Abstract
We present an analysis of the first 20 second cadence light curves obtained by the TESS space telescope during its extended mission. We find improved precision of 20 second data compared to ...2 minute data for bright stars when binned to the same cadence (≈10%–25% better for
T
≲ 8 mag, reaching equal precision at
T
≈ 13 mag), consistent with pre-flight expectations based on differences in cosmic-ray mitigation algorithms. We present two results enabled by this improvement. First, we use 20 second data to detect oscillations in three solar analogs (
γ
Pav,
ζ
Tuc, and
π
Men) and use asteroseismology to measure their radii, masses, densities, and ages to ≈1%, ≈3%, ≈1%, and ≈20% respectively, including systematic errors. Combining our asteroseismic ages with chromospheric activity measurements, we find evidence that the spread in the activity–age relation is linked to stellar mass and thus the depth of the convection zone. Second, we combine 20 second data and published radial velocities to recharacterize
π
Men c, which is now the closest transiting exoplanet for which detailed asteroseismology of the host star is possible. We show that
π
Men c is located at the upper edge of the planet radius valley for its orbital period, confirming that it has likely retained a volatile atmosphere and that the “asteroseismic radius valley” remains devoid of planets. Our analysis favors a low eccentricity for
π
Men c (<0.1 at 68% confidence), suggesting efficient tidal dissipation (
Q
/
k
2,1
≲ 2400) if it formed via high-eccentricity migration. Combined, these early results demonstrate the strong potential of TESS 20 second cadence data for stellar astrophysics and exoplanet science.
We report the discovery of an intermediate-mass transiting brown dwarf (BD), TOI-503b, from the TESS mission. TOI-503b is the first BD discovered by TESS, and it has circular orbit around a ...metallic-line A-type star with a period of P = 3.6772 0.0001 days. The light curve from TESS indicates that TOI-503b transits its host star in a grazing manner, which limits the precision with which we measure the BD's radius ( ). We obtained high-resolution spectroscopic observations with the FIES, Ondřejov, PARAS, Tautenburg, and TRES spectrographs, and measured the mass of TOI-503b to be Mb = 53.7 1.2 . The host star has a mass of M = 1.80 0.06 M , a radius of R = 1.70 0.05R , an effective temperature of Teff = 7650 160 K, and a relatively high metallicity of 0.61 0.07 dex. We used stellar isochrones to derive the age of the system to be ∼180 Myr, which places its age between that of RIK 72b (a ∼10 Myr old BD in the Upper Scorpius stellar association) and AD 3116b (a ∼600 Myr old BD in the Praesepe cluster). Given the difficulty in measuring the tidal interactions between BDs and their host stars, we cannot precisely say whether this BD formed in situ or has had its orbit circularized by its host star over the relatively short age of the system. Instead, we offer an examination of plausible values for the tidal quality factor for the star and BD. TOI-503b joins a growing number of known short-period, intermediate-mass BDs orbiting main-sequence stars, and is the second such BD known to transit an A star, after HATS-70b. With the growth in the population in this regime, the driest region in the BD desert ( ) is reforesting.
Greening of the brown-dwarf desert Persson, Carina M.; Csizmadia, Szilárd; Mustill, Alexander J. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
8/2019, Volume:
628
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Context.
Although more than 2000 brown dwarfs have been detected to date, mainly from direct imaging, their characterisation is difficult due to their faintness and model-dependent results. In the ...case of transiting brown dwarfs, however, it is possible to make direct high-precision observations.
Aims.
Our aim is to investigate the nature and formation of brown dwarfs by adding a new well-characterised object, in terms of its mass, radius and bulk density, to the currently small sample of less than 20 transiting brown dwarfs.
Methods.
One brown dwarf candidate was found by the KESPRINT consortium when searching for exoplanets in the K2 space mission Campaign 16 field. We combined the K2 photometric data with a series of multicolour photometric observations, imaging, and radial velocity measurements to rule out false positive scenarios and to determine the fundamental properties of the system.
Results.
We report the discovery and characterisation of a transiting brown dwarf in a 5.17-day eccentric orbit around the slightly evolved F7 V star EPIC 212036875. We find a stellar mass of 1.15 ± 0.08
M
⊙
, a stellar radius of 1.41 ± 0.05
R
⊙
, and an age of 5.1 ± 0.9 Gyr. The mass and radius of the companion brown dwarf are 51 ± 2
M
J
and 0.83 ± 0.03
R
J
, respectively, corresponding to a mean density of 108
−13
+15
g cm
−3
.
Conclusions.
EPIC 212036875 b is a rare object that resides in the brown-dwarf desert. In the mass-density diagram for planets, brown dwarfs, and stars, we find that all giant planets and brown dwarfs follow the same trend from ~0.3
M
J
to the turn-over to hydrogen burning stars at ~ 73
M
J
. EPIC 212036875 b falls close to the theoretical model for mature H/He dominated objects in this diagram as determined by interior structure models. We argue that EPIC 212036875 b formed via gravitational disc instabilities in the outer part of the disc, followed by a quick migration. Orbital tidal circularisation may have started early in its history for a brief period when the brown dwarf’s radius was larger. The lack of spin–orbit synchronisation points to a weak stellar dissipation parameter (
Q
⋆
′
≳ 10
8
), which implies a circularisation timescale of ≳23 Gyr, or suggests an interaction between the magnetic and tidal forces of the star and the brown dwarf.
We present the results of the analysis of the photometric data collected in long and short-cadence mode by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) for GJ 504, a well studied planet-hosting ...solar-like star, whose fundamental parameters have been largely debated during the last decade. Several attempts have been made by the present authors to isolate the oscillatory properties expected on this main-sequence star, but we did not find any presence of solar-like pulsations. The suppression of the amplitude of the acoustic modes can be explained by the high level of magnetic activity revealed for this target, not only by the study of the photometric light-curve, but also by the analysis of three decades available of Mount Wilson spectroscopic data. In particular, our measurements of the stellar rotational period Prot=3.4 d and of the main principal magnetic cycle of 12 a confirm previous findings and allow us to locate this star in the early main sequence phase of its evolution during which the chromospheric activity is dominated by the superposition of several cycles before the transition to the phase of the magnetic-braking shutdown with the subsequent decrease of the magnetic activity.
ABSTRACT
We report the discovery of a planetary system orbiting TOI-763(aka CD-39 7945), a V = 10.2, high proper motion G-type dwarf star that was photometrically monitored by the TESS space mission ...in Sector 10. We obtain and model the stellar spectrum and find an object slightly smaller than the Sun, and somewhat older, but with a similar metallicity. Two planet candidates were found in the light curve to be transiting the star. Combining TESS transit photometry with HARPS high-precision radial velocity (RV) follow-up measurements confirm the planetary nature of these transit signals. We determine masses, radii, and bulk densities of these two planets. A third planet candidate was discovered serendipitously in the RV data. The inner transiting planet, TOI-763 b, has an orbital period of Pb = 5.6 d, a mass of Mb = 9.8 ± 0.8 M⊕, and a radius of Rb = 2.37 ± 0.10 R⊕. The second transiting planet, TOI-763 c, has an orbital period of Pc = 12.3 d, a mass of Mc = 9.3 ± 1.0 M⊕, and a radius of Rc = 2.87 ± 0.11 R⊕. We find the outermost planet candidate to orbit the star with a period of ∼48 d. If confirmed as a planet, it would have a minimum mass of Md = 9.5 ± 1.6 M⊕. We investigated the TESS light curve in order to search for a mono transit by planet d without success. We discuss the importance and implications of this planetary system in terms of the geometrical arrangements of planets orbiting G-type stars.
We report the discovery of a super-Earth and a sub-Neptune transiting the star HD 15337 (TOI-402, TIC 120896927), a bright (V = 9) K1 dwarf observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite ...(TESS) in Sectors 3 and 4. We combine the TESS photometry with archival High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher spectra to confirm the planetary nature of the transit signals and derive the masses of the two transiting planets. With an orbital period of 4.8 days, a mass of and a radius of 1.64 0.06 R⊕, HD 15337 b joins the growing group of short-period super-Earths known to have a rocky terrestrial composition. The sub-Neptune HD 15337 c has an orbital period of 17.2 days, a mass of , and a radius of 2.39 0.12 R⊕, suggesting that the planet might be surrounded by a thick atmospheric envelope. The two planets have similar masses and lie on opposite sides of the radius gap, and are thus an excellent testbed for planet formation and evolution theories. Assuming that HD 15337 c hosts a hydrogen-dominated envelope, we employ a recently developed planet atmospheric evolution algorithm in a Bayesian framework to estimate the history of the high-energy (extreme ultraviolet and X-ray) emission of the host star. We find that at an age of 150 Myr, the star possessed on average between 3.7 and 127 times the high-energy luminosity of the current Sun.
We report the discovery of a warm Neptune and a hot sub-Neptune transiting TOI-421 (BD-14 1137, TIC 94986319), a bright (V = 9.9) G9 dwarf star in a visual binary system observed by the Transiting ...Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission in Sectors 5 and 6. We performed ground-based follow-up observations—comprised of Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope transit photometry, NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging, and FIbre-fed Echellé Spectrograph, CORALIE, High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, High Resolution Échelle Spectrometer, and Planet Finder Spectrograph high-precision Doppler measurements—and confirmed the planetary nature of the 16 day transiting candidate announced by the TESS team. We discovered an additional radial velocity signal with a period of five days induced by the presence of a second planet in the system, which we also found to transit its host star. We found that the inner mini-Neptune, TOI-421 b, has an orbital period of P(b) = 5.19672 ± 0.00049 days, a mass of M(b) = 7.17 ± 0.66 Mꚛ, and a radius of R(b) = 2.68 (+0.19,-0.18) Rꚛ, whereas the outer warm Neptune, TOI-421 c, has a period of P(c) = 16.06819 ± 0.00035 days, a mass of M(c) = 16.42 (+1.06,-1.04) Mꚛ, a radius of R(c) = 5.09{+0.16,-0.15) Rꚛ, and a density of ρ(c) = 0.685 (+0.080,-0.072) g/cu. cm. With its characteristics, the outer planet (ρ(c) = .685 {+0.080,-0.072) g/cu cm) is placed in the intriguing class of the super-puffy mini-Neptunes. TOI-421 b and TOI-421 c are found to be well-suited for atmospheric characterization. Our atmospheric simulations predict significant Lyα transit absorption, due to strong hydrogen escape in both planets, as well as the presence of detectable CH4 in the atmosphere of TOI-421 c if equilibrium chemistry is assumed.
Greening of the brown-dwarf desert Persson, Carina M.; Csizmadia, Szilárd; Mustill, Alexander J. ...
Astronomy & astrophysics,
08/2019, Volume:
628
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Context. Although more than 2000 brown dwarfs have been detected to date, mainly from direct imaging, their characterisation is difficult due to their faintness and model-dependent results. In the ...case of transiting brown dwarfs, however, it is possible to make direct high-precision observations. Aims. Our aim is to investigate the nature and formation of brown dwarfs by adding a new well-characterised object, in terms of its mass, radius and bulk density, to the currently small sample of less than 20 transiting brown dwarfs. Methods. One brown dwarf candidate was found by the KESPRINT consortium when searching for exoplanets in the K2 space mission Campaign 16 field. We combined the K2 photometric data with a series of multicolour photometric observations, imaging, and radial velocity measurements to rule out false positive scenarios and to determine the fundamental properties of the system. Results. We report the discovery and characterisation of a transiting brown dwarf in a 5.17-day eccentric orbit around the slightly evolved F7 V star EPIC 212036875. We find a stellar mass of 1.15 ± 0.08 M⊙, a stellar radius of 1.41 ± 0.05 R⊙, and an age of 5.1 ± 0.9 Gyr. The mass and radius of the companion brown dwarf are 51 ± 2 MJ and 0.83 ± 0.03 RJ, respectively, corresponding to a mean density of 108−13+15 $108_{-13} ^{+15}$ 108−13+15 g cm−3. Conclusions. EPIC 212036875 b is a rare object that resides in the brown-dwarf desert. In the mass-density diagram for planets, brown dwarfs, and stars, we find that all giant planets and brown dwarfs follow the same trend from ~0.3 MJ to the turn-over to hydrogen burning stars at ~ 73 MJ. EPIC 212036875 b falls close to the theoretical model for mature H/He dominated objects in this diagram as determined by interior structure models. We argue that EPIC 212036875 b formed via gravitational disc instabilities in the outer part of the disc, followed by a quick migration. Orbital tidal circularisation may have started early in its history for a brief period when the brown dwarf’s radius was larger. The lack of spin–orbit synchronisation points to a weak stellar dissipation parameter ( Q⋆′ ≳ 108 $Q^{\prime}_{\star}\gtrsim10^8$Q⋆′≳108 ), which implies a circularisation timescale of ≳23 Gyr, or suggests an interaction between the magnetic and tidal forces of the star and the brown dwarf.
The Multiplanet System TOI-421 Gandolfi, Davide; Barragan, Oscar; Livingston, John H. ...
The Astronomical journal,
09/2020, Volume:
160, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
We report the discovery of a warm Neptune and a hot sub-Neptune transiting TOI-421 (BD-14 1137, TIC 94986319), a bright (V = 9.9) G9 dwarf star in a visual binary system observed by the Transiting ...Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission in Sectors 5 and 6. We performed ground-based follow-up observations-comprised of Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope transit photometry, NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging, and FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph, CORALIE, High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, High Resolution echelle Spectrometer, and Planet Finder Spectrograph high-precision Doppler measurements-and confirmed the planetary nature of the 16 day transiting candidate announced by the TESS team. We discovered an additional radial velocity signal with a period of five days induced by the presence of a second planet in the system, which we also found to transit its host star. We found that the inner mini-Neptune, TOI-421 b, has an orbital period of P-b = 5.19672 +/- 0.00049 days, a mass of M-b = 7.17 +/- 0.66 M-circle plus, and a radius of R-b = R-circle plus, whereas the outer warm Neptune, TOI-421 c, has a period of P-c = 16.06819 +/- 0.00035 days, a mass of M-c = 16.42(-1.04)(+1.06)M(circle plus), a radius of R-c = 5.09(-0.15)(+0.16)R(circle plus), and a density of rho(c) = 0.685(-0.072)(+0.080) cm(-3). With its characteristics, the outer planet (rho(c) = 0.685(-0.0072)(+0.080) cm(-3)) is placed in the intriguing class of the super-puffy mini-Neptunes. TOI-421 b and TOI-421 c are found to be well-suited for atmospheric characterization. Our atmospheric simulations predict significant Ly alpha transit absorption, due to strong hydrogen escape in both planets, as well as the presence of detectable CH4 in the atmosphere of TOI-421 c if equilibrium chemistry is assumed.
Context. Although more than 2000 brown dwarfs have been detected to date, mainly from direct imaging, their characterisation is difficult due to their faintness and model-dependent results. In the ...case of transiting brown dwarfs, however, it is possible to make direct high-precision observations. Aims. Our aim is to investigate the nature and formation of brown dwarfs by adding a new well-characterised object, in terms of its mass, radius and bulk density, to the currently small sample of less than 20 transiting brown dwarfs. Methods. One brown dwarf candidate was found by the KESPRINT consortium when searching for exoplanets in the K2 space mission Campaign 16 field. We combined the K2 photometric data with a series of multicolour photometric observations, imaging, and radial velocity measurements to rule out false positive scenarios and to determine the fundamental properties of the system. Results. We report the discovery and characterisation of a transiting brown dwarf in a 5.17-day eccentric orbit around the slightly evolved F7V star EPIC 212036875. We find a stellar mass of 1.15 +/- 0.08 M-circle dot, a stellar radius of 1.41 +/- 0.05 R-circle dot, and an age of 5.1 +/- 0.9 Gyr. The mass and radius of the companion brown dwarf are 51 +/- 2 M-J and 0.83 +/- 0.03 R-J, respectively, corresponding to a mean density of 108(-13)(+15) g cm(-3). Conclusions. EPIC 212036875 b is a rare object that resides in the brown-dwarf desert. In the mass-density diagram for planets, brown dwarfs, and stars, we find that all giant planets and brown dwarfs follow the same trend from similar to 0.3 M-J to the turn-over to hydrogen burning stars at similar to 73 M-J. EPIC 212036875 b falls close to the theoretical model for mature H/He dominated objects in this diagram as determined by interior structure models. We argue that EPIC 212036875 b formed via gravitational disc instabilities in the outer part of the disc, followed by a quick migration. Orbital tidal circularisation may have started early in its history for a brief period when the brown dwarf's radius was larger. The lack of spin-orbit synchronisation points to a weak stellar dissipation parameter (Q(star)' greater than or similar to 10(8)), which implies a circularisation timescale of greater than or similar to 23 Gyr, or suggests an interaction between the magnetic and tidal forces of the star and the brown dwarf.
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