1,855 research outputs found
Mapping out the time-evolution of exoplanet processes
There are many competing theories and models describing the formation,
migration and evolution of exoplanet systems. As both the precision with which
we can characterize exoplanets and their host stars, and the number of systems
for which we can make such a characterization increase, we begin to see
pathways forward for validating these theories. In this white paper we identify
predicted, observable correlations that are accessible in the near future,
particularly trends in exoplanet populations, radii, orbits and atmospheres
with host star age. By compiling a statistically significant sample of
well-characterized exoplanets with precisely measured ages, we should be able
to begin identifying the dominant processes governing the time-evolution of
exoplanet systems.Comment: Astro2020 white pape
Highly indistinguishable single photons from incoherently and coherently excited GaAs quantum dots
Semiconductor quantum dots are converging towards the demanding requirements
of photonic quantum technologies. Among different systems, quantum dots with
dimensions exceeding the free-exciton Bohr radius are appealing because of
their high oscillator strengths. While this property has received much
attention in the context of cavity quantum electrodynamics, little is known
about the degree of indistinguishability of single photons consecutively
emitted by such dots and on the proper excitation schemes to achieve high
indistinguishability. A prominent example is represented by GaAs quantum dots
obtained by local droplet etching, which recently outperformed other systems as
triggered sources of entangled photon pairs. On these dots, we compare
different single-photon excitation mechanisms, and we find (i) a "phonon
bottleneck" and poor indistinguishability for conventional excitation via
excited states and (ii) photon indistinguishablilities above 90% for both
strictly resonant and for incoherent acoustic- and optical-phonon-assisted
excitation. Among the excitation schemes, optical phonon-assisted excitation
enables straightforward laser rejection without a compromise on the source
brightness together with a high photon indistinguishability
Boyajian's Star B::The co-moving stellar companion to KIC 8462852 A
The light curve of KIC 8462852, a.k.a Boyajian's Star, undergoes deep dips
the origin of which remains unclear. A faint star 2\arcsec to the east
was discovered in Keck/NIRC2 imaging in Boyajian et al. (2016), but its status
as a binary, and possible contribution to the observed variability, was
unclear. Here, we use three epochs of Keck/NIRC2 imaging, spanning five years,
in JHK near-infrared bands to obtain 1-mas precision astrometry. We show that
the two objects exhibit common proper motion, measure a relative velocity of
mas yr ( km s) and conclude
that they are a binary pair at AU projected separation. There is
marginal detection of possible orbital motion, but our astrometry is
insufficient to characterize the orbit. We show that two other point sources
are not associated with KIC 8462852. We recommend that attempts to model KIC
8462852 A's light curve should revisit the possibility that the bound stellar
companion may play a role in causing the irregular brightness variations, for
example through disruption of the orbits of bodies around the primary due to
long-term orbital evolution of the binary orbit.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables Accepted for publication in Ap
The Impact of Stellar Multiplicity on Planetary Systems, I.:The Ruinous Influence of Close Binary Companions
The dynamical influence of binary companions is expected to profoundly influence planetary systems. However, the difficulty of identifying planets in binary systems has left the magnitude of this effect uncertain; despite numerous theoretical hurdles to their formation and survival, at least some binary systems clearly host planets. We present high-resolution imaging of 382 Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs) obtained using adaptive-optics imaging and nonredundant aperture-mask interferometry on the Keck II telescope. Among the full sample of 506 candidate binary companions to KOIs, we super-resolve some binary systems to projected separations of 0.4; we instead only found 23 companions (a 4.6σ deficit), many of which must be wider pairs that are only close in projection. When the binary population is parametrized with a semimajor axis cutoff a cut and a suppression factor inside that cutoff S bin, we find with correlated uncertainties that inside au, the planet occurrence rate in binary systems is only times that of wider binaries or single stars. Our results demonstrate that a fifth of all solar-type stars in the Milky Way are disallowed from hosting planetary systems due to the influence of a binary companion
K2-231 b: A sub-Neptune exoplanet transiting a solar twin in Ruprecht 147
We identify a sub-Neptune exoplanet ( R)
transiting a solar twin in the Ruprecht 147 star cluster (3 Gyr, 300 pc, [Fe/H]
= +0.1 dex). The ~81 day light curve for EPIC 219800881 (V = 12.71) from K2
Campaign 7 shows six transits with a period of 13.84 days, a depth of ~0.06%,
and a duration of ~4 hours. Based on our analysis of high-resolution MIKE
spectra, broadband optical and NIR photometry, the cluster parallax and
interstellar reddening, and isochrone models from PARSEC, Dartmouth, and MIST,
we estimate the following properties for the host star: M, R, and K. This star appears to be single, based on our modeling of the
photometry, the low radial velocity variability measured over nearly ten years,
and Keck/NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging and aperture-masking interferometry.
Applying a probabilistic mass-radius relation, we estimate that the mass of
this planet is M, which would cause a RV
semi-amplitude of m s that may be measurable with existing
precise RV facilities. After statistically validating this planet with BLENDER,
we now designate it K2-231 b, making it the second sub-stellar object to be
discovered in Ruprecht 147 and the first planet; it joins the small but growing
ranks of 23 other planets found in open clusters.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, light curve included as separate fil
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