ABSTRACT
We report here the first results from a 15-yr long variability monitoring of the z = 2.0 quasar QSO B1312+7837. It shows luminosity changes with a period P ∼ 6.13 yr (P ∼ 2.04 yr at rest ...frame) and amplitude of ∼0.2 mag, superimposed on a gradual dimming at a rate of ∼0.55 mag per 100 yr. Two false periods associated with power peaks in the data windowing function were discarded. The measured period is confirmed with a bootstrapping Monte Carlo simulation. A damped random walk model yields a better fit to the data than a sine-function model, but at the cost of employing some high-frequency variations which are typically not seen in quasars. We consider the possible mechanisms driving this variability, and conclude that orbital motion of two supermassive black holes – result from a recent galaxy merger – is a possible explanation.
We present the discovery of an Earth-mass planet (
M
b
sin
i
= 1.26 ± 0.21
M
⊕
) on a 15.6 d orbit of a relatively nearby (
d ~
9.6 pc) and low-mass (0.167 ± 0.011
M
⊙
) M5.0 V star, Wolf 1069. ...Sitting at a separation of 0.0672 ± 0.0014 au away from the host star puts Wolf 1069 b in the habitable zone (HZ), receiving an incident flux of
S
= 0.652 ± 0.029
S
⊕
. The planetary signal was detected using telluric-corrected radial-velocity (RV) data from the CARMENES spectrograph, amounting to a total of 262 spectroscopic observations covering almost four years. There are additional long-period signals in the RVs, one of which we attribute to the stellar rotation period. This is possible thanks to our photometric analysis including new, well-sampled monitoring campaigns undergone with the OSN and TJO facilities that supplement archival photometry (i.e., from MEarth and SuperWASP), and this yielded an updated rotational period range of
P
rot
= 150–170 d, with a likely value at 169.3
−3.6
+3.7
. The stellar activity indicators provided by the CARMENES spectra likewise demonstrate evidence for the slow rotation period, though not as accurately due to possible factors such as signal aliasing or spot evolution. Our detectability limits indicate that additional planets more massive than one Earth mass with orbital periods of less than 10 days can be ruled out, suggesting that perhaps Wolf 1069 b had a violent formation history. This planet is also the sixth closest Earth-mass planet situated in the conservative HZ, after Proxima Centauri b, GJ 1061 d, Teegarden’s Star c, and GJ 1002 b and c. Despite not transiting, Wolf 1069 b is nonetheless a very promising target for future three-dimensional climate models to investigate various habitability cases as well as for sub-m s
−1
RV campaigns to search for potential inner sub-Earth-mass planets in order to test planet formation theories.
ABSTRACT
The single-lined spectroscopic binary ν Octantis provided evidence of the first conjectured circumstellar planet demanding an orbit retrograde to the stellar orbits. The planet-like ...behaviour is now based on 1437 radial velocities (RVs) acquired from 2001 to 2013. ν Oct’s semimajor axis is only 2.6 au with the candidate planet orbiting $\nu ~{\rm Oct\, A}$ about mid-way between. These details seriously challenge our understanding of planet formation and our decisive modelling of orbit reconfiguration and stability scenarios. However, all non-planetary explanations are also inconsistent with numerous qualitative and quantitative tests including previous spectroscopic studies of bisectors and line-depth ratios, photometry from Hipparcos and the more recent space missions TESS and Gaia (whose increased parallax classifies $\nu ~{\rm Oct\, A}$ closer still to a subgiant, ∼K1 IV). We conducted the first large survey of $\nu ~{\rm Oct\, A}$’s chromosphere: 198 $\rm Ca\,{\small II}$ H-line and 1160 $\rm {H}\, \alpha$ indices using spectra from a previous RV campaign (2009–2013). We also acquired 135 spectra (2018–2020) primarily used for additional line-depth ratios, which are extremely sensitive to the photosphere’s temperature. We found no significant RV-correlated variability. Our line-depth ratios indicate temperature variations of only ±4 K, as achieved previously. Our atypical $\rm Ca\,{\small II}$ analysis models the indices in terms of S/N and includes covariance significantly in their errors. The $\rm {H}\, \alpha$ indices have a quasi-periodic variability that we demonstrate is due to telluric lines. Our new evidence provides further multiple arguments realistically only in favour of the planet.
We report the discovery of planetary companions orbiting four low-luminosity giant stars with
M
⋆
between 1.04 and 1.39
M
⊙
. All four host stars have been independently observed by the EXoPlanets ...aRound Evolved StarS (EXPRESS) program and the Pan-Pacific Planet Search (PPPS). The companion signals were revealed by multi-epoch precision radial velocities obtained in nearly a decade. The planetary companions exhibit orbital periods between ~1.2 and 7.1 yr, minimum masses of
m
p
sin
i
~ 1.8–3.7
M
J
, and eccentricities between 0.08 and 0.42. With these four new systems, we have detected planetary companions to 11 out of the 37 giant stars that are common targets in the EXPRESS and PPPS. After excluding four compact binaries from the common sample, we obtained a fraction of giant planets (
m
p
≳ 1– 2
M
J
) orbiting within 5 AU from their parent star of
f
= 33.3
−7.1
+9.0
%. This fraction is slightly higher than but consistent at the 1
σ
level with previous results obtained by different radial velocity surveys. Finally, this value is substantially higher than the fraction predicted by planet formation models of gas giants around stars more massive than the Sun.
Context.
Detecting and characterizing substellar companions for which the luminosity, mass, and age can be determined independently is of utter importance to test and calibrate the evolutionary ...models due to uncertainties in their formation mechanisms. HD 19467 is a bright and nearby star hosting a cool brown dwarf companion detected with radial velocities and imaging, making it a valuable object for such studies.
Aims.
We aim to further characterize the orbital, spectral, and physical properties of the HD 19467 system.
Methods.
We present new high-contrast imaging data with the SPHERE and NaCo instruments. We also analyze archival data from the instruments HARPS, NaCo, HIRES, UVES, and ASAS. Furthermore, we use proper motion data of the star from H
IPPARCOS
and
Gaia
.
Results.
We refined the properties of the host star and derived an age of 8.0
+2.0
−1.0
Gyr based on isochrones, gyrochronology, and chemical and kinematic arguments. This age estimate is slightly younger than previous age estimates of ~9–11 Gyr based on isochrones. No orbital curvature is seen in the current imaging, radial velocity, and astrometric data. From a joint fit of the data, we refined the orbital parameters for HD 19467B, including: a period of 398
+95
−93
yr, an inclination of 129.8
+8.1
−5.1
deg, an eccentricity of 0.56 ± 0.09, a longitude of the ascending node of 134.8 ± 4.5 deg, and an argument of the periastron of 64.2
+5.5
−6.3
deg. We assess a dynamical mass of 74
+12
−9
M
J
. The fit with atmospheric models of the spectrophotometric data of the companion indicates an atmosphere without clouds or with very thin clouds, an effective temperature of 1042
+77
−71
K, and a high surface gravity of 5.34
+0.8
−0.9
dex. The comparison to model predictions of the bolometric luminosity and dynamical mass of HD 19467B, assuming our system age estimate, indicates a better agreement with the Burrows et al. (1997, ApJ, 491, 856) models; whereas, the other evolutionary models used tend to underestimate its cooling rate.
Context. The stars in the Milky Way thin and thick disks can be distinguished by several properties such as metallicity and kinematics. It is not clear whether the two populations also differ in the ...properties of planets orbiting the stars. In order to study this, a careful analysis of both the chemical composition and mass detection limits is required for a sufficiently large sample. Currently, this information is still limited only to large radial-velocity (RV) programs. Based on the recently published archival database of the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph, we present a first analysis of low-mass (small) planet occurrence rates in a sample of thin- and thick-disk stars. Aims. We aim to assess the effects of stellar properties on planet occurrence rates and to obtain first estimates of planet occurrence rates in the thin and thick disks of the Galaxy. As a baseline for comparison, we also aim to provide an updated value for the small close-in planet occurrence rate and compare it with the results of previous RV and transit (Kepler) works. Methods. We used archival HARPS RV datasets to calculate detection limits of a sample of stars that were previously analysed for their elemental abundances. For stars with known planets we first subtracted the Keplerian orbit. We then used this information to calculate planet occurrence rates according to a simplified Bayesian model in different regimes of stellar and planet properties. Results. Our results suggest that metal-poor stars and more massive stars host fewer low-mass close-in planets. We find the occurrence rates of these planets in the thin and thick disks to be comparable. In the iron-poor regimes, we find these occurrence rates to be significantly larger at the high-α region (thick-disk stars) as compared with the low-α region (thin-disk stars). In general, we find the average number of close-in small planets (2–100 days, 1–20M⊕) per star (FGK-dwarfs) to be: n¯p = 0.36 ± 0.05, while the fraction of stars with planets is Fh = 0.23−0.03+0.04. Qualitatively, our results agree well with previous estimates based on RV and Kepler surveys. Conclusions. This work provides a first estimate of the close-in small planet occurrence rates in the solar neighbourhood of the thin and thick disks of the Galaxy. It is unclear whether there are other stellar properties related to the Galactic context that affect small-planet occurrence rates, or if it is only the combined effects of stellar metal content and mass. A future larger sample of stars and planets is needed to address those questions.
The reorganization through high-temperature annealing of closely-packed pore arrays can be exploited to create ultra-thin (<20 µm) monocrystalline silicon layers that can work as cheap and flexible ...substrates for both the electronic and the photovoltaic industries. By introducing a periodic diameter modulation along deep etched pores, many thin layers can be produced from a single substrate and in a single technological process. Besides the periodicity, the exact shape of the modulation also has a profound impact on the process and subtle profile changes can lead to important differences on the process outcome. In this paper we study both theoretically and experimentally the effect of the initial profile on the pore reorganization dynamics and the morphology of the thin layers obtained through annealing. We show that process reliability, annealing time and final layer characteristics, all can be engineered and optimized by precisely controlling the initial pore profile.
ABSTRACT
We report the discovery and characterization of HD 89345b (K2-234b; EPIC 248777106b), a Saturn-sized planet orbiting a slightly evolved star. HD 89345 is a bright star (V = 9.3 mag) observed ...by the K2 mission with 1 min time sampling. It exhibits solar-like oscillations. We conducted asteroseismology to determine the parameters of the star, finding the mass and radius to be $1.12^{+0.04}_{-0.01} \mathrm{ M}_\odot$ and $1.657^{+0.020}_{-0.004} \mathrm{ R}_\odot$, respectively. The star appears to have recently left the main sequence, based on the inferred age, $9.4^{+0.4}_{-1.3} \mathrm{Gyr}$, and the non-detection of mixed modes. The star hosts a ‘warm Saturn’ (P = 11.8 d, Rp = 6.86 ± 0.14 R⊕). Radial-velocity follow-up observations performed with the FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph, HARPS, and HARPS-N spectrographs show that the planet has a mass of 35.7 ± 3.3 M⊕. The data also show that the planet’s orbit is eccentric (e ≈ 0.2). An investigation of the rotational splitting of the oscillation frequencies of the star yields no conclusive evidence on the stellar inclination angle. We further obtained Rossiter–McLaughlin observations, which result in a broad posterior of the stellar obliquity. The planet seems to confirm to the same patterns that have been observed for other sub-Saturns regarding planet mass and multiplicity, orbital eccentricity, and stellar metallicity.
We present the discovery and confirmation of two new transiting giant planets from the Kepler extended mission K2. K2-260 b is a hot Jupiter transiting a V = 12.7 F6V star in K2 Field 13, with a mass ...and radius of M = 1.39-0.06+0.05M⊙and R = 1.69 ± 0.03 R. The planet has an orbital period of P = 2.627 d, and a mass and radius of MP= 1.42-0.32+0.31MJand RP= 1.552-0.057+0.048RJ. This is the first K2 hot Jupiter with a detected secondary eclipse in the Kepler bandpass, with a depth of 71 ± 15 ppm, which we use to estimate a geometric albedo of Ag~ 0.2. We also detected a candidate stellar companion at 0.6 arcsec from K2-260; we find that it is very likely physically associated with the system, in which case it would be an M5-6V star at a projected separation of ~400 au. K2-261 b is a warm Saturn transiting a bright (V = 10.5) G7IV/V star in K2 Field 14. The host star is a metal rich (Fe/H = 0.36 ± 0.06), mildly evolved 1.10-0.02+0.01M⊙star with R = 1.65 ± 0.04 R. Thanks to its location near the main-sequence turn-off, we can measure a relatively precise age of 8.8-0.3+0.4Gyr. The planet has P = 11.633 d, MP= 0.223 ± 0.031 MJ, and RP= 0.850-0.022+0.026RJ, and its orbit is eccentric (e = 0.39 ± 0.15). Its brightness and relatively large transit depth make this one of the best-known warm Saturns for follow-up observations to further characterize the planetary system.
ABSTRACT
We report the discovery of two transiting planets orbiting K2-290 (EPIC 249624646), a bright (V = 11.11) late F-type star residing in a triple-star system. It was observed during Campaign 15 ...of the K2 mission, and in order to confirm and characterize the system, follow-up spectroscopy and AO imaging were carried out using the FIES, HARPS, HARPS-N, and IRCS instruments. From AO imaging and Gaia data we identify two M-dwarf companions at a separation of 113 ± 2 and $2467_{-155}^{+177}$ au. From radial velocities, K2 photometry, and stellar characterization of the host star, we find the inner planet to be a mini-Neptune with a radius of 3.06 ± 0.16 R⊕ and an orbital period of P = 9.2 d. The radius of the mini-Neptune suggests that the planet is located above the radius valley, and with an incident flux of F ∼ 400 F⊕, it lies safely outside the super-Earth desert. The outer warm Jupiter has a mass of 0.774 ± 0.047 MJ and a radius of 1.006 ± 0.050 RJ, and orbits the host star every 48.4 d on an orbit with an eccentricity e < 0.241. Its mild eccentricity and mini-Neptune sibling suggest that the warm Jupiter originates from in situ formation or disc migration.
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