## Friday, January 31, 2014

### Methane Detected in HD 189733b's Exoatmosphere

On the Detection of Molecules in the Atmosphere of HD189733b using HST NICMOS Transmission Spectroscopy

Authors:

Swain et al

Abstract:

The HST/NICMOS transmission spectrum measurements of HD 189733b that suggest the detection of methane (CH4) in an exoplanet atmosphere have been a source of significant controversy. With what is probably the best analyzed exoplanet spectroscopy data set to date, different teams, using different methods, have claimed evidence both contradicting and supporting the original findings. Here, we report results from a uniform spectral retrieval analysis of the three, independent, published spectra together with null hypothesis testing. Based on Bayesian model comparison, we find that two of the three spectra show strong evidence (≥ 3.6σ) for the detection of molecular features mainly due to water and methane while the third is consistent with a weak molecular detection at the 2.2σ level. We interpret the agreement in the spectral modulation established by previous authors and the atmospheric retrieval results presented here, as a confirmation of the original detection of molecular absorbers in the atmosphere of HD 189733b.

### Habitability of Exoplanets Around Old, Low Mass Stars Extended by Tidal Effects of Other Exoplanets

Tides, planetary companions, and habitability: Habitability in the habitable zone of low-mass stars

Authors:

Van Laerhoven et al

Abstract:

Earth-scale planets in the classical habitable zone (HZ) are more likely to be habitable if they possess active geophysics. Without a constant internal energy source, planets cool as they age, eventually terminating tectonic activity and rendering the planet sterile to life. However, for planets orbiting low-mass stars, the presence of an outer companion could generate enough tidal heat in the HZ planet to prevent such cooling. The range of mass and orbital parameters for the companion that give adequate long-term heating of the inner HZ planet, while avoiding very early total desiccation, is probably substantial. We locate the ideal location for the outer of a pair of planets, under the assumption that the inner planet has the same incident flux as Earth, orbiting example stars: a generic late M dwarf (Teff=2670K) and the M9V/L0 dwarf DEN1048. Thus discoveries of Earth-scale planets in the HZ zone of old small stars should be followed by searches for outer companion planets that might be essential for current habitability.

### Using Classical Secular Theory to Characterize Multi-Planet Systems?

Characterizing Multi-planet Systems with Classical Secular Theory

Authors:

Van Laerhoven et al

Abstract:

Classical secular theory can be a powerful tool to describe the qualitative character of multi-planet systems and offer insight into their histories. The eigenmodes of the secular behavior, rather than current orbital elements, can help identify tidal effects, early planet-planet scattering, and dynamical coupling among the planets, for systems in which mean-motion resonances do not play a role. Although tidal damping can result in aligned major axes after all but one eigenmode have damped away, such alignment may simply be fortuitous. An example of this is 55 Cancri (orbital solution of Fischer et al., 2008) where multiple eigenmodes remain undamped. Various solutions for 55 Cancri are compared, showing differing dynamical groupings, with implications for the coupling of eccentricities and for the partitioning of damping among the planets. Solutions for orbits that include expectations of past tidal evolution with observational data, must take into account which eigenmodes should be damped, rather than expecting particular eccentricities to be near zero. Classical secular theory is only accurate for low eccentricity values, but comparison with other results suggests that it can yield useful qualitative descriptions of behavior even for moderately large eccentricity values, and may have advantages for revealing underlying physical processes and, as large numbers of new systems are discovered, for triage to identify where more comprehensive dynamical studies should have priority.

### Do Warm Jupiters Clear Their Inner Systems of Smaller ExoPlanets?

Small Inner Companions of Warm Jupiters: Lifetimes and Legacies

Authors:

Van Laerhoven et al

Abstract:

Although warm jupiters are generally too far from their stars for tides to be important, the presence of an inner planetary companion to a warm jupiter can result in tidal evolution of the system. Insight into the process and its effects comes form classical secular theory of planetary perturbations. The lifetime of the inner planet may be shorter than the age of the system, because the warm jupiter maintains its eccentricity and hence promotes tidal migration into the star. Thus a warm jupiter observed to be alone in its system might have previously cleared away any interior planets. Before its demise, even if an inner planet is of terrestrial scale, it may promote damping of the warm jupiter's eccentricity. Thus any inferences of the initial orbit of an observed warm jupiter must include the possibility of a greater initial eccentricity than would be estimated by assuming it had always been alone. Tidal evolution involving multiple planets also enhances the internal heating of the planets, which readily exceeds that of stellar radiation for the inner planet, and may be great enough to affect the internal structure of warm jupiters. Secular theory gives insight into the tidal processes, providing, among other things, a way to constrain eccentricities of transiting planets based on estimates of the tidal parameter Q.

(admin: this is the beginning of the  "Van Laerhovenrun")

### Gas Giant and Brown Dwarf Formation and Distinguishing Between the two Astronomical Types

Giant planet and brown dwarf formation

Authors:

Chabrier et al

Abstract:

Understanding the dominant brown dwarf and giant planet formation processes, and finding out whether these processes rely on completely different mechanisms or share common channels represents one of the major challenges of astronomy and remains the subject of heated debates. It is the aim of this review to summarize the latest developments in this field and to address the issue of origin by confronting different brown dwarf and giant planet formation scenarios to presently available observational constraints. As examined in the review, if objects are classified as "Brown Dwarfs" or "Giant Planets" on the basis of their formation mechanism, it has now become clear that their mass domains overlap and that there is no mass limit between these two distinct populations.
Furthermore, while there is increasing observational evidence for the existence of non-deuterium burning brown dwarfs, some giant planets, characterized by a significantly metal enriched composition, might be massive enough to ignite deuterium burning in their core. Deuterium burning (or lack of) thus plays no role in either brown dwarf or giant planet formation. Consequently, we argue that the IAU definition to distinguish these two populations has no physical justification and brings scientific confusion. In contrast, brown dwarfs and giant planets might bear some imprints of their formation mechanism, notably in their mean density and in the physical properties of their atmosphere. Future direct imaging surveys will undoubtedly provide crucial information and perhaps provide some clear observational diagnostics to unambiguously distinguish these different astrophysical objects.

### Attempting to Understand Planet-forming Disks Better

Transport and Accretion in Planet-Forming Disks

Authors:

Turner et al

Abstract:

Planets appear to form in environments shaped by the gas flowing through protostellar disks to the central young stars. The flows in turn are governed by orbital angular momentum transfer. In this chapter we summarize current understanding of the transfer processes best able to account for the flows, including magneto-rotational turbulence, magnetically-launched winds, self-gravitational instability and vortices driven by hydrodynamical instabilities. For each in turn we outline the major achievements of the past few years and the outstanding questions. We underscore the requirements for operation, especially ionization for the magnetic processes and heating and cooling for the others. We describe the distribution and strength of the resulting flows and compare with the long-used phenomenological α-picture, highlighting issues where the fuller physical picture yields substantially different answers. We also discuss the links between magnetized turbulence and magnetically-launched outflows, and between magnetized turbulence and hydrodynamical vortices. We end with a summary of the status of efforts to detect specific signatures of the flows.

## Thursday, January 30, 2014

### Modeling the Reflective Signatures of Homochiral Organic Particles, Potentially in Exoplanet Atmospheres

Comparative analysis of polarimetric signatures of aligned and optically active (“homochiral”) dust particles

Authors:

Kolokolova et al

Abstract:

We model light scattering by aligned particles and particles that contain homochiral organics, i.e. organics that possess optical activity (circular birefringence and circular dichroism), to check for a method to distinguish between these particles based on their linear and circular polarization. For aligned particles, we consider alignment in a magnetic field that aligns the particles with the longest particle dimension perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. We model those particles as polydisperse ensembles of prolate and oblate spheroids made of ice, silicate and cosmic organics. We model optically active particles as aggregates of submicron monomers made of chlorophyll, which has optical constants with values similar to those of silicates but possesses distinct optical activity in the visible. The results of the modeling show that alignment and optical activity produce a rather similar shape of phase angle dependences of linear and circular polarization, making it difficult to distinguish between them. However, a difference was found in the exact backscattering and forward scattering directions, where aligned particles have non-zero linear polarization and zero circular polarization whereas optically active particles have non-zero circular polarization and zero linear polarization. We also studied correlations between linear and circular polarization and found that at small phase angles both aligned and optically active particles show correlation between linear and circular polarization. However, at phase angles larger than 100°, linear and circular polarizations correlate for aligned particles and anticorrelate for optically active particles. This difference in correlations may be used to distinguish between two mechanisms of formation of circular polarization. Also, the spectral dependence of circular polarization for these two mechanisms is very different because it is defined by the refractive index for aligned particles and circular dichroism and birefringence for optically active particles. Our results can be helpful in determining the mechanism responsible for formation of circular polarization at scattering of light by dust particles in comets, star-forming regions and circumstellar disks, and by aerosols in atmospheres of exoplanets.

### Modelling the Circumbinary Planets of Kepler-38

Modelling Circumbinary Planets: The case of Kepler-38

Authors:

Kley et al

Abstract:

Recently, a number of planets orbiting binary stars have been discovered by the Kepler space telescope. In a few systems the planets reside close to the dynamical stability limit. Due to the difficulty of forming planets in such close orbits, it is believed that they have formed further out in the disk and migrated to their present locations. Our goal is to construct more realistic models of planet migration in circumbinary disks, and to determine the final position of these planets. In our work, we focus on the system Kepler-38. The evolution of the circumbinary disk is studied using two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations. We study locally isothermal disks as well as more realistic models with viscous heating, radiative cooling from the disk surfaces, and radiative diffusion in the disk mid plane. After the disk has been brought into equilibrium, a 115 Earth-mass planet is embedded and its evolution is followed. In all cases the planets stop inward migration near the inner edge of the disk. In isothermal disks with a typical disk scale height of H/r = 0.05, the final outcome agrees very well with the observed location of planet Kepler-38b. For the radiative models, the disk thickness and location of the inner edge is determined by the mass in the system. For surface densities in the order of 3000 g/cm^2 at 1 AU, the inner gap lies close to the binary and planets stop in the region between the 5:1 and 4:1 mean-motion resonances with the binary. A model with a disk with approximately a quarter of the mass yields a final position very close to the observed one. For planets migrating in circumbinary disks, the final position is dictated by the structure of the disk. Knowing the observed orbits of circumbinary planets, radiative disk simulations with embedded planets can provide important information on the physical state of the system during the final stages of its evolution.

### Kepler-413b: A Circumbinary Neptunian Exoplanet

Kepler-413b: a slightly misaligned, Neptune-size transiting circumbinary planet

Authors:

Kostov et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of a transiting, Rp = 4.347+/-0.099REarth, circumbinary planet (CBP) orbiting the Kepler K+M Eclipsing Binary (EB) system KIC 12351927 (Kepler-413) every ~66 days on an eccentric orbit with ap = 0.355+/-0.002AU, ep = 0.118+/-0.002. The two stars, with MA = 0.820+/-0.015MSun, RA = 0.776+/-0.009RSun and MB = 0.542+/-0.008MSun, RB = 0.484+/-0.024RSun respectively revolve around each other every 10.11615+/-0.00001 days on a nearly circular (eEB = 0.037+/-0.002) orbit. The orbital plane of the EB is slightly inclined to the line of sight (iEB = 87.33+/-0.06 degrees) while that of the planet is inclined by ~2.5 degrees to the binary plane at the reference epoch. Orbital precession with a period of ~11 years causes the inclination of the latter to the sky plane to continuously change. As a result, the planet often fails to transit the primary star at inferior conjunction, causing stretches of hundreds of days with no transits (corresponding to multiple planetary orbital periods). We predict that the next transit will not occur until 2020. The orbital configuration of the system places the planet slightly closer to its host stars than the inner edge of the extended habitable zone. Additionally, the orbital configuration of the system is such that the CBP may experience Cassini-States dynamics under the influence of the EB, in which the planet's obliquity precesses with a rate comparable to its orbital precession. Depending on the angular precession frequency of the CBP, it could potentially undergo obliquity fluctuations of dozens of degrees (and complex seasonal cycles) on precession timescales.

### How Dusty is Alpha Centauri?

How dusty is alpha Centauri? Excess or non-excess over the infrared photospheres of main-sequence stars

Authors:

Wiegert et al

Abstract:

Context.

Debris discs around main-sequence stars indicate the presence of larger rocky bodies. The components of the nearby, solar-type binary Centauri have higher than solar metallicities, which is thought to promote giant planet formation.
Aims. We aim to determine the level of emission from debris around the stars in the Cen system. This requires knowledge of their photospheres. Having already detected the temperature minimum, Tmin, of CenA at far-infrared wavelengths, we here attempt to do so also for the more active companion Cen B. Using the Cen stars as templates, we study possible e ects Tmin may have on the detectability of unresolved dust discs around other stars.

Methods.

We use Herschel-PACS, Herschel-SPIRE, and APEX-LABOCA photometry to determine the stellar spectral energy distributions in the far infrared and submillimetre. In addition, we use APEX-SHeFI observations for spectral line mapping to study the complex background around Cen seen in the photometric images. Models of stellar atmospheres and of particulate discs, based on particle simulations and in conjunction with radiative transfer calculations, are used to estimate the amount of debris around these stars.

Results.

For solar-type stars more distant than Cen, a fractional dust luminosity fd Ldust{Lstar 2 10 7 could account for SEDs that do not exhibit the Tmin-e ect. This is comparable to estimates of fd for the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt of the solar system. In contrast to the far infrared, slight excesses at the 2:5 level are observed at 24 m for both CenA and B, which, if interpreted to be due to zodiacal-type dust emission, would correspond to fd p1 3q 10 5, i.e. some 102 times that of the local zodiacal cloud. Assuming simple power law size distributions of the dust grains, dynamical disc modelling leads to rough mass estimates of the putative Zodi belts around the Cen stars, viz. 4 10 6 MK of 4 to 1000 m size grains, distributed according to npaq9a 3:5. Similarly, for filled-in Tmin emission, corresponding Edgeworth-Kuiper belts could account for 10 3 MK of dust.

Conclusions.

Our far-infrared observations lead to estimates of upper limits to the amount of circumstellar dust around the stars CenA and B. Light scattered and/or thermally emitted by exo-Zodi discs will have profound implications for future spectroscopic missions designed to search for biomarkers in the atmospheres of Earth-like planets. The far-infrared spectral energy distribution of Cen B is marginally consistent with the presence of a minimum temperature region in the upper atmosphere of the star. We also show that an Cen A-like temperature minimum may result in an erroneous apprehension about the presence of dust around other, more distant stars.

### Results of Observing Exoplanet Host Stars With Submeter Telescopes

Medium-resolution echelle spectroscopy of pulsating variables and exoplanet host stars with sub-meter telescopes

Authors:

Kovács et al

Abstract:

Here we present two of our interesting results obtained over the last 18 months from spectroscopic monitoring of binary pulsating stars and exoplanet host stars. Our investigations are very promising by demonstrating that modern fiber-fed spectrographs open a whole new chapter in the life of small national and university observatories.

### Simulating Gas Giant Formation

ACCRETION OF JUPITER-MASS PLANETS IN THE LIMIT OF VANISHING VISCOSITY

Authors:

Szulágyi et al

Abstract:

In the core-accretion model, the nominal runaway gas-accretion phase brings most planets to multiple Jupiter masses. However, known giant planets are predominantly Jupiter mass bodies. Obtaining longer timescales for gas accretion may require using realistic equations of states, or accounting for the dynamics of the circumplanetary disk (CPD) in the low-viscosity regime, or both. Here we explore the second way by using global, three-dimensional isothermal hydrodynamical simulations with eight levels of nested grids around the planet. In our simulations, the vertical inflow from the circumstellar disk (CSD) to the CPD determines the shape of the CPD and its accretion rate. Even without a prescribed viscosity, Jupiter's mass-doubling time is ~104 yr, assuming the planet at 5.2 AU and a Minimum Mass Solar Nebula. However, we show that this high accretion rate is due to resolution-dependent numerical viscosity. Furthermore, we consider the scenario of a layered CSD, viscous only in its surface layer, and an inviscid CPD. We identify two planet-accretion mechanisms that are independent of the viscosity in the CPD: (1) the polar inflow—defined as a part of the vertical inflow with a centrifugal radius smaller than two Jupiter radii and (2) the torque exerted by the star on the CPD. In the limit of zero effective viscosity, these two mechanisms would produce an accretion rate 40 times smaller than in the simulation.

## Wednesday, January 29, 2014

### Gas Giant/Brown Dwarfs Observed to Accrete at Least 10x Faster Than Expected

Accretion onto Planetary Mass Companions of Low-Mass Young Stars

Authors:

Zhou et al

Abstract:

Measurements of accretion rates onto planetary mass objects may distinguish between different planet formation mechanisms, which predict different accretion histories. In this Letter, we use \HST/WFC3 UVIS optical photometry to measure accretion rates onto three accreting objects, GSC06214-00210 b, GQ Lup b, and DH Tau b, that are at the planet/brown dwarf boundary and are companions to solar mass stars. The excess optical emission in the excess accretion continuum yields mass accretion rates of 10−9 to 10−11 \Msol/yr for these three objects. Their accretion rates are an order of magnitude higher than expected from the correlation between mass and accretion rates measured from the UV excess, which is applicable if these wide planetary mass companions formed by protostellar core fragmentation. The high accretion rates and large separation from the central star demonstrate the presence of massive disks around these objects. Models for the formation and evolution of wide planetary mass companions should account for their large accretion rates. High ratios of Hα luminosity over accretion luminosity for objects with low accretion rates suggest that searches for Hα emission may be an efficient way to find accreting planets.

### Probing Inflated Hot Jupiter Kepler-412b's Structure and Properties

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates XI. Kepler-412 system: probing the properties of a new inflated hot Jupiter

Authors:

Deleuil et al

Abstract:

We confirm the planetary nature of Kepler-412b, listed as planet candidate KOI-202 in the Kepler catalog, thanks to our radial velocity follow-up program of Kepler-released planet candidates, which is on going with the SOPHIE spectrograph. We performed a complete analysis of the system by combining the Kepler observations from Q1 to Q15, to ground-based spectroscopic observations that allowed us to derive radial velocity measurements, together with the host star parameters and properties. We also analyzed the light curve to derive the star's rotation period and the phase function of the planet, including the secondary eclipse. We found the planet has a mass of 0.939 ± 0.085 MJup and a radius of 1.325 ± 0.043 RJup which makes it a member of the bloated giant subgroup. It orbits its G3 V host star in 1.72 days. The system has an isochronal age of 5.1 Gyr, consistent with its moderate stellar activity as observed in the Kepler light curve and the rotation of the star of 17.2 ± 1.6 days. From the detected secondary, we derived the day side temperature as a function of the geometric albedo and estimated the geometrical albedo, Ag, is in the range 0.094 to 0.013. The measured night side flux corresponds to a night side brightness temperature of 2154 ± 83 K, much greater than what is expected for a planet with homogeneous heat redistribution. From the comparison to star and planet evolution models, we found that dissipation should operate in the deep interior of the planet. This modeling also shows that despite its inflated radius, the planet presents a noticeable amount of heavy elements, which accounts for a mass fraction of 0.11 ± 0.04.

### First Global Cloud Map of Luhman 16B

A Global Cloud Map of the Nearest Known Brown Dwarf

Authors:

Crossfield et al

Authors:

Brown dwarfs – interstellar bodies more massive than planets but not massive enough to initiate the sustained hydrogen fusion that powers self-luminous stars – are born hot and slowly cool as they age. As they cool below ~2300 K, liquid or crystalline particles composed of calcium aluminates, silicates, and/or iron condense into atmospheric “dust” which disappears at still cooler temperatures (~1300 K). Models to explain this dust dispersal include both an abrupt sinking of the entire cloud deck into the deep, unobservable atmosphere or breakup of the cloud into scattered patches (as seen on Jupiter and Saturn), but to date observations of brown dwarfs have been limited to globally integrated measurements; such measurements can reveal surface inhomogeneities but cannot unambiguously resolve surface features11. Here we report a two dimensional map of a brown dwarf's surface that allows identification of large-scale bright and dark features, indicative of patchy clouds.

Geographic localization of such features, and the ability to create timelapsed extrasolar weather movies in the near future, provide important new constraints on the formation, evolution, and dispersal of clouds in brown dwarf and extrasolar planet atmospheres.

### Terrestrial World's Climates Greatly Influenced by Other Planets in System

The role of Jupiter in driving Earth's orbital evolution

Authors:

Horner et al

Abstract:

In coming years, the first truly Earth-like planets will be discovered orbiting other stars, and the search for signs of life on these worlds will begin. However, such observations will be hugely time-consuming and costly, and so it will be important to determine which of those planets represent the best prospects for life elsewhere. One of the key factors in such a decision will be the climate variability of the planet in question - too chaotic a climate might render a planet less promising as a target for our initial search for life elsewhere.

On the Earth, the climate of the last few million years has been dominated by a series of glacial and interglacial periods, driven by periodic variations in the Earth's orbital elements and axial tilt. These Milankovitch cycles are driven by the gravitational influence of the other planets, and as such are strongly dependent on the architecture of the Solar system.

Here, we present the first results of a study investigating the influence of the orbit of Jupiter on the Milankovitch cycles at Earth - a first step in developing a means to characterise the nature of periodic climate change on planets beyond our Solar system.

### Doubts Cast on NN Serpentis' 2 Exoplanets

Wobbling Ancient Binaries - Here Be Planets?

Authors:

Horner et al

Abstract:

In the last few years, a number of planets have been proposed to orbit several post main-sequence binary star systems on the basis of observed variations in the timing of eclipses between the binary components. A common feature of these planet candidates is that the best-fit orbits are often highly eccentric, such that the multiple planet systems proposed regularly feature mutually crossing orbits - a scenario that almost always leads to unstable planetary systems. In this work, we present the results of dynamical studies of all multiple-planet systems proposed to orbit these highly evolved binary stars, finding that most do not stand up to dynamical scrutiny. In one of the potentially stable cases (the NN Serpentis 2-planet system), we consider the evolution of the binary star system, and show that it is highly unlikely that planets could survive from the main sequence to obtain their current orbits - again casting doubt on the proposed planets. We conclude by considering alternative explanations for the observed variation in eclipse timings for these systems.

### New Method for Analyzing Oscillation-less Potential Exoplanet Host Stars

Limits on surface gravities of Kepler planet-candidate host stars from non-detection of solar-like oscillations

Authors:

Campante et al

Abstract:

We present a novel method for estimating lower-limit surface gravities log g of Kepler targets whose data do not allow the detection of solar-like oscillations. The method is tested using an ensemble of solar-type stars observed in the context of the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium. We then proceed to estimate lower-limit log g for a cohort of Kepler solar-type planet-candidate host stars with no detected oscillations. Limits on fundamental stellar properties, as provided by this work, are likely to be useful in the characterization of the corresponding candidate planetary systems. Furthermore, an important byproduct of the current work is the confirmation that amplitudes of solar-like oscillations are suppressed in stars with increased levels of surface magnetic activity.

## Tuesday, January 28, 2014

### Sinistra, Gliese 581 Systems Modeled: SInistra has 2 Exoplanets/Brown Dwarfs, Gliese 581 Five or Six Exoplanets

The Probabilities of Orbital-Companion Models for Stellar Radial Velocity Data

Authors:

Hou et al

Abstract:

The fully marginalized likelihood, or Bayesian evidence, is of great importance in probabilistic data analysis, because it is involved in calculating the posterior probability of a model or re-weighting a mixture of models conditioned on data. It is, however, extremely challenging to compute. This paper presents a geometric-path Monte Carlo method, inspired by multi-canonical Monte Carlo to evaluate the fully marginalized likelihood. We show that the algorithm is very fast and easy to implement and produces a justified uncertainty estimate on the fully marginalized likelihood. The algorithm performs efficiently on a trial problem and multi-companion model fitting for radial velocity data. For the trial problem, the algorithm returns the correct fully marginalized likelihood, and the estimated uncertainty is also consistent with the standard deviation of results from multiple runs. We apply the algorithm to the problem of fitting radial velocity data from HIP 88048 (ν Oph) and Gliese 581. We evaluate the fully marginalized likelihood of 1, 2, 3, and 4-companion models given data from HIP 88048 and various choices of prior distributions. We consider prior distributions with three different minimum radial velocity amplitude Kmin. Under all three priors, the 2-companion model has the largest marginalized likelihood, but the detailed values depend strongly on Kmin. We also evaluate the fully marginalized likelihood of 3, 4, 5, and 6-planet model given data from Gliese 581 and find that the fully marginalized likelihood of the 5-planet model is too close to that of the 6-planet model for us to confidently decide between them.

### New Method Determing Exoplanet Mass From Spectroscopy Tested on HD189733b

Constraining Exoplanet Mass from Transmission Spectroscopy

Authors:

de Witt et al

Abstract:

Determination of an exoplanet's mass is a key to understanding its basic properties, including its potential for supporting life. To date, mass constraints for exoplanets are predominantly based on radial velocity (RV) measurements, which are not suited for planets with low masses, large semi-major axes, or those orbiting faint or active stars. Here, we present a method to extract an exoplanet's mass solely from its transmission spectrum. We find good agreement between the mass retrieved for the hot Jupiter HD189733b from transmission spectroscopy with that from RV measurements. Our method will be able to retrieve the masses of Earth-sized and super-Earth planets using data from future space telescopes that were initially designed for atmospheric characterization.

### Conflicting Conclusions (Part 2) in the Race to Analyze OGLE-2012-BLG-0406

A SUPER-JUPITER ORBITING A LATE-TYPE STAR: A REFINED ANALYSIS OF MICROLENSING EVENT OGLE-2012-BLG-0406

Authors:

Tsapras et al

Abstract:

We present a detailed analysis of survey and follow-up observations of microlensing event OGLE-2012-BLG-0406 based on data obtained from 10 different observatories. Intensive coverage of the light curve, especially the perturbation part, allowed us to accurately measure the parallax effect and lens orbital motion. Combining our measurement of the lens parallax with the angular Einstein radius determined from finite-source effects, we estimate the physical parameters of the lens system. We find that the event was caused by a 2.73 ± 0.43 M J planet orbiting a 0.44 ± 0.07 M ☉ early M-type star. The distance to the lens is 4.97 ± 0.29 kpc and the projected separation between the host star and its planet at the time of the event is 3.45 ± 0.26 AU. We find that the additional coverage provided by follow-up observations, especially during the planetary perturbation, leads to a more accurate determination of the physical parameters of the lens.

### Conflicting Conclusions (Part 1) in the Race to Analyze OGLE-2012-BLG-0406

SUPER-MASSIVE PLANETS AROUND LATE-TYPE STARS—THE CASE OF OGLE-2012-BLG-0406Lb

Authors:

Poleski et al

Abstract:

Super-Jupiter-mass planets should form only beyond the snow line of host stars. However, the core accretion theory of planetary formation does not predict super-Jupiters forming around low-mass hosts. We present a discovery of a 3.9 ± 1.2 M Jup mass planet orbiting the 0.59 ± 0.17 M ☉ star using the gravitational microlensing method. During the event, the projected separation of the planet and the star is 3.9 ± 1.0 AU, i.e., the planet is significantly further from the host star than the snow line. This is the fourth such planet discovered using the microlensing technique and challenges the core accretion theory.

### Reconciling the Differences Between Exoplanetary Planes of Ecliptic and Host Star Spin Angles

Tidal evolution of the spin-orbit angle in exoplanetary systems

Authors:

Xue et al

Abstract:

The angle between the stellar spin and the planetary orbit axes (spin-orbit angle) is supposed to carry valuable information on the initial condition of the planet formation and the subsequent migration history. Indeed current observations of the Rossiter- McLaughlin effect have revealed a wide range of spin-orbit misalignments for transiting exoplanets. We examine in detail the tidal evolution of a simple system comprising a Sun-like star and a hot Jupiter adopting the equilibrium tide and the inertial wave dissipation effects simultaneously. We find that the combined tidal model works as a very efficient realignment mechanism; it predicts three distinct states of the spin-orbit angle (i.e., parallel, polar, and anti-parallel orbits) for a while, but the latter two states eventually approach the parallel spin-orbit configuration. The intermediate spin-orbit angles as measured in recent observations are difficult to be achieved. Therefore the current model cannot reproduce the observed broad distribution of the spin-orbit angles, at least in its simple form. This indicates that the observed diversity of the spin-orbit angles may emerge from more complicated interactions with outer planets and/or may be the consequence of the primordial misalignment between the proto-planetary disk and the stellar spin, which requires future detailed studies.

### Constraints on Planetary Migration due to Scattering

Scattering outcomes of close-in planets: constraints on planet migration

Authors:

Petrovich et al

Abstract:

Many exoplanets in close-in orbits are observed to have relatively high eccentricities and large stellar obliquities. We explore the possibility that these result from planet-planet scattering by studying the dynamical outcomes from a large number of orbit integrations in systems with two and three gas-giant planets in close-in orbits (0.05 AU < a < 0.15 AU). We find that at these orbital separations, unstable systems generally lead to planet-planet collisions in which the collision product is a planet on a low-eccentricity, low-inclination orbit. This result is inconsistent with the observations. We conclude that eccentricity and inclination excitation from planet-planet scattering must precede migration of planets into short-period orbits. This result constrains theories of planet migration: the semi-major axis must shrink by 1-2 orders of magnitude without damping the eccentricity and inclination.

## Monday, January 27, 2014

### Modeling Planetesmal Pollution of White Dwarfs

Stochastic accretion of planetesimals onto white dwarfs: constraints on the mass distribution of accreted material from atmospheric pollution

Authors:

Wyatt et al

Abstract:

This paper explores how the stochastic accretion of planetesimals onto white dwarfs would be manifested in observations of their atmospheric pollution. Archival observations of pollution levels for unbiased samples of DA and non-DA white dwarfs are used to derive the distribution of accretion rates, confirming that rates become systematically lower as sinking time is decreased, with no discernable dependence on cooling age. The accretion rates expected from planetesimals that are all the same mass (ie, a mono-mass distribution) are explored both analytically and using a Monte Carlo model, quantifying how measured accretion rates inevitably depend on sinking time, since different sinking times probe different times since the last accretion event. However, that dependence is so dramatic that a mono-mass distribution can be excluded. Consideration of accretion from a broad distribution of planetesimal masses uncovers an important conceptual difference: accretion is continuous (rather than stochastic) for planetesimals below a certain mass, and the accretion of such planetesimals determines the rate typically inferred from observations; smaller planetesimals dominate the rates for shorter sinking times. A reasonable fit to the observationally inferred accretion rate distributions is found with model parameters consistent with a collisionally evolved mass distribution up to Pluto-mass, and an underlying accretion rate distribution consistent with that expected from descendants of debris discs of main sequence A stars. With these parameters, while both DA and non-DA white dwarfs accrete from the same broad planetesimal distribution, this model predicts that the pollution seen in DAs is dominated by the continuous accretion of less than 35 km objects, and that in non-DAs by greater than 35km objects (though the dominant size varies between stars by around an order of magnitude from this value)
Eccentric Planets and Stellar Evolution as a Cause of Polluted White Dwarfs

Authors:

Frewen et al

Abstract:

A significant fraction of white dwarfs (WDs) are observed to be polluted with metals despite high surface gravities and short settling times. The current theoretical model for this pollution is accretion of rocky bodies delivered to the WD through perturbations by orbiting planets. Using N-body simulations, we examine the possibility of a single planet as the source of pollution. We determine the stability of test particles on circular orbits in systems with a single planet located at 4 au for a range of masses and eccentricities, comparing the fractions that are ejected and accreted. In particular, we compare the instabilities that develop before and after the star loses mass to form a WD, a process which causes orbiting bodies to migrate outward. We determine that a planet must be eccentric (e greater than .2 0.02) to deliver significant (greater than .5 per cent) amounts of material to the host and that the amount increases with the planetary eccentricity. This result is robust with respect to the initial eccentricities of the particles for planetary eccentricity above ~0.4 and for randomly-distributed particle long. of pericentre. We also find that the efficiency of pollution is enhanced as planetary mass is reduced. We demonstrate that a 0.03 M_Jup planet with substantial eccentricity (e greater than 0.4) can account for the observed levels of pollution for initial disc masses of order 1 M_Earth. Such discs are within the range estimated for initial planetesimals discs and below that estimated for the solar system. However, their survival to the WD stage is uncertain as estimates for the collisional evolution of planetesimal discs suggest they should be ground down below the required levels on Gyr timescales. Thus, planetary scattering by eccentric, sub-Jovian planets can explain the observed levels of WD pollution, but only if current estimates of the collisional erosion of planetesimal discs are in error.

### 3 Exoplanets Found in Open Cluster M67

Three planetary companions around M67 stars

Authors:

Brucalassi et al

Abstract:

For the past six years we have carried out a search for massive planets around main sequence and evolved stars in the open cluster (OC) M67, using radial velocity (RV) measurements obtained with HARPS at ESO (La Silla), SOPHIE at OHP and HRS at HET. Additional RV data come from CORALIE at the Euler Swiss Telescope. We aim to perform a long-term study on giant planet formation in open clusters and determine how it depends on stellar mass and chemical composition.

We report the detection of three new extrasolar planets: two in orbit around the two G dwarfs YBP1194 and YBP1514, and one around the evolved star S364. The orbital solution for YBP1194 yields a period of 6.9 days, an eccentricity of 0.24, and a minimum mass of 0.34 Mj. YBP1514 shows periodic RV variations of 5.1 days, a minimum mass of 0.40 Mj, and an eccentricity of 0.39. The best Keplerian solution for S364 yields a period of 121.7 days, an eccentricity of 0.35 and a minimum mass of 1.54 Mj. An analysis of H_alpha core flux measurements as well as of the line bisectors spans revealed no correlation with the RV periods, indicating that the RV variations are best explained by the presence of a planetary companion. Remarkably, YBP1194 is one of the best solar twins identified so far, and YBP1194b is the first planet found around a solar twin that belongs to a stellar cluster. In contrast with early reports and in agreement with recent findings, our results show that massive planets around stars of open clusters are as frequent as those around field stars.

### SuperEarths may Really be Mini Neptunes

Masses, Radii, and Orbits of Small Kepler Planets: The Transition from Gaseous to Rocky Planets

Authors:

Marcy et al

Abstract:

We report on the masses, sizes, and orbits of the planets orbiting 22 Kepler stars. There are 49 planet candidates around these stars, including 42 detected through transits and 7 revealed by precise Doppler measurements of the host stars. Based on an analysis of the Kepler brightness measurements, along with high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy, Doppler spectroscopy, and (for 11 stars) asteroseismology, we establish low false-positive probabilities for all of the transiting planets (41 of 42 have a false-positive probability under 1%), and we constrain their sizes and masses. Most of the transiting planets are smaller than 3X the size of Earth. For 16 planets, the Doppler signal was securely detected, providing a direct measurement of the planet's mass. For the other 26 planets we provide either marginal mass measurements or upper limits to their masses and densities; in many cases we can rule out a rocky composition. We identify 6 planets with densities above 5 g/cc, suggesting a mostly rocky interior for them. Indeed, the only planets that are compatible with a purely rocky composition are smaller than ~2 R_earth. Larger planets evidently contain a larger fraction of low-density material (H, He, and H2O).

### Mars Sized Planet Formation Successfully Modeled

TERRESTRIAL PLANET FORMATION IN A PROTOPLANETARY DISK WITH A LOCAL MASS DEPLETION: A SUCCESSFUL SCENARIO FOR THE FORMATION OF MARS

Authors:

Izidoro et al

Abstract:

Models of terrestrial planet formation for our solar system have been successful in producing planets with masses and orbits similar to those of Venus and Earth. However, these models have generally failed to produce Mars-sized objects around 1.5 AU. The body that is usually formed around Mars' semimajor axis is, in general, much more massive than Mars. Only when Jupiter and Saturn are assumed to have initially very eccentric orbits (e ~ 0.1), which seems fairly unlikely for the solar system, or alternately, if the protoplanetary disk is truncated at 1.0 AU, simulations have been able to produce Mars-like bodies in the correct location. In this paper, we examine an alternative scenario for the formation of Mars in which a local depletion in the density of the protosolar nebula results in a non-uniform formation of planetary embryos and ultimately the formation of Mars-sized planets around 1.5 AU. We have carried out extensive numerical simulations of the formation of terrestrial planets in such a disk for different scales of the local density depletion, and for different orbital configurations of the giant planets. Our simulations point to the possibility of the formation of Mars-sized bodies around 1.5 AU, specifically when the scale of the disk local mass-depletion is moderately high (50%-75%) and Jupiter and Saturn are initially in their current orbits. In these systems, Mars-analogs are formed from the protoplanetary materials that originate in the regions of disk interior or exterior to the local mass-depletion. Results also indicate that Earth-sized planets can form around 1 AU with a substantial amount of water accreted via primitive water-rich planetesimals and planetary embryos. We present the results of our study and discuss their implications for the formation of terrestrial planets in our solar system.

### Detection of a Chromosphere in Brown Dwarfs?

A Signature of Chromospheric Activity in Brown Dwarfs Revealed by 2.5-5.0 Micron AKARI Spectra

Authors:

Sorahana et al

Abstract:

We propose that the 2.7 micron H_2O, 3.3 micron CH_4 and 4.6 micron CO absorption bands can be good tracers of chromospheric activity in brown dwarfs. In our previous study, we found that there are difficulties in explaining entire spectra between 1.0 and 5.0 microns with the Unified Cloudy Model (UCM), a brown dwarf atmosphere model. Based on simple radiative equilibrium, temperature in a model atmosphere usually decreases monotonically with height. However, if a brown dwarf has a chromosphere, as inferred by some observations, the temperature in the upper atmosphere is higher. We construct a simple model that takes into account heating due to chromospheric activity by setting a temperature floor in an upper atmosphere, and find that the model spectra of 3 brown dwarfs with moderate H-alpha emission, an indicator of chromospheric activity, are considerably improved to match the AKARI spectra. Because of the higher temperatures in the upper atmospheres, the amount of CH_4 molecules is reduced and the absorption band strengths become weaker. The strengths of the absorption bands of H_2O and CO also become weaker. On the other hand, other objects with weak H-alpha emission cannot be fitted by our treatment. We also briefly discuss magnetic heating processes which possibly operate in upper atmospheres, by extending our numerical simulations for the Sun and stars with surface convection to brown dwarf atmospheres.

## Sunday, January 26, 2014

### Brown Dwarfs Detected in Near-IR Sprectroscopy of the Orion Trapezium Cluster

NEAR-INFRARED (JHK) SPECTROSCOPY OF YOUNG STELLAR AND SUBSTELLAR OBJECTS IN ORION

Authors:

Ingraham et al

Abstract:

We performed low-resolution (R ~ 40) near-infrared (0.9-2.4 μm) multi-object spectroscopy of 240 isolated point sources having apparent H-band magnitudes between 9 and 18 in the central 5' × 6' of the Orion Trapezium cluster. The observations were performed over four nights at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope using the visiting instrument SIMON, an infrared imager and multi-object spectrograph. We present the spectra of 104 objects with accurately derived spectral types including 7 new objects having masses below the hydrogen-burning limit, and 6 objects with masses below the deuterium-burning limit. The spectral classification is performed by fitting previously classified spectral templates of dwarf stars (K4-M3) and optically classified young stellar and substellar objects (M4-L0), to the entire 0.9-2.4 μm spectral energy distribution in order to assign a spectral type and visual extinction for each object. Of the 104 objects studied, 44 have been previously classified spectroscopically using various techniques. We perform a rigorous comparison between the previous classifications and our own and find them to be in good agreement. Using the dereddened H-band magnitudes, the classified objects are used to create an Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the cluster. We find that the previous age estimates of ~1 Myr to be consistent with our results. Consistent with previous studies, numerous objects are observed to have luminosities several magnitudes above the 1 Myr isochrone. Numerous objects exhibiting emission features in the J band are also reported.

### First T6.5 Dwarf Found?

The discovery of a T6.5 subdwarf

Authors:

Burningham et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of ULAS J131610.28+075553.0, a sdT6.5 dwarf in the UKIDSS Large Area Survey 2 epoch proper motion catalogue. This object displays significant spectral peculiarity, with the largest yet seen deviations from T6 and T7 templates in the Y and K bands for this subtype. Its large, ~1 arcsec/yr, proper motion suggests a large tangential velocity of Vtan = 240 - 340km/s, if we assume its MJ lies within the typical range for T6.5 dwarfs. This makes it a candidate for membership of the Galactic halo population. However, other metal poor T dwarfs exhibit significant under luminosity both in specific bands and bolometrically. As a result, it is likely that its velocity is somewhat smaller, and we conclude it is a likely thick disc or halo member. This object represents the only T dwarf earlier than T8 to be classified as a subdwarf, and is a significant addition to the currently small number of known unambiguously substellar subdwarfs.

### EXPRESSO Instrument Will be Deployed in 2016 to Follow-on to HARPS

ESPRESSO: The next European exoplanet hunter

Authors:

Pepe et al

Abstract:

The acronym ESPRESSO stems for Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations; this instrument will be the next VLT high resolution spectrograph. The spectrograph will be installed at the Combined-Coud\'e Laboratory of the VLT and linked to the four 8.2 m Unit Telescopes (UT) through four optical Coud\'e trains. ESPRESSO will combine efficiency and extreme spectroscopic precision. ESPRESSO is foreseen to achieve a gain of two magnitudes with respect to its predecessor HARPS, and to improve the instrumental radial-velocity precision to reach the 10 cm/s level. It can be operated either with a single UT or with up to four UTs, enabling an additional gain in the latter mode. The incoherent combination of four telescopes and the extreme precision requirements called for many innovative design solutions while ensuring the technical heritage of the successful HARPS experience. ESPRESSO will allow to explore new frontiers in most domains of astrophysics that require precision and sensitivity. The main scientific drivers are the search and characterization of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone of quiet, nearby G to M-dwarfs and the analysis of the variability of fundamental physical constants. The project passed the final design review in May 2013 and entered the manufacturing phase. ESPRESSO will be installed at the Paranal Observatory in 2016 and its operation is planned to start by the end of the same year.

### Potential EChO Target List

The contribution of the major planet search surveys to EChO target selection

Authors:

Micela et al

Abstract:

The EChO core science will be based on a three tier survey, each with increasing sensitivity, in order to study the population of exo-planets from super-Earths to Jupiter-like planets, in the very hot to temperate zones (temperatures of 300 K - 3000 K) of F to M-type host stars. To achieve a meaningful outcome an accurate selection of the target sample is needed. In this paper we analyse the targets, suitable for EChO observations, expected to result from a sample of present and forthcoming detection surveys. Exoplanets currently known are already sufficient to provide a large and diverse sample. However we expect the results from these surveys to increase the sample of smaller planets that will allow us to optimize the EChO sample selection.

### EChO-specific Spectroscopic Database Being Built

The Status of Spectroscopic Data for the Exoplanet Characterisation Missions

Authors:

Tennyson et al

Abstract:

The status of laboratory spectroscopic data for exoplanet characterisation missions such as EChO is reviewed. For many molecules (eg H2O, CO, CO2, H3+, O2, O3) the data are already available. For the other species work is actively in progress constructing this data. Much of the is work is being undertaken by ExoMol project (www.exomol.com). This information will be used to construct and EChO-specific spectroscopic database.

### A Radiative-convective Equilibrium Model for Young Giant Planets

A radiative-convective equilibrium model for young giant exoplanets: Application to beta Pictoris b

Authors:

Baudino et al

Abstract:

We present a radiative-convective equilibrium model for young giant exoplanets. Model predictions are compared with the existing photometric measurements of planet beta Pictoris b in the J, H, Ks, L', NB 4.05, M' bands . This model will be used to interpret future photometric and spectroscopic observations of exoplanets with SPHERE, mounted at the VLT with a first light expected mid-2014.

## Saturday, January 25, 2014

### Compositions of Two Extrasolar Rocky Planetesimals

Elemental Compositions of Two Extrasolar Rocky Planetesimals

Authors:

Xu et al

Abstract:

We report Keck/HIRES and HST/COS spectroscopic studies of extrasolar rocky planetesimals accreted onto two hydrogen atmosphere white dwarfs, G29-38 and GD 133. In G29-38, 8 elements are detected, including C, O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr and Fe while in GD 133, O, Si, Ca and marginally Mg are seen. These two extrasolar planetesimals show a pattern of refractory enhancement and volatile depletion. For G29-38, the observed composition can be best interpreted as a blend of a chondritic object with some refractory-rich material, a result from post-nebular processing. Water is very depleted in the parent body accreted onto G29-38, based on the derived oxygen abundance. The inferred total mass accretion rate in GD 133 is the lowest of all known dusty white dwarfs, possibly due to non-steady state accretion. We continue to find that a variety of extrasolar planetesimals all resemble to zeroth order the elemental composition of bulk Earth.

### Accretion of Planets Complicated by Particle Size

Accretion of Solid Materials onto Circumplanetary Disks from Protoplanetary Disks

Authors:

Tanigawa et al

Abstract:

We investigate accretion of solid materials onto circumplanetary disks from heliocentric orbits rotating in protoplanetary disks, which is a key process for the formation of regular satellite systems. In the late stage of gas-capturing phase of giant planet formation, the accreting gas from protoplanetary disks forms circumplanetary disks. Since the accretion flow toward the circumplanetary disks affects the particle motion through gas drag force, we use hydrodynamic simulation data for the gas drag term to calculate the motion of solid materials. We consider wide range of size for the solid particles (10−2-106m), and find that the accretion efficiency of the solid particles peaks around 10m-sized particles because energy dissipation of drag with circum-planetary disk gas in this size regime is most effective. The efficiency for particles larger than 10m size becomes lower because gas drag becomes less effective. For particles smaller than 10m, the efficiency is lower because the particles are strongly coupled with the back-ground gas flow, which prevent particles from accretion. We also find that the distance from the planet where the particles are captured by the circumplanetary disks is in a narrow range and well described as a function of the particle size.

### Experiments to Explore Bouncing Barriers in Protoplanetary Discs

Experimental Study on Bouncing Barriers in Protoplanetary Discs

Authors:

Kelling et al

Abstract:

For dust aggregates in protoplanetary discs a transition between sticking and bouncing in individual collisions at mm to cm size has been observed in the past. This lead to the notion of a bouncing barrier for which growth gets stalled. Here, we present long term laboratory experiments on the outcome of repeated aggregate collisions at the bouncing barrier. About 100 SiO2 dust aggregates of 1 mm in size were observed interacting with each other. Collisions occured within a velocity range from below mm/s up to cm/s. Aggregates continuously interacted with each other over a period of 900 s. During this time more than 105 collisions occured. Nearly 2000 collisions were analyzed in detail. No temporal stable net growth of larger aggregates was observed even though sticking collision occur. Larger ensembles of aggregates sticking together are formed but were disassembled again during the further collisional evolution. The concept of a bouncing barrier supports the formation of planetesimals by seeded collisional growth as well as by gravitational instability favouring a significant total mass being limited to certain size ranges. Within our parameter set the experiments confirm that bouncing barriers are one possible and likely evolutionary limit of a self consistent particle growth.

### Observed Structures in HD142527's ProtoPlanetary Disk

STRUCTURES IN THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK OF HD142527 SEEN IN POLARIZED SCATTERED LIGHT

Authors:

Avenhaus et al

Abstract:

We present H- and K s-band polarized differential images of the Herbig Ae/Be star HD142527, revealing its optically thick outer disk and the nearly empty gap. The very small inner working angle (~0.''1) and high-resolution achievable with an 8 m class telescope, together with a careful polarimetric calibration strategy, allow us to achieve images that surpass the quality of previous scattered-light images. Previously known substructures are resolved more clearly and new structures are seen. Specifically, we are able to resolve (1) half a dozen spiral structures in the disk, including previously known outer-disk spirals as well as new spiral arms and arcs close to the inner rim of the disk, (2) peculiar holes in the polarized surface brightness at position angles (P.A.'s) of ~0° and ~160°, (3) the inner rim on the eastern side of the disk, and (4) the gap between the outer and inner disk, ranging from the inner working angle of 0.''1 out to between 0.''7 and 1.''0, which is nearly devoid of dust. We then use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to determine several structural parameters of the disk, using very simple assumptions, including its inclination, eccentricity, and the scale height of the inner rim. We compare our results with previous work on this object and try to produce a consistent picture of the system and its transition disk.

### A Review of the Earliest Stages of Star and Planet Formation

The Earliest Stages of Star and Planet Formation: Core Collapse, and the Formation of Disks and Outflows

Authors:

Li et al

Abstract:

In this review we focus on the observations and theory of the formation of early disks and outflows, and their connections with the first phases of planet formation. Large rotationally supported circumstellar disks, although common around more evolved young stellar objects, are rarely detected during the earliest, "Class 0" phase; however, a few excellent candidates have been discovered recently around both low and high mass protostars. In this early phase, prominent outflows are ubiquitously observed; they are expected to be associated with at least small magnetized disks. Disk formation - once thought to be a simple consequence of the conservation of angular momentum during hydrodynamic core collapse - is far more subtle in magnetized gas. In this case, the rotation can be strongly magnetically braked. Indeed, both analytic arguments and numerical simulations have shown that disk formation is suppressed in the strict ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) limit for the observed level of core magnetization. We review what is known about this "magnetic braking catastrophe", possible ways to resolve it, and the current status of early disk observations. Outflows are also intimately linked to disk formation; they are a natural product of magnetic fields and rotation and are important signposts of star formation. We review new developments on early outflow generation since PPV. The properties of early disks and outflows are a key component of planet formation in its early stages and we review these major connections.

### Volatiles in Protoplanetary Disks: a First Step in Understanding if Our Solar System's Planetary Formation was Typical

Authors:

Pontoppidan et al

Abstract:

Volatiles are compounds with low sublimation temperatures, and they make up most of the condensible mass in typical planet-forming environments. They consist of relatively small, often hydrogenated, molecules based on the abundant elements carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Volatiles are central to the process of planet formation, forming the backbone of a rich chemistry that sets the initial conditions for the formation of planetary atmospheres, and act as a solid mass reservoir catalyzing the formation of planets and planetesimals. This growth has been driven by rapid advances in observations and models of protoplanetary disks, and by a deepening understanding of the cosmochemistry of the solar system. Indeed, it is only in the past few years that representative samples of molecules have been discovered in great abundance throughout protoplanetary disks - enough to begin building a complete budget for the most abundant elements after hydrogen and helium. The spatial distributions of key volatiles are being mapped, snow lines are directly seen and quantified, and distinct chemical regions within protoplanetary disks are being identified, characterized and modeled. Theoretical processes invoked to explain the solar system record are now being observationally constrained in protoplanetary disks, including transport of icy bodies and concentration of bulk condensibles. The balance between chemical reset - processing of inner disk material strong enough to destroy its memory of past chemistry, and inheritance - the chemically gentle accretion of pristine material from the interstellar medium in the outer disk, ultimately determines the final composition of pre-planetary matter. This chapter focuses on making the first steps toward understanding whether the planet formation processes that led to our solar system are universal.

## Friday, January 24, 2014

### A Review of Planetary Internal Structures

Planetary internal structures

Authors:

Baraffe et al

Abstract:

This chapter reviews the most recent advancements on the topic of terrestrial and giant planet interiors, including Solar System and extrasolar objects. Starting from an observed mass-radius diagram for known planets in the Universe, we will discuss the various types of planets appearing in this diagram and describe internal structures for each type. The review will summarize the status of theoretical and experimental works performed in the field of equation of states (EOS) for materials relevant to planetary interiors and will address the main theoretical and experimental uncertainties and challenges. It will discuss the impact of new EOS on interior structures and bulk composition determination. We will discuss important dynamical processes which strongly impact the interior and evolutionary properties of planets (e.g plate tectonics, semiconvection) and describe non standard models recently suggested for our giant planets. We will address the case of short-period, strongly irradiated exoplanets and critically analyse some of the physical mechanisms which have been suggested to explain their anomalously large radius.

### How Much Does the Internal Structure of Terrestrial Planets Effect its Habitability?

Can the interior structure influence the habitability of a rocky planet?

Authors:

Noack et al

Abstract:

Motivation: The most likely places for finding life outside the Solar System are rocky planets, some of which may have surface conditions allowing for liquid water, one of the major prerequisites for life. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), play an important role for the surface temperature and, thus, the habitability of an extrasolar planet. The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is in part determined by their outgassing from the interior.

Method: We use a two-dimensional convection model to calculate partial melting and the amount of CO2 outgassed for Earth-sized stagnant-lid planets. By varying the planetary mass, we investigate the evolution of a secondary atmosphere dependent on the interior structure (different ratio of planetary to core radius). We further study the likelihood for plate tectonics depend on the interior structure and investigate the influence of plate tectonics on outgassing.

Results: We find that for stagnant-lid planets the relative size of the iron core has a large impact on the production of partial melt because a variation in the interior structure changes the pressure gradient and thereby the melting temperature of silicate rocks with depth. As a consequence, for planets with a large core (a radius of at least 70%–75% of the planet's radius), outgassing from the interior is strongly reduced in comparision to a planet with the same radius but a small core. This finding suggests that the outer edge of the habitable zone of a star not only depends on the distance from the star and thus the solar influx but is further limited by small outgassing for stagnant-lid planets with a high average density, indicating a high iron content (e.g. Mercury and the recently detected exoplanets Kepler-10b and CoRoT-7b). This contradicts previous model that have assumed CO2 reservoirs being in principle unlimited for all planets. If plate tectonics is initiated, several tens of bars of CO2 can be outgassed in a short period of time – even for planets with a large iron core – and the outer boundary of the habitable zone is not influenced by the interior structure. It is, however, more difficult for planets with a thin mantle (in our test case, with a thickness of 10% of the planet's radius) to initiate plate tectonics.

Our results indicate that the interior structure may strongly influence the amount of CO2 in planetary atmospheres and, thereby, the habitability of rocky planets. To obtain better constraints on the interior structure accurate measurements of size and mass are necessary.

### Modeling the Habilability of Terrestrial Worlds With High obliquity and Eccentric Orbits

Habitability of Earth-like planets with high obliquity and eccentric orbits: results from a general circulation model

Authors:

Linsenmeier et al

Abstract:

We explore the implications of seasonal variability for the habitability of Earth-like planets as determined by the two parameters polar obliquity and orbital eccentricity. Commonly, the outer boundary of the habitable zone (HZ) is set by a completely frozen planet, or snowball state. Using a general circulation model coupled to a thermodynamic sea-ice model, our results show that seasonal variability can extend this outer limit of the HZ from 1.03 AU (no seasonal variability) to a maximum of 1.69 AU. Also the multistability property of planets close to the outer edge of the HZ is influenced by seasonal variability. Cold states extend far into the HZ for non-oblique planets. On highly oblique planets, cold states can also allow for habitable regions, which highlights the sufficient but not necessary condition of a warm climate state for habitability. While the effect of obliquity on the extent of the HZ is comparatively small on circular orbits, it becomes highly relevant on eccentric orbits. Our experiments show, however, that the extending effect on the HZ is very sensitive to the definition of habitability, as seasonal variability primarily leads to regions that are habitable only some days per year. Sensitivity experiments exploring the role of azimuthal obliquity, surface heat capacity, and maximal sea-ice thickness show the robustness of our results. On circular orbits, our results are in good agreement with previous studies that use a one-dimensional energy balance model. Yet on eccentric orbits large differences hint to limitations of these simpler models and underline the importance of using a hierarchy of models in order to provide reliable estimations of the effects of seasonal variability on climate.

### Website Allows Calculation of Habitability of Exoplanet Systems

CALCULATING THE HABITABLE ZONES OF MULTIPLE STAR SYSTEMS WITH A NEW INTERACTIVE WEB SITE

Authors:

Müller et al

Abstract:

We have developed a comprehensive methodology and an interactive Web site for calculating the habitable zone (HZ) of multiple star systems. Using the concept of spectral weight factor, as introduced in our previous studies of the calculations of HZ in and around binary star systems, we calculate the contribution of each star (based on its spectral energy distribution) to the total flux received at the top of the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet, and use the models of the HZ of the Sun to determine the boundaries of the HZ in multiple star systems. Our interactive Web site for carrying out these calculations is publicly available at http://astro.twam.info/hz. We discuss the details of our methodology and present its application to some of the multiple star systems detected by the Kepler space telescope. We also present the instructions for using our interactive Web site, and demonstrate its capabilities by calculating the HZ for two interesting analytical solutions of the three-body problem.

### Mini Neptunes are SuperEarths Which Never Lost Their Protoatmosphere

Origin and Loss of nebula-captured hydrogen envelopes from "sub"- to "super-Earths" in the habitable zone of Sun-like stars

Authors:

Stökl et al

Abstract:

We investigate the origin and loss of captured hydrogen envelopes from protoplanets between sub-Earth'-like bodies of 0.1M⊕ up to super-Earths' with 5M⊕ in the HZ of a Sun like G star, assuming their rocky cores had formed before the nebula dissipated. We model the gravitational accumulation of nebula gas around a core as a function of protoplanetary luminosity during accretion and calculate the resulting surface temperature by solving the hydrostatic structure equations for the protoplanetary nebula. Depending on nebular properties and resulting luminosities, for planetary bodies of 0.1--1M⊕ we obtain hydrogen envelopes with masses between ∼2.5×1019--1.5×1026 g. For super-Earths' with masses between 2--5M⊕ hydrogen envelopes within the mass range of ∼7.5×1023--1.5×1028 g can be captured. To study the escape of these hydrogen-dominated protoatmospheres, we apply a hydrodynamic upper atmosphere model and calculate the loss rates due to the heating by the high XUV flux of the young star. Our results indicate that under most nebula conditions sub-Earth' and Earth-mass planets can lose their envelopes by thermal escape during the first 100 Myr after the disk dissipated. However, if a nebula has a low dust depletion factor or low accretion rates resulting in low protoplanetary luminosities, it is possible that even protoplanets with Earth-mass cores may keep their hydrogen envelopes during their whole lifetime. In contrast to lower mass protoplanets, super-Earths' accumulate a huge amount of nebula gas and lose only tiny fractions of their primordial envelopes. Our results agree with the fact that Venus, Earth, and Mars are not surrounded by dense hydrogen envelopes, as well as with the recent discoveries of low density super-Earths' that most likely could not get rid of their protoatmospheres.

### Kepler-410Ab is a Neptune Sized Exoplanet, may be in Multi Exoplanet System

WHAT ASTEROSEISMOLOGY CAN DO FOR EXOPLANETS: KEPLER-410A b IS A SMALL NEPTUNE AROUND A BRIGHT STAR, IN AN ECCENTRIC ORBIT CONSISTENT WITH LOW OBLIQUITY

Authors:

Van Eylen et al

Abstract:

We confirm the Kepler planet candidate Kepler-410A b (KOI-42b) as a Neptune-sized exoplanet on a 17.8 day, eccentric orbit around the bright (K p = 9.4) star Kepler-410A (KOI-42A). This is the third brightest confirmed planet host star in the Kepler field and one of the brightest hosts of all currently known transiting exoplanets. Kepler-410 consists of a blend between the fast rotating planet host star (Kepler-410A) and a fainter star (Kepler-410B), which has complicated the confirmation of the planetary candidate. Employing asteroseismology, using constraints from the transit light curve, adaptive optics and speckle images, and Spitzer transit observations, we demonstrate that the candidate can only be an exoplanet orbiting Kepler-410A. We determine via asteroseismology the following stellar and planetary parameters with high precision; M sstarf = 1.214 ± 0.033 M ☉, R sstarf = 1.352 ± 0.010 R ☉, age =2.76 ± 0.54 Gyr, planetary radius (2.838 ± 0.054 R ⊕), and orbital eccentricity ($0.17^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$). In addition, rotational splitting of the pulsation modes allows for a measurement of Kepler-410A's inclination and rotation rate. Our measurement of an inclination of $82.5^{+7.5}_{-2.5}$ [°] indicates a low obliquity in this system. Transit timing variations indicate the presence of at least one additional (non-transiting) planet (Kepler-410A c) in the system.

## Thursday, January 23, 2014

### HAT-P-49b is a 1.7 Jupiter Mass Hot Jupiter

HAT-P-49b: A 1.7 MJ Planet Transiting a Bright 1.5 M⊙ F-Star

Authors:

Bieryla et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of the transiting extrasolar planet HAT-P-49b. The planet transits the bright (V = 10.3) slightly evolved F-star HD 340099 with a mass of 1.54 M_S and a radius of 1.83 R_S. HAT-P-49b is orbiting one of the 25 brightest stars to host a transiting planet which makes this a favorable candidate for detailed follow-up. This system is an especially strong target for Rossiter-McLaughlin follow-up due to the fast rotation of the host star, 16 km/s. The planetary companion has a period of 2.6915 d, mass of 1.73 M_J and radius of 1.41 R_J. The planetary characteristics are consistent with that of a classical hot Jupiter but we note that this is the fourth most massive star to host a transiting planet with both M_p and R_p well determined.

### Hot Jupiter CoRoT-2b Seems to Have a Exoatmspheric Temperature Inversion

The Emergent 1.1-1.7 Micron Spectrum of the Exoplanet CoRoT-2b as Measured Using the Hubble Space Telescope

Authors:

Wilkins et al

Abstract:

We have used Hubble/WFC3 and the G141 grism to measure the secondary eclipse of the transiting very hot Jupiter CoRoT-2b in the 1.1-1.7μm spectral region. We find an eclipse depth averaged over this band equal to 395+69−45 parts per million, equivalent to a blackbody temperature of 1788±18K. We study and characterize several WFC3 instrumental effects, especially the "hook" phenomenon described by Deming et al. (2013). We use data from several transiting exoplanet systems to find a quantitative relation between the amplitude of the hook and the exposure level of a given pixel. Although the uncertainties in this relation are too large to allow us to develop an empirical correction for our data, our study provides a useful guide for optimizing exposure levels in future WFC3 observations. We derive the planet's spectrum using a differential method. The planet-to-star contrast increases to longer wavelength within the WFC3 bandpass, but without water absorption or emission to a 3σ limit of 85 ppm. The slope of the WFC3 spectrum is significantly less than the slope of the best-fit blackbody. We compare all existing eclipse data for this planet to a blackbody spectrum, and to spectra from both solar abundance and carbon-rich (C/O=1) models. A blackbody spectrum is an acceptable fit to the full dataset. Extra continuous opacity due to clouds or haze, and flattened temperature profiles, are strong candidates to produce quasi-blackbody spectra, and to account for the amplitude of the optical eclipses. Our results show ambiguous evidence for a temperature inversion in this planet.

### HD 19467B: Old and Cold T Class Brown Dwarf Around a G Class Star

THE TRENDS HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING SURVEY. V. DISCOVERY OF AN OLD AND COLD BENCHMARK T-DWARF ORBITING THE NEARBY G-STAR HD 19467

Authors:

Crepp et al

Abstract:

The nearby Sun-like star HD 19467 shows a subtle radial velocity (RV) acceleration of −1.37  ±  0.09 m s−1 yr−1 over a 16.9 yr time baseline (an RV trend), hinting at the existence of a distant orbiting companion. We have obtained high-contrast images of the star using NIRC2 at Keck Observatory and report the direct detection of the body that causes the acceleration. The companion, HD 19467 B, is ΔKs = 12.57 ± 0.09 mag fainter than its parent star (contrast ratio of 9.4 × 10−6), has blue colors J − Ks = −0.36 ± 0.14 (J − H = −0.29 ± 0.15), and is separated by ρ = 1farcs653 ± 0farcs004 (51.1 ± 1.0 AU). Follow-up astrometric measurements obtained over a 1.1 yr time baseline demonstrate physical association through common parallactic and proper motion. We calculate a firm lower-limit of for the companion mass from orbital dynamics using a combination of Doppler observations and imaging. We estimate a model-dependent mass of from a gyrochronological age of Gyr. Isochronal analysis suggests a much older age of 9 ± 1 Gyr, which corresponds to a mass of . HD 19467 B's measured colors and absolute magnitude are consistent with a late T dwarf [≈T5-T7]. We may infer a low metallicity of [Fe/H] =−0.15 ± 0.04 for the companion from its G3V parent star. HD 19467 B is the first directly imaged benchmark T dwarf found orbiting a Sun-like star with a measured RV acceleration.

### Luhman 16 System has an Exoplanet

Possible astrometric discovery of a substellar companion to the closest binary brown dwarf system WISE J104915.57-531906.1

Authors:

Boffin et al

Abstract:

Using FORS2 on the Very Large Telescope, we have astrometrically monitored over a period of two months the two components of the brown dwarf system WISE J104915.57-531906.1, the closest one to the Sun. Our astrometric measurements - with a relative precision at the milli-arcsecond scale - allow us to detect the orbital motion and derive more precisely the parallax of the system, leading to a distance of 2.020+/-0.019 pc. The relative orbital motion of the two objects is found to be perturbed, which leads us to suspect the presence of a substellar companion around one of the two components. We also perform VRIz photometry of both components and compare with models. We confirm the flux reversal of the T dwarf.

### A Very Young L Class Brown Dwarf by WISE

DISCOVERY OF THE YOUNG L DWARF WISE J174102.78–464225.5

Authors:

Schneider et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of the L dwarf WISE J174102.78–464225.5, which was discovered as part of a search for nearby L dwarfs using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The distinct triangular peak of the H-band portion of its near-infrared spectrum and its red near-infrared colors (J – KS = 2.35 ± 0.08 mag) are indicative of a young age. Via comparison to spectral standards and other red L dwarfs, we estimate a near-infrared spectral type of L7 ± 2 (pec). From a comparison to spectral and low-mass evolutionary models, we determine self-consistent effective temperature, log g, age, and mass values of 1450 ± 100 K, 4.0 ± 0.25 (cm s–2), 10-100 Myr, and 4-21 M Jup, respectively. With an estimated distance of 10-30 pc, we explore the possibility that WISE J174102.78–464225.5 belongs to one of the young nearby moving groups via a kinematic analysis and we find potential membership in the β Pictoris or AB Doradus associations. A trigonometric parallax measurement and a precise radial velocity can help to secure its membership in either of these groups.

### Brown Dwarf Characteristics

Latest news on the Physics of Brown dwarfs

Authors:

Baraffe et al

Abstract:

The physics of brown dwarfs has continuously improved since the discovery of these astrophysical bodies. The first important developments were devoted to the description of their mechanical structure, with the derivation of an appropriate equation of state, and the modelling of their atmosphere characterised by strong molecular absorption. New challenges are arising with progress in observational techniques which provide data of unprecedented accuracy. The goal of this chapter is to describe some of the current challenges for the theory of brown dwarfs. Those challenges concerns atmospheric dust and cloud, non-equilibrium atmospheric chemistry, the effect of rotation and magnetic fields on internal structure and the very early phases of evolution characterised by accretion processes. The field remains lively as more and more high quality observational data become available and because of increasing discoveries of exoplanets. Indeed, many physical properties of giant exoplanets can be described by the same theory as brown dwarfs, as described in this chapter.

## Wednesday, January 22, 2014

### Studying BD+20 2457 System Shows the Exoplanet Orbits do not Match the Original Claims

A Dynamical Investigation of the Proposed BD +20 2457 System

Authors:

Horner et al

Abstract:

We present a detailed dynamical analysis of the orbital stability of the BD +20 2457 system, which features planets or brown dwarfs moving on relatively eccentric orbits. We find that the system exhibits strong dynamical instability on astronomically short timescales across a wide range of plausible orbital eccentricities, semi-major axes, and inclinations. If the system truly hosts massive planets or brown dwarfs, our results suggest that they must move on orbits significantly different to those proposed in the discovery work. If that is indeed the case, then it is likely that the best-fit orbital solutions for the proposed companions will change markedly as future observations are made. Such observations may result in the solution shifting to a more dynamically-stable regime, potentially one where stability is ensured by mutually resonant motion.

### Kepler-51 System Observation Gives Appearance of ExoPlanet Eclipses

Very Low-Density Planets around Kepler-51 Revealed with Transit Timing Variations and an Anomaly Similar to a Planet-Planet Eclipse Event

Authors:

Masuda et al

Abstract:

We present an analysis of the transit timing variations (TTVs) in the multi-transiting planetary system around Kepler-51 (KOI-620). This system consists of two confirmed transiting planets, Kepler-51b (Pb=45.2days) and Kepler-51c (Pc=85.3days), and one transiting planet candidate KOI-620.02 (P02=130.2days), which lie close to a 1:2:3 resonance chain. Our analysis shows that their TTVs are consistently explained by the three-planet model, and constrains their masses as Mb=2.1+1.50.8M (Kepler-51b), Mc=4.0±0.4M (Kepler-51c), and M02=7.6±1.1M (KOI-620.02), thus confirming KOI-620.02 as a planet in this system. The masses inferred from the TTVs are rather small compared with the planetary radii based on the stellar density and planet-to-star radius ratios determined from the transit light curves. Combining these estimates, we find that all the three planets in this system have among the lowest densities yet determined, ρp0.05gcm3. With this feature, the Kepler-51 system serves as another example of low-density compact multi-transiting planetary systems. We also identify a curious feature in the archived Kepler light curve during the double transit of Kepler-51b and KOI-620.02, which could be explained by their overlapping on the stellar disk (a planet-planet eclipse). If this is really the case, the sky-plane inclination of KOI-620.02's orbit relative to that of Kepler-51b is given by ΔΩ=25.3+6.26.8deg, implying significant misalignment of their orbital planes. This interpretation, however, seems unlikely because such a event that is consistent with all of the observations is found to be exceedingly rare.