Context. High-resolution spectroscopy has the potential to drive a better understanding of the atmospheric composition, physics, and dynamics of young exoplanets and brown dwarfs, bringing clear ...insights into the formation channel of individual objects. Aims. Using the Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer (KPIC; R « 35 000), we aim to characterize a young brown dwarf HD 984 B. By measuring its C/O and 12 CO/ 13 CO ratios, we expect to gain new knowledge about its origin by confirming the difference in the formation pathways between brown dwarfs and super-Jupiters. Methods. We analysed the KPIC high-resolution spectrum (2.29–2.49 μm) of HD 984 B using an atmospheric retrieval framework based on nested sampling and petitRADTRANS, using both clear and cloudy models. Results. Using our best-fit model, we find C/O = 0.50 ± 0.01 (0.01 is the statistical error) for HD 984 B which agrees with that of its host star within 1 σ (0.40 ± 0.20). We also retrieve an isotopolog 12 CO/ 13 CO ratio of 98 -25 +20 in its atmosphere, which is similar to that of the Sun. In addition, HD 984 B has a substellar metallicity with Fe/H =-0.62 -0.02 +0.02 . Finally, we find that most of the retrieved parameters are independent of our choice of retrieval model. Conclusions. From our measured C/O and 12 CO/ 13 CO, the favored formation mechanism of HD 984 B seems to be via gravitational collapse or disk instability and not core accretion, which is a favored formation mechanism for giant exoplanets with m < 13 M Jup and semimajor axis between 10 and 100 au. However, with only a few brown dwarfs with a measured 12 CO/ 13 CO ratio, similar analyses using high-resolution spectroscopy will become essential in order to determine planet formation processes more precisely.
Aims.
We aim to better constrain the atmospheric properties of the directly imaged exoplanet 51 Eri b using a retrieval approach with data of higher signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) than previously ...reported. In this context, we also compare the results from an atmospheric retrieval to using a self-consistent model to fit atmospheric parameters.
Methods.
We applied the radiative transfer code petitRADTRANS to our near-infrared SPHERE observations of 51 Eri b in order to retrieve its atmospheric parameters. Additionally, we attempted to reproduce previous results with the retrieval approach and compared the results to self-consistent models using the best-fit parameters from the retrieval as priors.
Results.
We present a higher S/N
YH
spectrum of the planet and revised
K1K
2 photometry (
M
K
1
= 15.11 ± 0.04 mag,
M
K
2
= 17.11 ± 0.38 mag). The best-fit parameters obtained using an atmospheric retrieval differ from previous results using self-consistent models. In general, we find that our solutions tend towards cloud-free atmospheres (e.g. log
τ
clouds
= −5.20 ± 1.44). For our 'nominal' model with new data, we find a lower metallicity (Fe/H = 0.26 ± 0.30 dex) and C/O ratio (0.38 ± 0.09), and a slightly higher effective temperature (
T
eff
= 807 ± 45 K) than previous studies. The surface gravity (log
g
= 4.05 ± 0.37) is in agreement with the reported values in the literature within uncertainties. We estimate the mass of the planet to be between 2 and 4
M
Jup
. When comparing with self-consistent models, we encounter a known correlation between the presence of clouds and the shape of the
P
–
T
profiles.
Conclusions.
Our findings support the idea that results from atmospheric retrievals should not be discussed in isolation, but rather along with self-consistent temperature structures obtained using the best-fit parameters of the retrieval. This, along with observations at longer wavelengths, might help to better characterise the atmospheres and determine their degree of cloudiness.
Aims. Our aim is to study deuterium burning in objects forming according to the core accretion scenario in the hot and cold start assumption and what minimum deuterium burning mass limit is found for ...these objects. We also study how the burning process influences the structure and luminosity of the objects. Furthermore we want to test and verify our results by comparing them to already existing hot start simulations which did not consider, however, the formation process. Methods. We present a new method to calculate deuterium burning of objects in a self-consistently coupled model of planet formation and evolution. We discuss which theory is used to describe the process of deuterium burning and how it was implemented. Results. We find that the objects forming according to a hot start scenario behave approximately in the same way as found in previous works of evolutionary calculations, which did not consider the formation. However, for cold start objects one finds that the objects expand during deuterium burning instead of being partially stabilized against contraction. In both cases, hot and cold start, the mass of the solid core has an influence on the minimum mass limit of deuterium burning. The general position of the mass limit, 13 MJ, stays however approximately the same. None of the investigated parameters was able to change this mass limit by more than 0.8 MJ. Due to deuterium burning, the luminosity of hot and cold start objects becomes comparable after ~200 Myr.
petitRADTRANS Mollière, P.; Wardenier, J. P.; van Boekel, R. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
07/2019, Volume:
627
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
We present the easy-to-use, publicly available, Python package petitRADTRANS, built for the spectral characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. The code is fast, accurate, and versatile; it can ...calculate both transmission and emission spectra within a few seconds at low resolution (
λ
/Δ
λ
= 1000; correlated-k method) and high resolution (
λ
/Δ
λ
= 10
6
; line-by-line method), using only a few lines of input instruction. The somewhat slower, correlated-k method is used at low resolution because it is more accurate than methods such as opacity sampling. Clouds can be included and treated using wavelength-dependent power law opacities, or by using optical constants of real condensates, specifying either the cloud particle size, or the atmospheric mixing and particle settling strength. Opacities of amorphous or crystalline, spherical or irregularly-shaped cloud particles are available. The line opacity database spans temperatures between 80 and 3000 K, allowing to model fluxes of objects such as terrestrial planets, super-Earths, Neptunes, or hot Jupiters, if their atmospheres are hydrogen-dominated. Higher temperature points and species will be added in the future, allowing to also model the class of ultra hot-Jupiters, with equilibrium temperatures
T
eq
≳ 2000 K. Radiative transfer results were tested by cross-verifying the low- and high-resolution implementation of petitRADTRANS, and benchmarked with the petitCODE, which itself is also benchmarked to the ATMO and Exo-REM codes. We successfully carried out test retrievals of synthetic JWST emission and transmission spectra (for the hot Jupiter TrES-4b, which has a
T
eq
of ∼1800 K).
Context.
β
Pictoris is arguably one of the most studied stellar systems outside of our own. Some 30 yr of observations have revealed a highly-structured circumstellar disk, with rings, belts, and a ...giant planet:
β
Pictoris b. However very little is known about how this system came into being.
Aims.
Our objective is to estimate the C/O ratio in the atmosphere of
β
Pictoris b and obtain an estimate of the dynamical mass of the planet, as well as to refine its orbital parameters using high-precision astrometry.
Methods.
We used the GRAVITY instrument with the four 8.2 m telescopes of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer to obtain
K
-band spectro-interferometric data on
β
Pic b. We extracted a medium resolution (
R
= 500)
K
-band spectrum of the planet and a high-precision astrometric position. We estimated the planetary C/O ratio using two different approaches (forward modeling and free retrieval) from two different codes (ExoREM and petitRADTRANS, respectively). Finally, we used a simplified model of two formation scenarios (gravitational collapse and core-accretion) to determine which can best explain the measured C/O ratio.
Results.
Our new astrometry disfavors a circular orbit for
β
Pic b (
e
= 0.15
−0.04
+0.05
). Combined with previous results and with H
IPPARCOS
/
Gaia
measurements, this astrometry points to a planet mass of
M
= 12.7 ± 2.2
M
Jup
. This value is compatible with the mass derived with the free-retrieval code petitRADTRANS using spectral data only. The forward modeling and free-retrieval approches yield very similar results regarding the atmosphere of
β
Pic b. In particular, the C/O ratios derived with the two codes are identical (0.43 ± 0.05 vs. 0.43
−0.03
+0.04
). We argue that if the stellar C/O in
β
Pic is Solar, then this combination of a very high mass and a low C/O ratio for the planet suggests a formation through core-accretion, with strong planetesimal enrichment.
The opacity of alkali atoms, most importantly of Na and K, plays a crucial role in the atmospheres of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. We present a comprehensive study of Na–H2 collisional profiles at ...temperatures from 500 to 3000 K, the temperatures prevailing in the atmosphere of brown dwarfs and Jupiter-mass planets. The relevant H2 perturber densities reach several 1019 cm−3 in hot (Teff ≳ 1500 K) Jupiter-mass planets and can exceed 1020 cm−3 for more massive or cooler objects. Accurate pressure-broadened profiles that are valid at high densities of H2 should be incorporated into spectral models. Unified profiles of sodium perturbed by molecular hydrogen were calculated in the semi-classical approach using up-to-date molecular data. New Na–H2 collisional profiles and their effects on the synthetic spectra of brown dwarfs and hot Jupiters computed with petitCODE are presented.
Context. 51 Eridani b is an exoplanet around a young (20 Myr) nearby (29.4 pc) F0-type star, which was recently discovered by direct imaging. It is one of the closest direct imaging planets in ...angular and physical separation (~0.5′′, ~13 au) and is well suited for spectroscopic analysis using integral field spectrographs. Aims. We aim to refine the atmospheric properties of the known giant planet and to constrain the architecture of the system further by searching for additional companions. Methods. We used the extreme adaptive optics instrument SPHERE at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to obtain simultaneous dual-band imaging with IRDIS and integral field spectra with IFS, extending the spectral coverage of the planet to the complete Y- to H-band range and providing additional photometry in the K12-bands (2.11, 2.25 μm). The object is compared to other known cool and peculiar dwarfs. The posterior probability distributions for parameters of cloudy and clear atmospheric models are explored using MCMC. We verified our methods by determining atmospheric parameters for the two benchmark brown dwarfs Gl 570D and HD 3651B. We used archival VLT-NACO (L′) Sparse Aperture Masking data to probe the innermost region for additional companions. Results. We present the first spectrophotometric measurements in the Y and K bands for the planet and revise its J-band flux to values 40% fainter than previous measurements. Cloudy models with uniform cloud coverage provide a good match to the data. We derive the temperature, radius, surface gravity, metallicity, and cloud sedimentation parameter fsed. We find that the atmosphere is highly super-solar (Fe/H = 1.0 ± 0.1 dex), and the low \hbox{${f_{\rm sed} = 1.26^{+0.36}_{-0.29}}$}fsed=1.26-0.29+0.36 value is indicative of a vertically extended, optically thick cloud cover with small sized particles. The model radius and surface gravity estimates suggest higher planetary masses of \hbox{${M_\mathrm{gravity} = 9.1^{+4.9}_{-3.3} \, {M}_\mathrm{J}}$}Mgravity=9.1-3.3+4.9 MJ. The evolutionary model only provides a lower mass limit of > 2 MJ (for pure hot-start). The cold-start model cannot explain the luminosity of the planet. The SPHERE and NACO/SAM detection limits probe the 51 Eri system at solar system scales and exclude brown-dwarf companions more massive than 20 MJ beyond separations of ~2.5 au and giant planets more massive than 2 MJ beyond 9 au.
GASTLI Acuña, L; Kreidberg, L; Zhai, M ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
08/2024, Volume:
688
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
The metal mass fractions of gas giants are a powerful tool for constraining their formation mechanisms and evolution. The metal content is inferred by comparing mass and radius measurements with ...interior structure and evolution models. In the midst of the JWST, CHEOPS, TESS, and the forthcoming PLATO era, we are at the brink of obtaining unprecedented precision in radius, age, and atmospheric metallicity measurements. To prepare for this wealth of data, we present the GAS gianT modeL for Interiors (GASTLI), an easy-to-use, publicly available Python package. The code is optimized to rapidly calculate mass-radius relations, and radius and luminosity thermal evolution curves for a variety of envelope compositions and core mass fractions. Its applicability spans planets with masses of 17 M⊕ < M < 6 MJup, and equilibrium temperatures of Teq < 1000 K. The interior model is stratified in a core composed of water and rock, and an envelope constituted by H/He and metals (water). The interior is coupled to a grid of self-consistent, cloud-free atmospheric models to determine the atmospheric and boundary interior temperature, as well as the contribution of the atmosphere to the total radius. We successfully validate GASTLI by comparing it to previous work and data of the gas giants of the Solar System and Neptune. We also test GASTLI on the Neptune-mass exoplanet HAT-P-26 b, finding a bulk metal mass fraction of between 0.60 and 0.78 and a core mass of 8.5–14.4 M⊕. Finally, we explore the impact of different equations of state and assumptions, such as C/O ratio and transit pressure, in the estimation of bulk metal mass fraction. These differences between interior models entail a change in radius of up to 2.5% for Jupiter-mass planets, but of more than 10% for Neptune-mass. These are equivalent to variations in core mass fraction of 0.07, or 0.10 in envelope metal mass fraction.
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