The determination of exoplanet properties and occurrence rates using Kepler data critically depends on our knowledge of the fundamental properties (such as temperature, radius, and mass) of the ...observed stars. We present revised stellar properties for 197,096 Kepler targets observed between Quarters 1-17 (Q1-17), which were used for the final transiting planet search run by the Kepler Mission (Data Release 25, DR25). Similar to the Q1-16 catalog by Huber et al., the classifications are based on conditioning published atmospheric parameters on a grid of Dartmouth isochrones, with significant improvements in the adopted method and over 29,000 new sources for temperatures, surface gravities, or metallicities. In addition to fundamental stellar properties, the new catalog also includes distances and extinctions, and we provide posterior samples for each stellar parameter of each star. Typical uncertainties are ∼27% in radius, ∼17% in mass, and ∼51% in density, which is somewhat smaller than previous catalogs because of the larger number of improved constraints and the inclusion of isochrone weighting when deriving stellar posterior distributions. On average, the catalog includes a significantly larger number of evolved solar-type stars, with an increase of 43.5% in the number of subgiants. We discuss the overall changes of radii and masses of Kepler targets as a function of spectral type, with a particular focus on exoplanet host stars.
Approximately half of the extrasolar planets (exoplanets) with radii less than four Earth radii are in orbits with short periods. Despite their sheer abundance, the compositions of such planets are ...largely unknown. The available evidence suggests that they range in composition from small, high-density rocky planets to low-density planets consisting of rocky cores surrounded by thick hydrogen and helium gas envelopes. Here we report the metallicities (that is, the abundances of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium) of more than 400 stars hosting 600 exoplanet candidates, and find that the exoplanets can be categorized into three populations defined by statistically distinct (∼4.5σ) metallicity regions. We interpret these regions as reflecting the formation regimes of terrestrial-like planets (radii less than 1.7 Earth radii), gas dwarf planets with rocky cores and hydrogen-helium envelopes (radii between 1.7 and 3.9 Earth radii) and ice or gas giant planets (radii greater than 3.9 Earth radii). These transitions correspond well with those inferred from dynamical mass estimates, implying that host star metallicity, which is a proxy for the initial solids inventory of the protoplanetary disk, is a key ingredient regulating the structure of planetary systems.
In this paper, we describe Kea a new spectroscopic fitting method to derive stellar parameters from moderate to low signal-to-noise, high-resolution spectra. We developed this new tool to analyze the ...massive data set of the Kepler mission reconnaissance spectra that we have obtained at McDonald Observatory. We use Kea to determine effective temperatures (T sub(eff)), metallicity (Fe/H), surface gravity (log g), and projected rotational velocity (v sin i). Kea compares the observations to a large library of synthetic spectra that covers a wide range of different T sub(eff), Fe/H, and log g values. We calibrated Kea on observations of well-characterized standard stars (the Kepler field "platinum" sample) that range in T sub(eff) from 5000 to 6500 K, in Fe/H from -0.5 to +0.4 dex, and in log g from 3.2 to 4.6 dex. We then compared the Kea results from reconnaissance spectra of 45 Kepler objects of interest (KOIs) to stellar parameters derived from higher signal-to-noise spectra obtained with Keck/HIRES. We find typical uncertainties of 100 K in T sub(eff), 0.12 dex in Fe/H, and 0.18 dex in log g.
We present precise Doppler measurements of four stars obtained during the past decade at Keck Observatory by the California Planet Survey (CPS). These stars, namely, HD 34445, HD 126614, HD 13931, ...and Gl 179, all show evidence for a single planet in Keplerian motion. We also present Doppler measurements from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) for two of the stars, HD 34445 and Gl 179, that confirm the Keck detections and significantly refine the orbital parameters. These planets add to the statistical properties of giant planets orbiting near or beyond the ice line, and merit follow-up by astrometry, imaging, and space-borne spectroscopy. Their orbital parameters span wide ranges of planetary minimum mass (M sin i = 0.38-1.9 M{sub Jup}), orbital period (P = 2.87-11.5 yr), semimajor axis (a = 2.1-5.2 AU), and eccentricity (e = 0.02-0.41). HD 34445 b (P = 2.87 yr, M sin i = 0.79 M{sub Jup}, e = 0.27) is a massive planet orbiting an old, G-type star. We announce a planet, HD 126614 Ab, and an M dwarf, HD 126614 B, orbiting the metal-rich star HD 126614 (which we now refer to as HD 126614 A). The planet, HD 126614 Ab, has minimum mass M sin i = 0.38 M{sub Jup} and orbits the stellar primary with period P = 3.41 yr and orbital separation a = 2.3 AU. The faint M dwarf companion, HD 126614 B, is separated from the stellar primary by 489 mas (33 AU) and was discovered with direct observations using adaptive optics and the PHARO camera at Palomar Observatory. The stellar primary in this new system, HD 126614 A, has the highest measured metallicity (Fe/H = +0.56) of any known planet-bearing star. HD 13931 b (P = 11.5 yr, M sin i = 1.88 M{sub Jup}, e = 0.02) is a Jupiter analog orbiting a near solar twin. Gl 179 b (P = 6.3 yr, M sin i = 0.82 M{sub Jup}, e = 0.21) is a massive planet orbiting a faint M dwarf. The high metallicity of Gl 179 is consistent with the planet-metallicity correlation among M dwarfs, as documented recently by Johnson and Apps.
We present the first ground-based detection of sodium absorption in the transmission spectrum of an extrasolar planet. Absorption due to the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HD 189733b is detected ...in both lines of the Na I doublet. High spectral resolution observations were taken of 11 transits with the High Resolution Spectrograph (HRS) on the 9.2 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). The Na I absorption in the transmission spectrum due to HD 189733b is (-67.2 plus or minus 20.7) x 10 super(-5) deeper in the "narrow" spectral band that encompasses both lines relative to adjacent bands. The 1 sigma error includes both random and systematic errors, and the detection is >3 sigma . This amount of relative absorption in Na I for HD 189733b is similar to 3 times larger than that detected for HD 209458b by Charbonneau et al. (2002) and indicates that these two hot Jupiters may have significantly different atmospheric properties.
We have obtained >10 hr of medium-resolution (R ∼ 15,000) spectroscopic exposures on the transiting exoplanet host star WASP-12, including ∼2 hr while its planet, WASP-12b, is in transit, with the ...Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The out-of-transit and in-transit spectra are coadded into master out-of-transit and in-transit spectra, from which we create a master transmission spectrum. Strong, statistically significant absorption features are seen in the transmission spectrum at H and Na i (the Na D doublet). There is the suggestion of pre- and post-transit absorption in both H and Na i when the transmission spectrum is examined as a function of phase. The timing of the pretransit absorption is roughly consistent with previous results for metal absorption in WASP-12b, and the level of the Na i absorption is consistent with a previous tentative detection. No absorption is seen in the control line of Ca i at λ6122. We discuss in particular whether or not the WASP-12b H absorption signal is of circumplanetary origin-an interpretation that is bolstered by the pre- and post-transit evidence-which would make it one of only a small number of detections of circumplanetary H absorption in an exoplanet to date, the most well-studied being HD 189733b. We further discuss the notable differences between the HD 189733 and WASP-12 systems and the implications for a physical understanding of the origin of the absorption.
ABSTRACT We report the discovery of a new Kepler transiting circumbinary planet (CBP). This latest addition to the still-small family of CBPs defies the current trend of known short-period planets ...orbiting near the stability limit of binary stars. Unlike the previous discoveries, the planet revolving around the eclipsing binary system Kepler-1647 has a very long orbital period (∼1100 days) and was at conjunction only twice during the Kepler mission lifetime. Due to the singular configuration of the system, Kepler-1647b is not only the longest-period transiting CBP at the time of writing, but also one of the longest-period transiting planets. With a radius of 1.06 0.01 RJup, it is also the largest CBP to date. The planet produced three transits in the light curve of Kepler-1647 (one of them during an eclipse, creating a syzygy) and measurably perturbed the times of the stellar eclipses, allowing us to measure its mass, 1.52 0.65 MJup. The planet revolves around an 11-day period eclipsing binary consisting of two solar-mass stars on a slightly inclined, mildly eccentric (ebin = 0.16), spin-synchronized orbit. Despite having an orbital period three times longer than Earth's, Kepler-1647b is in the conservative habitable zone of the binary star throughout its orbit.
We report on a search for H alpha absorption in four exoplanets. Strong features at H alpha are observed in the transmission spectra of both HD 189733b and HD 209458b. We attempt to characterize and ...remove the effects of stellar variability in HD 189733b, and along with an empirical Monte Carlo test the results imply a statistically significant transit-dependent feature of (-8.72 + or - 1.48) x 10 super(-4) integrated over a 16A band relative to the adjacent continuum. We explore these assumptions and argue that T sub(exc) is very likely much greater than the radiative equilibrium temperature (the temperature the planet is assumed to be at based on stellar radiation and the planetary distance) of HD 189733b. We argue that the n = 2 hydrogen required to cause H alpha absorption in the atmosphere is created as a result of the greater UV flux at HD 189733b, which has the smallest orbit and most chromospherically active central star in our sample.
ABSTRACT We have analyzed new and archival time series spectra taken six years apart during transits of the hot Jupiter WASP-33 b, and spectroscopically resolved the line profile perturbation caused ...by the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. The motion of this line profile perturbation is determined by the path of the planet across the stellar disk, which we show to have changed between the two epochs due to nodal precession of the planetary orbit. We measured rates of change of the impact parameter and the sky-projected spin-orbit misalignment of and , respectively, corresponding to a rate of nodal precession of . This is only the second measurement of nodal precession for a confirmed exoplanet transiting a single star. Finally, we used the rate of precession to set limits on the stellar gravitational quadrupole moment of
We report the discovery of a Neptune-sized ( ) transiting circumbinary planet, Kepler-1661 b, found in the Kepler photometry. The planet has a period of ∼175 days and its orbit precesses with a ...period of only 35 yr. The precession causes the alignment of the orbital planes to vary, and the planet is in a transiting configuration only ∼7% of the time as seen from Earth. As with several other Kepler circumbinary planets, Kepler-1661 b orbits close to the stability radius, and is near the (hot) edge of the habitable zone. The planet orbits a single-lined, grazing eclipsing binary, containing a 0.84 and 0.26 pair of stars in a mildly eccentric (e = 0.11), 28.2 day orbit. The system is fairly young, with an estimated age of ∼1-3 Gyr, and exhibits significant starspot modulations. The grazing eclipse configuration means the system is very sensitive to changes in the binary inclination, which manifests itself as a change in the eclipse depth. The starspots contaminate the eclipse photometry, but not in the usual way of inducing spurious eclipse timing variations. Rather, the starspots alter the normalization of the light curve, and hence the eclipse depths. This can lead to spurious eclipse depth variations, which are then incorrectly ascribed to binary orbital precession.
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