Aims. One of the main scientific drivers for ESPRESSO, Échelle SPectrograph, is the detection and characterization of Earth-class exoplanets. With this goal in mind, the ESPRESSO guaranteed time ...observations (GTO) Catalog identifies the best target stars for a blind search for the radial velocity (RV) signals caused by Earth-class exoplanets. Methods. Using the most complete stellar catalogs available, we screened for the most suitable G, K, and M dwarf stars for the detection of Earth-class exoplanets with ESPRESSO. For most of the stars, we then gathered high-resolution spectra from new observations or from archival data. We used these spectra to spectroscopically investigate the existence of any stellar binaries, both bound or background stars. We derived the activity level using chromospheric activity indexes using log (R′HK) $(R' _{\textrm{HK}})$ (RHK′) , as well as the projected rotational velocity v sin i. For the cases where planet companions are already known, we also looked at the possibility that additional planets may exist in the host’s habitable zone using dynamical arguments. Results. We estimated the spectroscopic contamination level, v sin i, activity, stellar parameters and chemical abundances for 249 of the most promising targets. Using these data, we selected 45 stars that match our criteria for detectability of a planet like Earth. The stars presented and discussed in this paper constitute the ESPRESSO GTO catalog for the RV blind search for Earth-class planets. They can also be used for any other work requiring a detailed spectroscopic characterization of stars in the solar neighborhood.
HADES RV Programme with HARPS-N at TNG González-Álvarez, E.; Micela, G.; Maldonado, J. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
04/2019, Letnik:
624
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Aims.
We extend the relationship between X-ray luminosity (
L
x
) and rotation period (
P
rot
) found for main-sequence FGK stars, and test whether it also holds for early M dwarfs, especially in the ...non-saturated regime (
L
x
∝
P
rot
−2
) which corresponds to slow rotators.
Methods.
We use the luminosity coronal activity indicator (
L
x
) of a sample of 78 early M dwarfs with masses in the range from 0.3 to 0.75
M
⊙
from the HArps-N red Dwarf Exoplanet Survey (HADES) radial velocity (RV) programme collected from ROSAT and
XMM-Newton
. The determination of the rotation periods (
P
rot
) was done by analysing time series of high-resolution spectroscopy of the Ca
II
H & K and H
α
activity indicators. Our sample principally covers the slow rotation regime with rotation periods from 15 to 60 days.
Results.
Our work extends to the low mass regime the observed trend for more massive stars showing a continuous shift of the
L
x
∕
L
bol
versus
P
rot
power law towards longer rotation period values, and includes a more accurate way to determine the value of the rotation period at which the saturation occurs (
P
sat
) for M dwarf stars.
Conclusions.
We conclude that the relations between coronal activity and stellar rotation for FGK stars also hold for early M dwarfs in the non-saturated regime, indicating that the rotation period is sufficient to determine the ratio
L
x
∕
L
bol
.
Context. We present the analysis of emission lines in high-resolution optical spectra of the planet-host star Proxima Centauri (Proxima) classified as a M5.5V. Aims. We carry out a detailed analysis ...of the observed spectra to get a better understanding of the physical conditions of the atmosphere of this star. Methods. We identify the emission lines in a series of 147 high-resolution optical spectra of the star at different levels of activity and compare them with the synthetic spectra computed over a wide spectral range. Results. Our synthetic spectra computed with the PHOENIX 2900/5.0/0.0 model atmosphere fits the observed spectral energy distribution from optical to near-infrared quite well. However, modelling strong atomic lines in the blue spectrum (3900–4200 Å) requires implementing additional opacity. We show that high-temperature layers in Proxima Centauri consist of at least three emitting parts: a) a stellar chromosphere where numerous emission lines form; we suggest that some emission cores of strong absorption lines of metals form there; b) flare regions above the chromosphere, where hydrogen Balmer lines up to high transition levels (10–2) form; and c) a stellar wind component with Vr = −30 km s-1 seen in some Balmer lines as blueshifted emission lines. We believe that the observed He line at 4026 Å in emission can be formed in that very hot region. Conclusions. We show that the real structure of the atmosphere of Proxima is rather complicated. The photosphere of the star is best fit by a normal M5 dwarf spectrum. On the other hand, emission lines form in the chromosphere, flare regions, and extended hot envelope.
Aims.
We study the 2D spectral line profile of the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), measuring its variation with position across the detector and with changing line intensity. ...The characterization of the line profile and its variations are important for achieving the precision of the wavelength scales of 10
−10
or 3.0 cm s
−1
necessary to detect Earth-twins in the habitable zone around solar-like stars.
Methods.
We used a laser frequency comb (LFC) with unresolved and unblended lines to probe the instrument line profile. We injected the LFC light – attenuated by various neutral density filters – into both the object and the reference fibres of HARPS, and we studied the variations of the line profiles with the line intensities. We applied moment analysis to measure the line positions, widths, and skewness as well as to characterize the line profile distortions induced by the spectrograph and detectors. Based on this, we established a model to correct for point spread function distortions by tracking the beam profiles in both fibres.
Results.
We demonstrate that the line profile varies with the position on the detector and as a function of line intensities. This is consistent with a charge transfer inefficiency effect on the HARPS detector. The estimate of the line position depends critically on the line profile, and therefore a change in the line amplitude effectively changes the measured position of the lines, affecting the stability of the wavelength scale of the instrument. We deduce and apply the correcting functions to re-calibrate and mitigate this effect, reducing it to a level consistent with photon noise.
ABSTRACT
This paper reports on the detailed characterization of the K2-111 planetary system with K2, WASP, and ASAS-SN photometry, as well as high-resolution spectroscopic data from HARPS-N and ...ESPRESSO. The host, K2-111, is confirmed to be a mildly evolved (log g = 4.17), iron-poor (Fe/H = −0.46), but alpha-enhanced (α/Fe=0.27), chromospherically quiet, very old thick disc G2 star. A global fit, performed by using PyORBIT, shows that the transiting planet, K2-111 b, orbits with a period Pb = 5.3518 ± 0.0004 d and has a planet radius of $1.82^{+0.11}_{-0.09}$ R⊕ and a mass of $5.29^{+0.76}_{-0.77}$ M⊕, resulting in a bulk density slightly lower than that of the Earth. The stellar chemical composition and the planet properties are consistent with K2-111 b being a terrestrial planet with an iron core mass fraction lower than the Earth. We announce the existence of a second signal in the radial velocity data that we attribute to a non-transiting planet, K2-111 c, with an orbital period of 15.6785 ± 0.0064 d, orbiting in near-3:1 mean motion resonance with the transiting planet, and a minimum planet mass of 11.3 ± 1.1 M⊕. Both planet signals are independently detected in the HARPS-N and ESPRESSO data when fitted separately. There are potentially more planets in this resonant system, but more well-sampled data are required to confirm their presence and physical parameters.
Context.
Small planets located at the lower mode of the bimodal radius distribution are generally assumed to be composed of iron and silicates in a proportion similar to that of the Earth. However, ...recent discoveries are revealing a new group of low-density planets that are inconsistent with that description.
Aims.
We intend to confirm and characterize the TESS planet candidate TOI-244.01, which orbits the bright (
K
= 7.97 mag), nearby (
d
= 22 pc), and early-type (M2.5 V) M-dwarf star GJ 1018 with an orbital period of 7.4 days.
Methods.
We used Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to model 57 precise radial velocity measurements acquired by the ESPRESSO spectrograph together with TESS photometry and complementary HARPS data. Our model includes a planetary component and Gaussian processes aimed at modeling the correlated stellar and instrumental noise.
Results.
We find TOI-244 b to be a super-Earth with a radius of
R
p
= 1.52 ± 0.12
R
⊕
and a mass of
M
p
= 2.68 ± 0.30
M
⊕
. These values correspond to a density of
ρ
= 4.2 ± 1.1 g cm
−3
, which is below what would be expected for an Earth-like composition. We find that atmospheric loss processes may have been efficient to remove a potential primordial hydrogen envelope, but high mean molecular weight volatiles such as water could have been retained. Our internal structure modeling suggests that TOI-244 b has a 479
−96
+128
km thick hydrosphere over a 1.17 ± 0.09
R
⊕
solid structure composed of a Fe-rich core and a silicate-dominated mantle compatible with that of the Earth. On a population level, we find two tentative trends in the density-metallicity and density-insolation parameter space for the low-density super-Earths, which may hint at their composition.
Conclusions.
With a 8% precision in radius and 12% precision in mass, TOI-244 b is among the most precisely characterized super-Earths, which, together with the likely presence of an extended hydrosphere, makes it a key target for atmospheric observations.
Context. Low-mass stars have been recognised as promising targets in the search for rocky, small planets with the potential of supporting life. As a consequence, Doppler search programmes using ...high-resolution spectrographs like HARPS or HARPS-N are providing huge quantities of optical spectra of M dwarfs. However, determining the stellar parameters of M dwarfs using optical spectra has proven to be challenging. Aims. We aim to calibrate empirical relationships to determine accurate stellar parameters for early-M dwarfs (spectral types M0-M4.5) using the same spectra as those that are used for radial velocity determinations, without the necessity of acquiring IR spectra or relying on atmospheric models and/or photometric calibrations. Methods. Our methodology consists of using ratios of pseudo-equivalent widths of spectral features as a temperature diagnostic, a technique frequently used in solar-type stars. Stars with effective temperatures obtained from interferometric estimates of their radii are used as calibrators. Empirical calibrations for the spectral type are also provided. Combinations of features and ratios of features are used to derive calibrations for the stellar metallicity. Our methods are then applied to a large sample of M dwarfs that are currently being observed in the framework of the HARPS GTO search for extrasolar planets. The derived temperatures and metallicities are used together with photometric estimates of mass, radius, and surface gravity to calibrate empirical relationships for these parameters. Results. A long list of spectral features in the optical spectra of early-M dwarfs was identified. This list shows that the pseudo-equivalent width of roughly 43% of the features is strongly anticorrelated with the effective temperature. The correlation with the stellar metallicity is weaker. A total of 112 temperature sensitive ratios were identified and calibrated over the range 3100−3950 K, providing effective temperatures with typical uncertainties of about 70 K. Eighty-two ratios of pseudo-equivalent widths of features were calibrated to derive spectral types within 0.5 subtypes for stars with spectral types between K7V and M4.5V. We calibrated 696 combinations of the pseudo-equivalent widths of individual features and temperature-sensitive ratios for the stellar metallicity over a metallicity range from −0.54 to +0.24 dex, with estimated uncertainties in the range of 0.07−0.10 dex. We provide our own empirical calibrations for stellar mass, radius, and surface gravity. These parameters depend on the stellar metallicity. For a given effective temperature, lower metallicities predict lower masses and radii as well as higher gravities.
Atmospheric studies at high spectral resolution have shown the presence of molecules, neutral and ionised metals, and hydrogen in the transmission spectrum of ultra-hot Jupiters, and have started to ...probe the dynamics of their atmospheres. We analyse the transmission spectrum of MASCARA-1b, one of the densest ultra-hot Jupiters orbiting a bright (
V
= 8.3) star. We focus on the CaII H&K, NaI doublet, LiI, H
α
, and KI D1 spectral lines and on the cross-correlated FeI, Fe II, CaI, YI, VI, VII, CaH, and TiO lines. For those species that are not present in the stellar spectrum, no detections are reported, but we are able to measure upper limits with an excellent precision (~10 ppm for particular species) thanks to the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) achieved with Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO) observations. For those species that are present in the stellar spectrum and whose planet-occulted spectral lines induce spurious features in the planetary transmission spectrum, an accurate modelling of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect (RM) and centre-to-limb variations (CLV) is necessary to recover possible atmospheric signals. In the case of MASCARA-1b, this is difficult due to the overlap between the radial velocities of the stellar surface regions occulted by MASCARA-1b and the orbital track along which the planet atmospheric signal is expected to be found. To try to disentangle a possible planetary signal, we compare our results with models of the RM and CLV effects, and estimate the uncertainties of our models depending on the different system parameters. Unfortunately, more precise measurements of the spin-orbit angle are necessary to better constrain the planet-occulted track and correct for the transit effects in the transmission spectrum with enough precision to be able to detect or discard possible planetary absorptions. Finally, we discuss the possibility that non-detections are related to the low absorption expected for a high surface gravity planet such as MASCARA-1b. Other techniques such as emission spectroscopy may be more useful for exploring their atmospheric composition.
GJ 9827 is a bright, nearby K7V star orbited by two super-Earths and one mini-Neptune on close-in orbits. The system was first discovered using K2 data and then further characterized by other ...spectroscopic and photometric instruments. Previous literature studies provide several mass measurements for the three planets, however, with large variations and uncertainties. To better constrain the planetary masses, we added high-precision radial velocity measurements from ESPRESSO to published datasets from HARPS, HARPS-N, and HIRES and we performed a Gaussian process analysis combining radial velocity and photometric datasets from K2 and TESS. This method allowed us to model the stellar activity signal and derive precise planetary parameters. We determined planetary masses of M b = 4.28 −0.33 +0.35 M ⊕ , M c = 1.86 −0.39 +0.37 M ⊕ , and M d = 3.02 −0.57 +0.58 M ⊕ , and orbital periods of 1.208974 ± 0.000001 days for planet b, 3.648103 −0.000010 +0.000013 days for planet c, and 6.201812 ± 0.000009 days for planet d. We compared our results to literature values and found that our derived uncertainties for the planetary mass, period, and radial velocity amplitude are smaller than the previously determined uncertainties. We modeled the interior composition of the three planets using the machine-learning-based tool ExoMDN and conclude that GJ 9827 b and c have an Earth-like composition, whereas GJ 9827 d has an hydrogen envelope, which, together with its density, places it in the mini-Neptune regime.
Aims. We aim at constraining evolutionary models at low mass and young ages by identifying interesting transiting system members of the nearest OB association to the Sun, Upper Scorpius (USco), which ...has been targeted by the Kepler mission. Methods. We produced light curves for M-dwarf members of the USco region that has been surveyed during the second campaign of the Kepler K2 mission. We identified by eye a transiting system, USco J161630.68−251220.1 (=EPIC 203710387) with a combined spectral type of M5.25, whose photometric, astrometric, and spectroscopic properties makes it a member of USco. We conducted an extensive photometric and spectroscopic follow-up of this transiting system with a suite of telescopes and instruments to characterise the properties of each component of the system. Results. We calculated a transit duration of about 2.42 h that occurs every 2.88 days with a slight difference in transit depth and phase between the two components. We estimated a mass ratio of 0.922 ± 0.015 from the semi-amplitudes of the radial velocity curves for each component. We derived masses of 0.091 ± 0.005M⊙ and 0.084 ± 0.004M⊙, radii of 0.388 ± 0.008R⊙ and 0.380 ± 0.008R⊙, luminosities of log (L/L⊙) = −2.020-0.121+0.099 dex and −2.032-0.121+0.099 dex, and effective temperatures of 2901-172+199 K and 2908-172+199 K for the primary and secondary, respectively. Conclusions. We present a complete photometric and radial velocity characterisation of the least massive double-line eclipsing binary system in the young USco association with two components close to the stellar/substellar limit. This system falls in a gap between the least massive eclipsing binaries in the low-mass and substellar regimes at young ages and represents an important addition to constraining evolutionary models at young ages.
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