We classified the reddest (r − J > 2.2) stars observed by the NASA Kepler mission into main-sequence dwarf or evolved giant stars and determined the properties of 4216 M dwarfs based on a comparison ...of available photometry with that of nearby calibrator stars, as well as available proper motions and spectra. We revised the properties of candidate transiting planets using the stellar parameters, high-resolution imaging to identify companion stars, and, in the case of binaries, fitting light curves to identify the likely planet host. In 49 of 54 systems, we validated the primary as the host star. We inferred the intrinsic distribution of M dwarf planets using the method of iterative Monte Carlo simulation. We compared several models of planet orbital geometry and clustering and found that one where planets are exponentially distributed and almost precisely coplanar best describes the distribution of multiplanet systems. We determined that Kepler M dwarfs host an average of 2.2 ± 0.3 planets with radii of 1–4 R⊕ and orbital periods of 1.5–180 d. The radius distribution peaks at ∼1.2 R⊕ and is essentially zero at 4 R⊕, although we identify three giant planet candidates other than the previously confirmed Kepler-45b. There is suggestive but not significant evidence that the radius distribution varies with orbital period. The distribution with logarithmic orbital period is flat except for a decline for orbits less than a few days. 12 candidate planets, including two Jupiter-size objects, experience an irradiance below the threshold level for a runaway greenhouse on an Earth-like planet and are thus in a ‘habitable zone’.
We report the discovery of TOI 837b and its validation as a transiting planet. We characterize the system using data from the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission, the ESA Gaia mission, ...ground-based photometry from El Sauce and ASTEP400, and spectroscopy from CHIRON, FEROS, and Veloce. We find that TOI 837 is a T = 9.9 mag G0/F9 dwarf in the southern open cluster IC 2602. The star and planet are therefore million years old. Combining the transit photometry with a prior on the stellar parameters derived from the cluster color-magnitude diagram, we find that the planet has an orbital period of and is slightly smaller than Jupiter ( ). From radial velocity monitoring, we limit to less than 1.20 MJup (3 ). The transits either graze or nearly graze the stellar limb. Grazing transits are a cause for concern, as they are often indicative of astrophysical false-positive scenarios. Our follow-up data show that such scenarios are unlikely. Our combined multicolor photometry, high-resolution imaging, and radial velocities rule out hierarchical eclipsing binary scenarios. Background eclipsing binary scenarios, though limited by speckle imaging, remain a 0.2% possibility. TOI 837b is therefore a validated adolescent exoplanet. The planetary nature of the system can be confirmed or refuted through observations of the stellar obliquity and the planetary mass. Such observations may also improve our understanding of how the physical and orbital properties of exoplanets change in time.
It is important to explore the diversity of characteristics of low-mass, low-density planets to understand the nature and evolution of this class of planets. We present a homogeneous analysis of 12 ...new and 9 previously published broad-band photometric observations of the Uranus-sized extrasolar planet GJ 3470b, which belongs to the growing sample of sub-Jovian bodies orbiting M dwarfs. The consistency of our analysis explains some of the discrepancies between previously published results and provides updated constraints on the planetary parameters. Our data are also consistent with previous transit observations of this system. The physical properties of the transiting system can only be constrained as well as the host star is characterized, so we provide new spectroscopic measurements of GJ 3470 from 0.33 to 2.42 μm to aid our analysis. We find R
* = 0.48 ± 0.04 R⊙, M
* = 0.51 ± 0.06 M⊙, and T
eff = 3652 ± 50K for GJ 3470, along with a rotation period of 20.70 ± 0.15 d and an R-band amplitude of 0.01 mag, which is small enough that current transit measurements should not be strongly affected by stellar variability. However, to report definitively whether stellar activity has a significant effect on the light curves, this requires future multiwavelength, multi-epoch studies of GJ 3470. We also present the most precise orbital ephemeris for this system: T
o
= 2455983.70472 ± 0.00021BJDTDB, P = 3.336 6487
$^{+0.000\,0043}_{-0.000\,0033}$
d, and we see no evidence for transit timing variations greater than 1 min. Our reported planet to star radius ratio is 0.076 42 ± 0.000 37. The physical parameters of this planet are R
p = 3.88 ± 0.32 R⊕ and M
p = 13.73 ± 1.61 M⊕. Because of our revised stellar parameters, the planetary radius we present is smaller than previously reported values. We also perform a second analysis of the transmission spectrum of the entire ensemble of transit observations to date, supporting the existence of an H2-dominated atmosphere exhibiting a strong Rayleigh scattering slope.
High quality protocols facilitate proper conduct, reporting, and external review of clinical trials. However, the completeness of trial protocols is often inadequate. To help improve the content and ...quality of protocols, an international group of stakeholders developed the SPIRIT 2013 Statement (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials). The SPIRIT Statement provides guidance in the form of a checklist of recommended items to include in a clinical trial protocol. This SPIRIT 2013 Explanation and Elaboration paper provides important information to promote full understanding of the checklist recommendations. For each checklist item, we provide a rationale and detailed description; a model example from an actual protocol; and relevant references supporting its importance. We strongly recommend that this explanatory paper be used in conjunction with the SPIRIT Statement. A website of resources is also available (www.spirit-statement.org). The SPIRIT 2013 Explanation and Elaboration paper, together with the Statement, should help with the drafting of trial protocols. Complete documentation of key trial elements can facilitate transparency and protocol review for the benefit of all stakeholders.
ABSTRACT We present ten young ( 10 Myr) late-K and M dwarf stars observed in K2 Campaign 2 that host protoplanetary disks and exhibit quasi-periodic or aperiodic dimming events. Their optical light ...curves show ∼10-20 dips in flux over the 80-day observing campaign with durations of ∼0.5-2 days and depths of up to ∼40%. These stars are all members of the Ophiuchus (∼1 Myr) or Upper Scorpius (∼10 Myr) star-forming regions. To investigate the nature of these "dippers" we obtained: optical and near-infrared spectra to determine stellar properties and identify accretion signatures; adaptive optics imaging to search for close companions that could cause optical variations and/or influence disk evolution; and millimeter-wavelength observations to constrain disk dust and gas masses. The spectra reveal Li i absorption and H emission consistent with stellar youth (<50 Myr), but also accretion rates spanning those of classical and weak-line T Tauri stars. Infrared excesses are consistent with protoplanetary disks extending to within ∼10 stellar radii in most cases; however, the sub-millimeter observations imply disk masses that are an order of magnitude below those of typical protoplanetary disks. We find a positive correlation between dip depth and WISE-2 (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer-2) excess, which we interpret as evidence that the dipper phenomenon is related to occulting structures in the inner disk, although this is difficult to reconcile with the weakly accreting aperiodic dippers. We consider three mechanisms to explain the dipper phenomenon: inner disk warps near the co-rotation radius related to accretion; vortices at the inner disk edge produced by the Rossby Wave Instability; and clumps of circumstellar material related to planetesimal formation.
DS Tuc Ab is a Neptune-sized planet that orbits around a G star in the 45 Myr old Tucana-Horologium moving group. Here, we report the measurement of the sky-projected angle between the stellar spin ...axis and the planet's orbital axis, based on the observation of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect during three separate planetary transits. The orbit appears to be well aligned with the equator of the host star, with a projected obliquity of . In addition to the distortions in the stellar absorption lines due to the transiting planet, we observed variations that we attribute to large starspots, with angular sizes of tens of degrees. The technique that we have developed for simultaneous modeling of starspots and the planet-induced distortions may be useful in other observations of planets around active stars.
ABSTRACT
We report on the discovery and validation of TOI 813 b (TIC 55525572 b), a transiting exoplanet identified by citizen scientists in data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite ...(TESS) and the first planet discovered by the Planet Hunters TESS project. The host star is a bright (V = 10.3 mag) subgiant ($R_\star =1.94\, R_\odot$, $M_\star =1.32\, M_\odot$). It was observed almost continuously by TESS during its first year of operations, during which time four individual transit events were detected. The candidate passed all the standard light curve-based vetting checks, and ground-based follow-up spectroscopy and speckle imaging enabled us to place an upper limit of $2\, M_{\rm Jup}$ (99 per cent confidence) on the mass of the companion, and to statistically validate its planetary nature. Detailed modelling of the transits yields a period of $83.8911 _{ - 0.0031 } ^ { + 0.0027 }$ d, a planet radius of 6.71 ± 0.38 R⊕ and a semimajor axis of $0.423 _{ - 0.037 } ^ { + 0.031 }$ AU. The planet’s orbital period combined with the evolved nature of the host star places this object in a relatively underexplored region of parameter space. We estimate that TOI 813 b induces a reflex motion in its host star with a semi-amplitude of ∼6 m s−1, making this a promising system to measure the mass of a relatively long-period transiting planet.
ABSTRACT
We obtained high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and short-cadence photometry of the 600–800 Myr Praesepe star K2-100 during transits of its 1.67-d planet. This Neptune-size object, ...discovered by the NASA K2 mission, is an interloper in the ‘desert’ of planets with similar radii on short-period orbits. Our observations can be used to understand its origin and evolution by constraining the orbital eccentricity by transit fitting, measuring the spin-orbit obliquity by the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect, and detecting any extended, escaping the hydrogen–helium envelope with the 10 830 -Å line of neutral helium in the 2s3S triplet state. Transit photometry with 1-min cadence was obtained by the K2 satellite during Campaign 18 and transit spectra were obtained with the IRD spectrograph on the Subaru telescope. While the elevated activity of K2-100 prevented us from detecting the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect, the new photometry combined with revised stellar parameters allowed us to constrain the eccentricity to e < 0.15/0.28 with 90/99 per cent confidence. We modelled atmospheric escape as an isothermal, spherically symmetric Parker wind, with photochemistry driven by ultraviolet radiation, which we estimate by combining the observed spectrum of the active Sun with calibrations from observations of K2-100 and similar young stars in the nearby Hyades cluster. Our non-detection (<5.7 m Å) of a transit-associated He i line limits mass-loss of a solar-composition atmosphere through a T ≤ 10000 K wind to <0.3 M⊕ Gyr−1. Either K2-100b is an exceptional desert-dwelling planet, or its mass-loss is occurring at a lower rate over a longer interval, consistent with a core accretion-powered scenario for escape.
The sequence of events associated with the triggering of energy release during substorm expansion phase onset is still not well‐understood. Oberhagemann and Mann (2020b, ...https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl085271) proposed a new substorm onset mechanism, where the transition toward parallel proton pressure anisotropy during tail stretching in the late growth phase could trigger a pressure anisotropic ballooning instability. Here we examine the evolution of energetic proton parallel pressure anisotropy at geosynchronous altitudes, seeking evidence in support of the proposed substorm onset mechanism. We use the Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) proton flux and magnetometer data combined with substorm onset indicators derived from ground‐based magnetometers. Superposed epoch analysis of substorm onset times for 2014 using the isolated substorm list (Ohtani & Gjerloev, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020ja027902) clearly shows signatures of energetic proton parallel pressure anisotropy immediately before substorm onset, potentially supportive of the Oberhagemann and Mann theory.
Plain Language Summary
Substorms are disturbances in the nightside region of the geospace associated with the rapid release of stored magnetic energy. In the ionosphere, the signatures of this energy release are the spectacular dancing lights known as aurorae (northern and southern lights). The processes that lead to energy storage are well‐known. However, there are competing theories on what triggers the release of this significant amount of energy at substorm onset. According to a new substorm onset theory proposed by Oberhagemann and Mann, when the magnetic field stretches in the nightside during the energy storage, the pressure becomes more parallel to the magnetic field, leading to a ballooning instability at substorm onset. Here, we look for observational support for the association of such pressure profile at geosynchronous altitudes with substorm onset to examine the proposed model. Superposed epoch analysis of isolated substorms in 2014 shows increasing energetic proton parallel pressure anisotropy at the onset, providing evidence to support the Oberhagemann and Mann theory.
Key Points
Oberhagemann and Mann theory proposes that proton parallel temperature anisotropy triggers ballooning instability leading to substorm onset
We use pitch angle resolved energetic proton fluxes at geosynchronous altitudes seeking observational evidence in support of the model
Superposed epoch analysis of isolated substorms shows signatures of increasing energetic proton parallel anisotropy which peaks near onset
We present an all-sky catalogue of 2970 nearby (d ≲ 50 pc), bright (J < 9) M- or late K-type dwarf stars, 86 per cent of which have been confirmed by spectroscopy. This catalogue will be useful for ...searches for Earth-size and possibly Earth-like planets by future space-based transit missions and ground-based infrared Doppler radial velocity surveys. Stars were selected from the SUPERBLINK proper motion catalogue according to absolute magnitudes, spectra, or a combination of reduced proper motions and photometric colours. From our spectra, we determined gravity-sensitive indices, and identified and removed 0.2 per cent of these as interloping hotter or evolved stars. 13 per cent of the stars exhibit Hα emission, an indication of stellar magnetic activity and possible youth. The mean metallicity is Fe/H = −0.07 with a standard deviation of 0.22 dex, similar to nearby solar-type stars. We determined stellar effective temperatures by least-squares fitting of spectra to model predictions calibrated by fits to stars with established bolometric temperatures, and estimated radii, luminosities, and masses using empirical relations. Six per cent of stars with images from integral field spectra are resolved doubles. We inferred the planet population around M dwarfs using Kepler data and applied this to our catalogue to predict detections by future exoplanet surveys.
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