The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will be conducting a nearly all-sky photometric survey over two years, with a core mission goal to discover small transiting exoplanets orbiting ...nearby bright stars. It will obtain 30-minute cadence observations of all objects in the TESS fields of view, along with 2-minute cadence observations of 200,000 to 400,000 selected stars. The choice of which stars to observe at the 2-min cadence is driven by the need to detect small transiting planets, which leads to the selection of primarily bright, cool dwarfs. We describe the catalogs assembled and the algorithms used to populate the TESS Input Catalog (TIC). We also describe a ranking system for prioritizing stars according to the smallest transiting planet detectable, and assemble a Candidate Target List (CTL) using that ranking. We discuss additional factors that affect the ability to photometrically detect and dynamically confirm small planets, and we note additional stellar populations of interest that may be added to the final target list. The TIC is available on the STScI MAST server, and an enhanced CTL is available through the Filtergraph data visualization portal system at the URL https://filtergraph.vanderbilt.edu/tess_ctl .
Context. Asteroseismic determinations of structural parameters of hot B subdwarfs (sdB) have been carried out for more than a decade now. These analyses rely on stellar models whose reliability for ...the required task needs to be evaluated critically. Aims. We present new models of the so-called third generation (3G) dedicated to the asteroseismology of sdB stars. These parameterized models are complete static structures suitable for analyzing both p- and g-mode pulsators, contrary to the former second generation (2G) models that were limited to p-modes. While the reliability of the 2G models has been successfully verified in the past, this important test still has to be conducted on the 3G structures. Methods. The close eclipsing binary PG 1336-018 provides a unique opportunity to test the reliability of sdB models. We compared the structural parameters of the sdB component in PG 1336-018 obtained from asteroseismology based on the 3G models, with those derived independently from the modeling of the reflection/irradiation effect and the eclipses observed in the light curve. Results. The stellar parameters inferred from asteroseismology using the 3G models are found to be remarkably consistent with both the preferred orbital solution obtained from the binary light curve modeling and the updated spectroscopic estimates for the surface gravity of the star. We also show that the uncertainties on the input physics included in stellar models have no noticeable impact, at the current level of accuracy, on the structural parameters derived by asteroseismology. Conclusions. The stellar models presently used to carry out quantitative seismic analyses of sdB stars are reliable for the task. The stellar parameters inferred by this technique, at least for those that could be tested (M*, R*, and log g), appear to be both very precise and accurate, as no significant systematic effect has been found.
Studying the internal structure of exoplanets-host stars compared to that of
similar stars without detected planets is particularly important for the
understanding of planetary formation. The ...observed overmetallicity of stars
with planets may be a hint in that respect. Although it is obviously related to
the physical processes which occur during the early phases of planetary
formation, the origin of this overmetallicity is unclear. It may be either
primordial or related to accretion processes or both. In this framework,
asteroseismic studies represent an excellent tool to determine the structural
differences between stars with and without detected planets. The two different
missions of COROT are linked in this programme: the detection of new planets
and the seismic studies of their host stars share the same goal of a better
understanding of planetary formation and evolution. The COROT main target
HD52265, which is known to host at least one giant planet, will be observed
continuously during five months: many interesting results are expected from
this long run. Meanwhile, stellar oscillations will be searched for in all
stars around which new planets will be discovered.
In 2007, a companion with planetary mass was found around the pulsating subdwarf B star V391 Pegasi with the timing method, indicating that a previously undiscovered population of substellar ...companions to apparently single subdwarf B stars might exist. Following this serendipitous discovery, the EXOTIME (http://www.na.astro.it/~silvotti/exotime/) monitoring program has been set up to follow the pulsations of a number of selected rapidly pulsating subdwarf B stars on time-scales of several years with two immediate observational goals: 1) determine Pdot of the pulsational periods P 2) search for signatures of substellar companions in O-C residuals due to periodic light travel time variations, which would be tracking the central star's companion-induced wobble around the center of mass. These sets of data should therefore at the same time: on the one hand be useful to provide extra constraints for classical asteroseismological exercises from the Pdot (comparison with "local" evolutionary models), and on the other hand allow to investigate the preceding evolution of a target in terms of possible "binary" evolution by extending the otherwise unsuccessful search for companions to potentially very low masses. While timing pulsations may be an observationally expensive method to search for companions, it samples a different range of orbital parameters, inaccessible through orbital photometric effects or the radial velocity method: the latter favours massive close-in companions, whereas the timing method becomes increasingly more sensitive towards wider separations. In this paper we report on the status of the on-going observations and coherence analysis for two of the currently five targets, revealing very well-behaved pulsational characteristics in HS 0444+0458, while showing HS 0702+6043 to be more complex than previously thought.
Context. The asteroseismic exploitation of long period, g-mode hot B subdwarf (sdB) pulsators has been a long sought objective undermined, thus far, by the difficulty of obtaining sufficiently ...precise and continuous time series data from the ground.
Aims: Fast photometry from space appears to be the only means of gathering the appropriate asteroseismic data for this type of star. We explore this possibility with the CoRoT (COnvection, ROtation, and planetary Transits) satellite.
Methods: We obtained ~24 days of high quality, nearly continuous photometric data with CoRoT during a short run (SRa03) dedicated to the long period sdB pulsator KPD 0629-0016. We analysed the frequency (period) content of the CoRoT time series by combining Fourier analysis, nonlinear least squares fitting, and prewhitening techniques.
Results: Our study has led to the detection of a large number of g-mode pulsations in KPD 0629-0016, with 17 frequencies clearly identified in addition to 7 possible (although more uncertain) peaks emerging above the mean noise level (estimated at ~57 ppm). This is more than is typically detected for sdB stars from the ground and, more importantly, the frequencies of all uncovered g-modes are, for the first time, reliably measured. This paves the way for a detailed asteroseismic analysis of this star. The oscillations are found in the 90-400 μHz frequency range with a dominant mode at 205.29 μHz (P = 1.353 h) of amplitude 0.246% of the mean brightness, i.e., typical of mid-radial order g-mode pulsations.
Conclusions: These photometric observations of KPD 0629-0016 demonstrate that g-mode sdB pulsators have rich oscillation spectra that are accessible to current space-based facilities. CoRoT opens up a new era in asteroseismology of hot B subdwarf stars.
Studying the internal structure of exoplanets-host stars compared to that of similar stars without detected planets is particularly important for the understanding of planetary formation. The ...observed overmetallicity of stars with planets may be a hint in that respect. Although it is obviously related to the physical processes which occur during the early phases of planetary formation, the origin of this overmetallicity is unclear. It may be either primordial or related to accretion processes or both. In this framework, asteroseismic studies represent an excellent tool to determine the structural differences between stars with and without detected planets. The two different missions of COROT are linked in this programme: the detection of new planets and the seismic studies of their host stars share the same goal of a better understanding of planetary formation and evolution. The COROT main target HD52265, which is known to host at least one giant planet, will be observed continuously during five months: many interesting results are expected from this long run. Meanwhile, stellar oscillations will be searched for in all stars around which new planets will be discovered.
We present key sample results of a systematic survey of the pulsation
properties of models of hot B subdwarfs. We use equilibrium structures taken
from detailed evolutionary sequences of solar ...metallicity (Z = 0.02)
supplemented by grids of static envelope models of various metallicities (Z =
0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.10). We consider all pulsation modes with l = 0,
1, 2, and 3 in the 80--1500 s period window, the interval currently most
suitable for fast photometric detection techniques. We establish that
significant driving is often present in hot B subdwarfs and is due to an
opacity bump associated with heavy element ionization. We find that models with
Z >= 0.04 show low radial order unstable modes; both radial and nonradial (p,
f, and g) pulsations are excited. The unstable models have Teff > 30,000 K, and
log g > 5.7, depending somewhat on the metallicity. We emphasize that metal
enrichment needs only occur locally in the driving region. On this basis,
combined with the accepted view that local enrichments and depletions of metals
are common place in the envelopes of hot B subdwarfs, we predict that some of
these stars should show luminosity variations resulting from pulsational
instabilities.
We present key sample results of a systematic survey of the pulsation properties of models of hot B subdwarfs. We use equilibrium structures taken from detailed evolutionary sequences of solar ...metallicity (Z = 0.02) supplemented by grids of static envelope models of various metallicities (Z = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.10). We consider all pulsation modes with l = 0, 1, 2, and 3 in the 80--1500 s period window, the interval currently most suitable for fast photometric detection techniques. We establish that significant driving is often present in hot B subdwarfs and is due to an opacity bump associated with heavy element ionization. We find that models with Z >= 0.04 show low radial order unstable modes; both radial and nonradial (p, f, and g) pulsations are excited. The unstable models have Teff > 30,000 K, and log g > 5.7, depending somewhat on the metallicity. We emphasize that metal enrichment needs only occur locally in the driving region. On this basis, combined with the accepted view that local enrichments and depletions of metals are common place in the envelopes of hot B subdwarfs, we predict that some of these stars should show luminosity variations resulting from pulsational instabilities.
