the wide-field Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope-North (KELT-North)
survey. The V=10.7 primary is a mildly evolved, solar-metallicity, mid-F star.
The companion is a low-mass brown dwarf or super-massive planet with mass of
27.23+/-0.50 MJ and radius of 1.110+0.037-0.024 RJ, on a very short period
(P=1.21750007) circular orbit. KELT-1b receives a large amount of stellar
insolation, with an equilibrium temperature assuming zero albedo and perfect
redistribution of 2422 K. Upper limits on the secondary eclipse depth indicate
that either the companion must have a non-zero albedo, or it must experience
some energy redistribution. Comparison with standard evolutionary models for
brown dwarfs suggests that the radius of KELT-1b is significantly inflated.
Adaptive optics imaging reveals a candidate stellar companion to KELT-1, which
is consistent with an M dwarf if bound. The projected spin-orbit alignment
angle is consistent with zero stellar obliquity, and the vsini of the primary
is consistent with tidal synchronization. Given the extreme parameters of the
KELT-1 system, we expect it to provide an important testbed for theories of the
emplacement and evolution of short-period companions, and theories of tidal
dissipation and irradiated brown dwarf atmospheres.Comment: 30 pages, 19 figures. Submitted to Ap
A young solar twin in the Rosette cluster NGC 2244 line of sight
Based on prior precision photometry and cluster age analysis, the bright star GSC 00154−01819 is a possible young pre-main sequence member of the Rosette cluster, NGC 2244. As part of a comprehensive study of the large-scale structure of the Rosette and its excitation by the cluster stars, we noted this star as a potential backlight for a probe of the interstellar medium and extinction along the sight line towards a distinctive nebular feature projected on to the cluster centre. New high-resolution spectra of the star were taken with the University College London Echelle Spectrograph of the AAT. They reveal that rather than being a reddened spectral type B or A star within the Mon OB2 association, it is a nearby, largely unreddened, solar twin of spectral type G2V less than 180 Myr old. It is about 219 pc from the Sun with a barycentric radial velocity of +14.35 ± 1.99 km s−1. The spectrum of the Rosette behind it and along this line of sight shows a barycentric radial velocity of +26.0 ± 2.4 km s−1 in H α, and a full width at half-maximum velocity dispersion of 61.94 ± 1.38 km s−1
KELT-11b: A Highly Inflated Sub-Saturn Exoplanet Transiting the V=8 Subgiant HD 93396
We report the discovery of a transiting exoplanet, KELT-11b, orbiting the
bright () subgiant HD 93396. A global analysis of the system shows that
the host star is an evolved subgiant star with K,
, , log , and [Fe/H].
The planet is a low-mass gas giant in a day orbit,
with , , g cm, surface gravity log , and equilibrium temperature K. KELT-11 is the brightest known transiting exoplanet host
in the southern hemisphere by more than a magnitude, and is the 6th brightest
transit host to date. The planet is one of the most inflated planets known,
with an exceptionally large atmospheric scale height (2763 km), and an
associated size of the expected atmospheric transmission signal of 5.6%. These
attributes make the KELT-11 system a valuable target for follow-up and
atmospheric characterization, and it promises to become one of the benchmark
systems for the study of inflated exoplanets.Comment: 15 pages, Submitted to AAS Journal
KELT-8b: A highly inflated transiting hot Jupiter and a new technique for extracting high-precision radial velocities from noisy spectra
We announce the discovery of a highly inflated transiting hot Jupiter
discovered by the KELT-North survey. A global analysis including constraints
from isochrones indicates that the V = 10.8 host star (HD 343246) is a mildly
evolved, G dwarf with K, , , an inferred mass
M, and radius
R. The planetary companion has mass , radius
, surface gravity , and density
g cm. The planet is on a roughly
circular orbit with semimajor axis AU and
eccentricity . The best-fit linear ephemeris is
BJD and
days. This planet is one of the most inflated of all known transiting
exoplanets, making it one of the few members of a class of extremely low
density, highly-irradiated gas giants. The low stellar and large
implied radius are supported by stellar density constraints from follow-up
light curves, plus an evolutionary and space motion analysis. We also develop a
new technique to extract high precision radial velocities from noisy spectra
that reduces the observing time needed to confirm transiting planet candidates.
This planet boasts deep transits of a bright star, a large inferred atmospheric
scale height, and a high equilibrium temperature of
K, assuming zero albedo and perfect heat redistribution, making it one of the
best targets for future atmospheric characterization studies.Comment: Submitted to ApJ, feedback is welcom
KELT-10b: The First Transiting Exoplanet from the KELT-South Survey -- A Hot Sub-Jupiter Transiting a V = 10.7 Early G-Star
We report the discovery of KELT-10b, the first transiting exoplanet
discovered using the KELT-South telescope. KELT-10b is a highly inflated
sub-Jupiter mass planet transiting a relatively bright star (TYC
8378-64-1), with T = K, =
and [Fe/H] = , an inferred mass
M = M and radius R =
R. The planet has a radius R =
R and mass M =
M. The planet has an eccentricity consistent with zero and a semi-major
axis = AU. The best fitting linear
ephemeris is = 2457066.720450.00027 BJD and P =
4.16627390.0000063 days. This planet joins a group of highly inflated
transiting exoplanets with a radius much larger and a mass much less than those
of Jupiter. The planet, which boasts deep transits of 1.4%, has a relatively
high equilibrium temperature of T = K, assuming zero
albedo and perfect heat redistribution. KELT-10b receives an estimated
insolation of 10 erg s cm,
which places it far above the insolation threshold above which hot Jupiters
exhibit increasing amounts of radius inflation. Evolutionary analysis of the
host star suggests that KELT-10b is unlikely to survive beyond the current
subgiant phase, due to a concomitant in-spiral of the planet over the next
1 Gyr. The planet transits a relatively bright star and exhibits the
third largest transit depth of all transiting exoplanets with V 11 in the
southern hemisphere, making it a promising candidate for future atmospheric
characterization studies.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
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