We present direct radii measurements of the well-known transiting exoplanet host stars HD 189733 and HD 209458 using the CHARA Array interferometer. We find the limb-darkened angular diameters to be ...θLD = 0.3848 ± 0.0055 and 0.2254 ± 0.0072 mas for HD 189733 and HD 209458, respectively. HD 189733 and HD 209458 are currently the only two transiting exoplanet systems where detection of the respective planetary companion's orbital motion from high-resolution spectroscopy has revealed absolute masses for both star and planet. We use our new measurements together with the orbital information from radial velocity and photometric time series data, Hipparcos distances, and newly measured bolometric fluxes to determine the stellar effective temperatures (T
eff = 4875 ± 43, 6092 ± 103 K), stellar linear radii (R
* = 0.805 ± 0.016, 1.203 ± 0.061 R⊙), mean stellar densities (ρ* = 1.62 ± 0.11, 0.58 ± 0.14 ρ⊙), planetary radii (R
p = 1.216 ± 0.024, 1.451 ± 0.074 R
Jup), and mean planetary densities (ρp = 0.605 ± 0.029, 0.196 ± 0.033 ρJup) for HD 189733b and HD 209458b, respectively. The stellar parameters for HD 209458, an F9 dwarf, are consistent with indirect estimates derived from spectroscopic and evolutionary modelling. However, we find that models are unable to reproduce the observational results for the K2 dwarf, HD 189733. We show that, for stellar evolutionary models to match the observed stellar properties of HD 189733, adjustments lowering the solar-calibrated mixing-length parameter to αMLT =1.34 need to be employed.
We report here an analysis of the physical stellar parameters of the giant star HD 185351 using Kepler short-cadence photometry, optical and near infrared interferometry from CHARA, and ...high-resolution spectroscopy. Asteroseismic oscillations detected in the Kepler short-cadence photometry combined with an effective temperature calculated from the interferometric angular diameter and bolometric flux yield a mean density rho sub(*) = 0.0130 + or - 0.0003 rho sub(middot in circle) and surface gravity log g = 3.280 + or -0.011. Combining the gravity and density we find R sub(*) = 5.35 + or -0.20 R sub(middot in circle) and M sub(*) = 1.99 + or -0.23 M sub(middot in circle). The trigonometric parallax and CHARA angular diameter give a radius R sub(*) = 4.97 + or - 0.07 R sub(middot in circle). This smaller radius, when combined with the mean stellar density, corresponds to a stellar mass 1.60 + or - 0.08 M sub(middot in circle), which is smaller than the asteroseismic mass by 1.6sigma. We find that a larger mass is supported by the observation of mixed modes in our high-precision photometry, the spacing of which is consistent only for M sub(*) gap 1.8 M sub(middot in circle). Our various and independent mass measurements can be compared to the mass measured from interpolating the spectroscopic parameters onto stellar evolution models, which yields a model-based mass M sub(*,model) = 1.87 + or- 0.07 M sub(middot in circle). This mass agrees well with the asteroseismic value, but is 2.6sigma higher than the mass from the combination of asteroseismology and interferometry. The discrepancy motivates future studies with a larger sample of giant stars. However, all of our mass measurements are consistent with HD 185351 having a mass in excess of 1.5 M sub(middot in circle).
ABSTRACT
We present long-baseline interferometry of the Kepler exoplanet host star HD 179070 (Kepler-21) using the Precision Astronomical Visible Observations (PAVO) beam combiner at the Center for ...High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array. The visibility data are consistent with a single star and exclude stellar companions at separations ∼1-1000 mas (∼0.1-113 au) and contrasts <3.5 mag. This result supports the validation of the 1.6 R ⊕ exoplanet Kepler-21b by Howell et al. and complements the constraints set by adaptive optics imaging, speckle interferometry and radial-velocity observations to rule out false positives due to stellar companions. We conclude that long-baseline interferometry has strong potential to validate transiting extrasolar planets, particularly for future projects aimed at brighter stars and for host stars where radial-velocity follow-up is not available.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has two beam combiners, i.e. the Precision Astronomical Visible Observations (PAVO) and the Microarcsecond University of Sydney Companion ...Astrometry (MUSCA). The primary beam combiner, PAVO, can be operated independently and is typically used to measure properties of binary stars of less than 50 milliarcsec (mas) separation and the angular diameters of single stars. On the other hand, MUSCA was recently installed and must be used in tandem with the former. It is dedicated for microarcsecond precision narrow-angle astrometry of close binary stars. The performance evaluation and development of the data reduction pipeline for the new setup was assisted by an in-house computer simulation tool developed for this and related purposes. This paper describes the framework of the simulation tool, simulations carried out to evaluate the performance of each beam combiner and the expected astrometric precision of the dual beam combiner setup, both at SUSI and possible future sites.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has two beam combiners, i.e. the Precision Astronomical Visible Observations (PAVO) and the Microarcsecond University of Sydney Companion ...Astrometry (MUSCA). The primary beam combiner, PAVO, can be operated independently and is typically used to measure properties of binary stars of less than 50 milliarc- sec (mas) separation and the angular diameters of single stars. On the other hand, MUSCA was recently installed and must be used in tandem with the for- mer. It is dedicated for microarcsecond precision narrow-angle astrometry of close binary stars. The performance evaluation and development of the data reduction pipeline for the new setup was assisted by an in-house computer simulation tool developed for this and related purposes. This paper describes the framework of the simulation tool, simulations carried out to evaluate the performance of each beam combiner and the expected astrometric precision of the dual beam combiner setup, both at SUSI and possible future sites.
We report here an analysis of the physical stellar parameters of the giant star HD185351 using Kepler short-cadence photometry, optical and near infrared interferometry from CHARA, and ...high-resolution spectroscopy. Asteroseismic oscillations detected in the Kepler short-cadence photometry combined with an effective temperature calculated from the interferometric angular diameter and bolometric flux yield a mean density, rho_star = 0.0130 +- 0.0003 rho_sun and surface gravity, logg = 3.280 +- 0.011. Combining the gravity and density we find Rstar = 5.35 +- 0.20 Rsun and Mstar = 1.99 +- 0.23 Msun. The trigonometric parallax and CHARA angular diameter give a radius Rstar = 4.97 +- 0.07 Rsun. This smaller radius,when combined with the mean stellar density, corresponds to a stellar mass Mstar = 1.60 +- 0.08 Msun, which is smaller than the asteroseismic mass by 1.6-sigma. We find that a larger mass is supported by the observation of mixed modes in our high-precision photometry, the spacing of which is consistent only for Mstar =~ 1.8 Msun. Our various and independent mass measurements can be compared to the mass measured from interpolating the spectroscopic parameters onto stellar evolution models, which yields a model-based mass M_star = 1.87 +- 0.07 Msun. This mass agrees well with the asteroseismic value,but is 2.6-sigma higher than the mass from the combination of asteroseismology and interferometry. The discrepancy motivates future studies with a larger sample of giant stars. However, all of our mass measurements are consistent with HD185351 having a mass in excess of 1.5 Msun.
We present direct radii measurements of the well-known transiting exoplanet host stars HD 189733 and HD 209458 using the CHARA Array interferometer. We find the limb-darkened angular diameters to be ...theta_LD = 0.3848 +/- 0.0055 and 0.2254 +/- 0.0072 milliarcsec for HD 189733 and HD 209458, respectively. HD 189733 and HD 209458 are currently the only two transiting exoplanet systems where detection of the respective planetary companion's orbital motion from high resolution spectroscopy has revealed absolute masses for both star and planet. We use our new measurements together with the orbital information from radial velocity and photometric time series data, Hipparcos distances, and newly measured bolometric fluxes to determine the stellar effective temperatures (T_eff = 4875 +/- 43, 6093 +/- 103 K), stellar linear radii (R_* = 0.805 +/- 0.016, 1.203 +/- 0.061 R_sun), mean stellar densities (rho_* = 1.62 +/- 0.11, 0.58 +/- 0.14 rho_sun), planetary radii (R_p = 1.216 +/- 0.024, 1.451 +/- 0.074 R_Jup), and mean planetary densities (rho_p = 0.605 +/- 0.029, 0.196 +/- 0.033 rho_Jup) for HD 189733 b and HD 209458 b, respectively. The stellar parameters for HD 209458, a F9 dwarf, are consistent with indirect estimates derived from spectroscopic and evolutionary modeling. However, we find that models are unable to reproduce the observational results for the K2 dwarf, HD 189733. We show that, for stellar evolutionary models to match the observed stellar properties of HD 189733, adjustments lowering the solar-calibrated mixing length parameter from 1.83 to 1.34 need to be employed.
We present long-baseline interferometry of the Kepler exoplanet host star HD179070 (Kepler-21) using the PAVO beam combiner at the CHARA Array. The visibility data are consistent with a single star ...and exclude stellar companions at separations ~1-1000 mas (~ 0.1-113 AU) and contrasts < 3.5 magnitudes. This result supports the validation of the 1.6 R_{earth} exoplanet Kepler-21b by Howell et al. (2012) and complements the constraints set by adaptive optics imaging, speckle interferometry, and radial velocity observations to rule out false-positives due to stellar companions. We conclude that long-baseline interferometry has strong potential to validate transiting extrasolar planets, particularly for future projects aimed at brighter stars and for host stars where radial velocity follow-up is not available.
We present narrow-band images and long-slit echelle spectra of the planetary
nebula (PN) NGC 6778. The data show this PN as bipolar, with a very prominent
low-excitation equatorial toroid, ...high-excitation lobes and two pairs of
collimated outflows. Morphologically, the pairs of outflows are different from
each other; one is linear and oriented along the bipolar axis, the other
presents an S-shape with changing orientations. Besides the different
morphology, both pairs of collimated outflows present radial velocities
increasing with distance from the central star and share a common origin in
bright knots at the tips of the shell.
We present narrow-band images and long-slit echelle spectra of the planetary nebula (PN) NGC 6778. The data show this PN as bipolar, with a very prominent low-excitation equatorial toroid, ...high-excitation lobes and two pairs of collimated outflows. Morphologically, the pairs of outflows are different from each other; one is linear and oriented along the bipolar axis, the other presents an S-shape with changing orientations. Besides the different morphology, both pairs of collimated outflows present radial velocities increasing with distance from the central star and share a common origin in bright knots at the tips of the shell.
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