Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Or HD 41248 Does *NOT* Have Exoplanets

The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets XXXV. The interesting case of HD41248: stellar activity, no planets?

Authors:

Santos et al

Abstract:

The search for planets orbiting metal-poor stars is of uttermost importance for our understanding of the planet formation models. However, no dedicated searches have been conducted so far for very low mass planets orbiting such objects. Only a few cases of low mass planets orbiting metal-poor stars are thus known. Amongst these, HD41248 is a metal-poor, solar-type star on which a resonant pair of super-Earth like planets has In the present paper we present a new planet search program that is using the HARPS spectrograph to search for Neptunes and Super-Earths orbiting a sample of metal-poor FGK dwarfs. We then present a detailed analysis of an additional 162 radial velocity measurements of HD41248, obtained within this program, with the goal of confirming the existence of the proposed planetary system. We analyzed the precise radial velocities, obtained with the HARPS spectrograph, together with several stellar activity diagnostics and line profile indicators. A careful analysis shows no evidence for the planetary system previously announced. One of the signals, with a period of about 25 days, is shown to be related to the rotational period of the star, and is clearly seen in some of the activity proxies. The remaining signal (P~18 days) could not be convincingly retrieved in the new data set. We discuss possible causes for the complex (evolving) signals observed in the data of HD41248, proposing that they may be explained by the appearance and disappearance of active regions on the surface of a star with strong differential rotation, or by a combination of the sparse data sampling and active region evolution.

HD 41248: Two Super-Earths Orbiting in a 7:5 Orbital Resonance

Two Super-Earths Orbiting the Solar Analogue HD41248 on the edge of a 7:5 Mean Motion Resonance

Authors:

Jenkins et al

Abstract:

The number of multi-planet systems known to be orbiting their host stars with orbital periods that place them in mean motion resonances is growing. For the most part, these systems are in first-order resonances and dynamical studies have focused their efforts towards understanding the origin and evolution of such dynamically resonant commensurabilities. We report here the discovery of two super-Earths that are close to a second-order dynamical resonance, orbiting the metal-poor ([Fe/H]=-0.43 dex) and inactive G2V star HD41248. We analysed 62 HARPS archival radial velocities for this star, that until now, had exhibited no evidence for planetary companions. Using our new Bayesian Doppler signal detection algorithm, we find two significant signals in the data, with periods of 18.357 days and 25.648 days, indicating they could be part of a 7:5 second-order mean motion resonance. Both semi-amplitudes are below 3m/s and the minimum masses of the pair are 12.3 and 8.6Mearth, respectively. Our simulations found that apsidal alignment stabilizes the system, and even though libration of the resonant angles was not seen, the system is affected by the presence of the resonance and could yet occupy the 7:5 commensurability, which would be the first planetary configuration in such a dynamical resonance. Given the multitude of low-mass multiplanet systems that will be discovered in the coming years, we expect more of these second-order resonant configurations will emerge from the data, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the dynamical interactions between forming planetesimals.

The Stability of the Gliese 581 System

Dynamical stability of the Gliese 581 exoplanetary system

Authors:

Toth et al

Abstract:

Using numerical methods we investigate the dynamical stability of the Gliese 581 exoplanetary system. The system is known to harbour four planets (b-e). The existence of another planet (g) in the liquid water habitable zone of the star is debated after the latest analyses of the radial velocity (RV) measurements. We integrated the 4 and 5-planet model of Vogt et al. (AN 333, 561-575, 2012) with initial circular orbits. To characterize stability, the maximum eccentricity was used that the planets reached over the time of the integrations and the LCI and RLI to identify chaotic motion. Since circular orbits in the RV fits seem to be a too strong restriction and the true orbits might be elliptic, we investigated the stability of the planets as a function of their eccentricity. The integration of the circular 4-planet model shows that it is stable on a longer timescale for even an inclination i = 5{\deg}. A fifth planetary body in the 4-planet model could have a stable orbit between the two super-Earth sized planets c and d, and beyond the orbit of planet d, although another planet would likely only be stable on circular or near-circular orbit in the habitable zone of the star. Gliese 581 g in the 5-planet model would have a dynamically stable orbit, even for a wider range of orbital parameters, but its stability is strongly dependent on the eccentricity of planet d. The low-mass planet e, which quickly became unstable in eccentric models, remains stable in the circular 4-planet model, but the stable region around its initial semi-major axis and eccentricity is rather small. The stability of the inner planets e and c is dependent on the eccentricity of the Neptune-size planet b. The outermost planet d is far away from the adjacent planet c to considerably influence its stability, however, the existence of a planet between the two super-Earth planets c and d constrains its eccentricity.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Detecting Chlorophyll With ATLAST

Prospects for Detecting Oxygen, Water, and Chlorophyll in an Exo-Earth

Authors:

Brandt et al

Abstract:

The goal of finding and characterizing nearby Earth-like planets is driving many NASA high-contrast flagship mission concepts, the latest of which is known as the Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST). In this article, we calculate the optimal spectral resolution R=λ/δλ and minimum signal-to-noise ratio per spectral bin (SNR), two central design requirements for a high-contrast space mission, in order to detect signatures of water, oxygen, and chlorophyll on an Earth twin. We first develop a minimally parametric model and demonstrate its ability to fit model Earth spectra; this allows us to measure the statistical evidence for each component's presence. We find that water is the most straightforward to detect, requiring a resolving power R greater than approximately 20, while the optimal resolving power for oxygen is likely to be closer to R=150, somewhat higher than the canonical value in the literature. At these resolutions, detecting oxygen will require ~3 times the SNR as water. Chlorophyll, should it also be used by alien plants in photosynthesis, requires ~6 times the SNR as oxygen for an Earth twin, only falling to oxygen-like levels of detectability for a very low cloud cover and/or a very large vegetation covering fraction. This suggests designing a mission for sensitivity to oxygen and adopting a multi-tiered observing strategy, first targeting water, then oxygen on the more favorable planets, and finally chlorophyll on only the most promising worlds.

Habitable Zone and Exoplanet Mass Interaction

Habitable Zones Around Main-Sequence Stars: Dependence on Planetary Mass

Authors:

Kopparapu et al

Abstract:

The ongoing discoveries of extrasolar planets are unveiling a wide range of terrestrial mass (size) planets around their host stars. In this letter, we present estimates of habitable zones (HZs) around stars with stellar effective temperatures in the range 2600 K - 7200 K, for planetary masses between 0.1 ME and 5 ME. Assuming H2O (inner HZ) and CO2 (outer HZ) dominated atmospheres, and scaling the background N2 atmospheric pressure with the radius of the planet, our results indicate that larger planets have wider HZs than do smaller ones. Specifically, with the assumption that smaller planets will have less dense atmospheres, the inner edge of the HZ (runaway greenhouse limit) moves outward (~10% lower than Earth flux) for low mass planets due to larger greenhouse effect arising from the increased H2O column depth. For larger planets, the H2O column depth is smaller, and higher temperatures are needed before water vapor completely dominates the outgoing longwave radiation. Hence the inner edge moves inward (7% higher than Earth's flux). The outer HZ changes little due to the competing effects of the greenhouse effect and an increase in albedo. New, 3-D climate model results from other groups are also summarized, and we argue that further, independent studies are needed to verify their predictions. Combined with our previous work, the results presented here provide refined estimates of HZs around main-sequence stars and provide a step towards a more comprehensive analysis of HZs.

Habitable Zone & Exoplanet Rotation Rate Interactions

Strong Dependence of the Inner Edge of the Habitable Zone on Planetary Rotation Rate

Authors:

Yang et al

Abstract:

Planetary rotation rate is a key parameter in determining atmospheric circulation and hence the spatial pattern of clouds. Since clouds can exert a dominant control on planetary radiation balance, rotation rate could be critical for determining mean planetary climate. Here we investigate this idea using a three-dimensional general circulation model with a sophisticated cloud scheme. We find that slowly rotating planets (like Venus) can maintain an Earth-like climate at nearly twice the stellar flux as rapidly rotating planets (like Earth). This suggests that many exoplanets previously believed to be too hot may actually be habitable, depending on their rotation rate. The explanation for this behavior is that slowly rotating planets have a weak Coriolis force and long daytime illumination, which promotes strong convergence and convection in the substellar region. This produces a large area of optically thick clouds, which greatly increases the planetary albedo. In contrast, on rapidly rotating planets a much narrower belt of clouds form in the deep tropics, leading to a relatively low albedo. A particularly striking example of the importance of rotation rate suggested by our simulations is that a planet with modern Earth's atmosphere, in Venus' orbit, and with modern Venus' (slow) rotation rate would be habitable. This would imply that if Venus went through a runaway greenhouse, it had a higher rotation rate at that time.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Terrestrial Worlds may be Able to Form in a Exoplanet System With a Hot Jupiter

N-body Simulations of Terrestrial Planet Formation under the Influence of a Hot Jupiter

Authors:

Ogihara et al

Abstract:

We investigate the formation of multiple-planet systems in the presence of a hot Jupiter using extended N-body simulations that are performed simultaneously with semi-analytic calculations. Our primary aims are to describe the planet formation process starting from planetesimals using high-resolution simulations, and to examine the dependences of the architecture of planetary systems on input parameters (e.g., disk mass, disk viscosity). We observe that protoplanets that arise from oligarchic growth and undergo type I migration stop migrating when they join a chain of resonant planets outside the orbit of a hot Jupiter. The formation of a resonant chain is almost independent of our model parameters, and is thus a robust process. At the end of our simulations, several terrestrial planets remain at around 0.1 AU. The formed planets are not equal-mass; the largest planet constitutes more than 50 percent of the total mass in the close-in region, which is also less dependent on parameters. In the previous work of this paper (Ogihara et al. 2013), we have found a new physical mechanism of induced migration of the hot Jupiter, which is called a crowding-out. If the hot Jupiter opens up a wide gap in the disk (e.g., owing to low disk viscosity), crowding-out becomes less efficient and the hot Jupiter remains. We also discuss angular momentum transfer between the planets and disk.

When Could the Earliest Planets Form?

Planet Traps and First Planets: the Critical Metallicity for Gas Giant Formation

Authors:

Hasegawa et al

Abstract:

The ubiquity of planets poses an interesting question: when first planets are formed in galaxies. We investigate this problem by adopting a theoretical model developed for understanding the statistical properties of exoplanets. Our model is constructed as the combination of planet traps with the standard core accretion scenario in which the efficiency of forming planetary cores directly relates to the dust density in disks or the metallicity ([Fe/H]). We statistically compute planet formation frequencies (PFFs) as well as the orbital radius (Rrapid) within which gas accretion becomes efficient enough to form Jovian planets. The three characteristic exoplanetary populations are considered: hot Jupiters, exo-Jupiters densely populated around 1 AU, and low-mass planets such as super-Earths. We explore the behavior of the PFFs as well as Rrapid for the three different populations as a function of metallicity (−2≤[Fe/H]≤−0.6). We show that the total PFFs increase steadily with metallicity, which is the direct outcome of the core accretion picture. For the entire range of the metallicity considered here, the population of the low-mass planets dominates over the Jovian planets. The Jovian planets contribute to the PFFs above [Fe/H]-1. We find that the hot Jupiters form at lower metallcities than the exo-Jupiters. This arises from the radially inward transport of planetary cores by their host traps, which is more effective for lower metallicity disks due to the slower growth of the cores. The PFFs for the exo-Jupiters exceed those for the hot Jupiters around [Fe/H]-0.7. Finally, we show that the critical metallicity for forming Jovian planets is [Fe/H]-1.2, which is evaluated by comparing the values of Rrapid between the hot Jupiters and the low-mass planets. The comparison intrinsically links to the different gas accretion efficiency between them.

HD 95086b Imaged

Near-Infrared Detection and Characterization of the Exoplanet HD 95086 b with the Gemini Planet Imager

Authors

Galicher et al

Abstract:

HD 95086 is an intermediate-mass debris-disk-bearing star. VLT/NaCo 3.8μm observations revealed it hosts a 5±2MJup companion (HD 95086 b) at ≃56 AU. Follow-up observations at 1.66 and 2.18 μm yielded a null detection, suggesting extremely red colors for the planet and the need for deeper direct-imaging data. In this Letter, we report H- (1.7μm) and K1- (2.05μm) band detections of HD 95086 b from Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) commissioning observations taken by the GPI team. The planet position in both spectral channels is consistent with the NaCo measurements and we confirm it to be comoving. Our photometry yields colors of H-L'= 3.6±1.0 mag and K1-L'=2.4±0.7 mag, consistent with previously reported 5-σ upper limits in H and Ks. The photometry of HD 95086 b best matches that of 2M 1207 b and HR 8799 cde. Comparing its spectral energy distribution with the BT-SETTL and LESIA planet atmospheric models yields Teff∼600-1500 K and log g∼2.1-4.5. Hot-start evolutionary models yield M=5±2 MJup. Warm-start models reproduce the combined absolute fluxes of the object for M=4-14 MJup for a wide range of plausible initial conditions (Sinit=8-13 kB/baryon). The color-magnitude diagram location of HD 95086 b and its estimated Teff and log g suggest that the planet is a peculiar L-T transition object with an enhanced amount of photospheric dust.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

685 Kepler Candidates (35%) are Projected to be False Positives

CONTAMINATION IN THE KEPLER FIELD. IDENTIFICATION OF 685 KOIs AS FALSE POSITIVES VIA EPHEMERIS MATCHING BASED ON Q1-Q12 DATA

Authors:

Coughlin et al

Abstract:

The Kepler mission has to date found almost 6000 planetary transit-like signals, utilizing three years of data for over 170,000 stars at extremely high photometric precision. Due to its design, contamination from eclipsing binaries, variable stars, and other transiting planets results in a significant number of these signals being false positives (FPs). This directly affects the determination of the occurrence rate of Earth-like planets in our Galaxy, as well as other planet population statistics. In order to detect as many of these FPs as possible, we perform ephemeris matching among all transiting planet, eclipsing binary, and variable star sources. We find that 685 Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs)—12% of all those analyzed—are FPs as a result of contamination, due to 409 unique parent sources. Of these, 118 have not previously been identified by other methods. We estimate that ~35% of KOIs are FPs due to contamination, when performing a first-order correction for observational bias. Comparing single-planet candidate KOIs to multi-planet candidate KOIs, we find an observed FP fraction due to contamination of 16% and 2.4% respectively, bolstering the existing evidence that multi-planet KOIs are significantly less likely to be FPs. We also analyze the parameter distributions of the ephemeris matches and derive a simple model for the most common type of contamination in the Kepler field. We find that the ephemeris matching technique is able to identify low signal-to-noise FPs that are difficult to identify with other vetting techniques. We expect FP KOIs to become more frequent when analyzing more quarters of Kepler data, and note that many of them will not be able to be identified based on Kepler data alone.

Brown Dwarf Hunting With Gaia

Astrometry of brown dwarfs with Gaia

Author:

de Bruijne

Abstract:

Europe's Gaia spacecraft will soon embark on its five-year mission to measure the absolute parallaxes of the complete sample of 1,000 million objects down to 20 mag. It is expected that thousands of nearby brown dwarfs will have their astrometry determined with sub-milli-arcsecond standard errors. Although this level of accuracy is comparable to the standard errors of the relative parallaxes that are now routinely obtained from the ground for selected, individual objects, the absolute nature of Gaia's astrometry, combined with the sample increase from one hundred to several thousand sub-stellar objects with known distances, ensures the uniqueness of Gaia's legacy in brown-dwarf science for the coming decade(s). We shortly explore the gain in brown-dwarf science that could be achieved by lowering Gaia's faint-end limit from 20 to 21 mag and conclude that two spectral-type sub-classes could be gained in combination with a fourfold increase in the solar-neighbourhood-volume sampled by Gaia and hence in the number of brown dwarfs in the Gaia Catalogue.

First Light of the Gemini Planet Imager

The Gemini Planet Imager: First Light

Authors:

Macintosh et al

Abstract:

The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is a dedicated facility for directly imaging and spectroscopically characterizing extrasolar planets. It combines a very high-order adaptive optics system, a diffraction-suppressing coronagraph, and an integral field spectrograph with low spectral resolution but high spatial resolution. Every aspect of GPI has been tuned for maximum sensitivity to faint planets near bright stars. During first light observations, we achieved an estimated H band Strehl ratio of 0.89 and a 5-sigma contrast of 106 at 0.75 arcseconds and 105 at 0.35 arcseconds. Observations of Beta Pictoris clearly detect the planet, Beta Pictoris b, in a single 60-second exposure with minimal post-processing. Beta Pictoris b is observed at a separation of 434±6 milli-arcseconds and position angle 211.8±0.5 deg. Fitting the Keplerian orbit of Beta Pic b using the new position together with previous astrometry gives a factor of three improvement in most parameters over previous solutions. The planet orbits at a semi-major axis of 9.0+0.8−0.4 AU near the 3:2 resonance with the previously-known 6 AU asteroidal belt and is aligned with the inner warped disk. The observations give a 4% posterior probability of a transit of the planet in late 2017.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Origins of Stars With and Without Exoplanets

On the origin of stars with and without planets. Tc trends and clues to Galactic evolution

Authors:

Abstract:

We explore a sample of 148 solar-like stars to search for a possible correlation between the slopes of the abundance trends versus condensation temperature (known as the Tc slope) with stellar parameters and Galactic orbital parameters in order to understand the nature of the peculiar chemical signatures of these stars and the possible connection with planet formation. We find that the Tc slope significantly correlates (at more than 4sigma) with the stellar age and the stellar surface gravity. We also find tentative evidence that the Tc slope correlates with the mean galactocentric distance of the stars (Rmean), suggesting that those stars that originated in the inner Galaxy have fewer refractory elements relative to the volatiles. While the average Tc slope for planet-hosting solar analogs is steeper than that of their counterparts without planets, this difference probably reflects the difference in their age and Rmean. We conclude that the age and probably the Galactic birth place are determinant to establish the star's chemical properties. Old stars (and stars with inner disk origin) have a lower refractory-to-volatile ratio.

What's the Minimum Core Mass to Form a Gas Giant?

ON THE MINIMUM CORE MASS FOR GIANT PLANET FORMATION AT WIDE SEPARATIONS

Authors:

Piso et al

Abstract:

In the core accretion hypothesis, giant planets form by gas accretion onto solid protoplanetary cores. The minimum (or critical) core mass to form a gas giant is typically quoted as 10 M ⊕. The actual value depends on several factors: the location in the protoplanetary disk, atmospheric opacity, and the accretion rate of solids. Motivated by ongoing direct imaging searches for giant planets, this study investigates core mass requirements in the outer disk. To determine the fastest allowed rates of gas accretion, we consider solid cores that no longer accrete planetesimals, as this would heat the gaseous envelope. Our spherical, two-layer atmospheric cooling model includes an inner convective region and an outer radiative zone that matches onto the disk. We determine the minimum core mass for a giant planet to form within a typical disk lifetime of 3 Myr. The minimum core mass declines with disk radius, from ~8.5 M ⊕ at 5 AU to ~3.5 M ⊕ at 100 AU, with standard interstellar grain opacities. Lower temperatures in the outer disk explain this trend, while variations in disk density are less influential. At all distances, a lower dust opacity or higher mean molecular weight reduces the critical core mass. Our non-self-gravitating, analytic cooling model reveals that self-gravity significantly affects early atmospheric evolution, starting when the atmosphere is only ~10% as massive as the core.

Extrasolar Oort Clouds and Kuiper Belts

Authors:

Stone et al

Abstract:
Several lines of observational evidence suggest that white dwarfs receive small birth kicks due to anisotropic mass loss. If other stars possess extrasolar analogues to the Solar Oort cloud, the orbits of comets in such clouds will be scrambled by white dwarf natal kicks. Although most comets will be unbound, some will be placed on low angular momentum orbits vulnerable to sublimation or tidal disruption. The dusty debris from these comets will manifest itself as a debris disk temporarily visible around newborn white dwarfs; examples of such disks may already have been seen in the Helix Nebula, and around several other young WDs. Future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope will distinguish this hypothesis from alternatives such as a dynamically excited Kuiper Belt analogue. If interpreted as indeed being cometary in origin, the observation that >15% of young WDs possess such disks provides indirect evidence that low mass gas giants (thought necessary to produce an Oort cloud) are common in the outer regions of extrasolar planetary systems. Hydrogen abundances in the atmospheres of older white dwarfs can, if sufficiently low, also be used to place constraints on the joint parameter space of natal kicks and exo-Oort cloud models.

Friday, April 25, 2014

The Orbital Resonance Configuration of Gliese 163, Gliese 581

Resonance breaking due to dissipation in planar planetary systems

Authors:

Delisle et al

Abstract:

We study the evolution of two planets around a star, in mean-motion resonance and undergoing tidal effect. We derive an integrable analytical model of mean-motion resonances of any order which reproduce the main features of the resonant dynamics. Using this simplified model, we obtain a criterion showing that depending on the balance of the tidal dissipation in both planets, their final period ratio may stay at the resonant value, increase above, or decrease below the resonant value.

Applying this criterion to the two inner planets orbiting GJ163, we deduce that the current period ratio (2.97) could be the outcome of dissipation in the 3:1 MMR provided that the innermost planet is gaseous (slow dissipation) while the second one is rocky (faster dissipation). We perform N-body simulations with tidal dissipation to confirm the results of our analytical model.

We also apply our criterion on GJ581b, c (5:2 MMR) and reproduce the current period ratio (2.4) if the inner planet is gaseous and the outer is rocky (as for GJ163).

Finally, we apply our model to the Kepler mission's statistics. We show that the excess of planets pairs close to first order MMR but in external circulation, i.e., with period ratios P_out/P_in greater than (p+1)/p for the resonance (p+1):p, can be reproduced by tidal dissipation in the inner planet. There is no need for any other dissipative mechanism, provided that these systems left the resonance with non-negligible eccentricities.

Evolution of Giant Exoplanets

Analytical Model for the Evolution of Giant Extrasolar Planets

Authors:

Donnison et al

Abstract:

For extrasolar planets with well determined radii and in thermal equilibrium, the planetary luminosity can be determined. A plot of the log of the luminosity against the log of the effective temperature of the planet was constructed. It was found that the gas giant planets lie on a narrow band that could be well fitted by a linear regression relation between log10Llog10L and log10Tefflog10Teff with a slope of 5.46. A model of contracting gas giants that is also receiving energy from the parent star is constructed and the contraction time calculated and the results compared to those by numerical integration. This time is far too long for giant planets due to the parent star, showing that they must initially contract further out before migrating inwards.

HR 8799's Multiple Laplace Resonances

Multiple mean motion resonances in the HR 8799 planetary system

Authors:

Goździewski et al

Abstract:

HR 8799 is a nearby star hosting at least four ∼10 mJup planets in wide orbits up to ∼70 au, detected through the direct, high-contrast infrared imaging. Large companions and debris discs reported interior to ∼10 au, and exterior to ∼100 au indicate massive protoplanetary disc in the past. The dynamical state of the HR 8799 system is not yet fully resolved, due to limited astrometric data covering tiny orbital arcs. We construct a new orbital model of the HR 8799 system, assuming rapid migration of the planets after their formation in wider orbits. We found that the HR 8799 planets are likely involved in double Laplace resonance, 1e:2d:4c:8b MMR. Quasi-circular planetary orbits are coplanar with the stellar equator and inclined by ∼25° to the sky plane. This best-fitting orbital configuration matches astrometry, debris disc models, and mass estimates from cooling models. The multiple mean motion resonance (MMR) is stable for the age of the star ∼160 Myr, for at least 1 Gyr unless significant perturbations to the N-body dynamics are present. We predict four configurations with the fifth hypothetical innermost planet HR 8799f in ∼9.7 au, or ∼7.5 au orbit, extending the MMR chain to triple Laplace resonance 1f:2e:4d:8c:16b MMR or to the 1f:3e:6d:12c:24b MMR, respectively. Our findings may establish strong boundary conditions for the system formation and its early history.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Hunting for Young and Cool Gas Giants

Authors:

Maire et al

Abstract:

Context. Spectral differential imaging (SDI) is part of the observing strategy of current and future high-contrast imaging instruments. It aims to reduce the stellar speckles preventing the detection of cool planets, using in/out methane-band images. It attenuates the signature of off-axis companions to the star, like angular differential imaging (ADI). However, this attenuation is dependent on the spectral properties of the low-mass companions we are searching for. The implications of this particularity on the estimation of the detection limits have been poorly explored so far. Aims. We perform an imaging survey to search for cool (Teff<1000-1300 100="" 10="" 16="" 200="" 25="" 30="" 5-10="" 65="" a="" account="" aco.="" adi="" age="" aim="" also="" and="" any="" argue="" as="" assess="" at="" au.="" au="" be="" because="" better="" beyond="" bias.="" broken="" cannot="" case="" close-in="" close="" companions.="" conclusions.="" constraints.="" contrary="" converted="" cool="" coronagraph="" corresponds="" d="" data="" degeneracies="" detect="" determine="" differential="" directly="" do="" doing="" employ="" flux="" for="" giant="" have="" images.="" in="" instead="" into="" is="" it="" k="" limits.="" limits="" mass="" may="" method="" methods.="" modes="" myr="" noise="" not="" observe="" of="" optimal="" pc="" performance.="" phase-mask="" photometric="" planets="" ratios="" regime="" represents="" residual="" results.="" results="" sample.="" sample="" sdi="" selected="" sensitive="" sensitivity="" separations="" single-band="" so="" stars="" survey="" taking="" that="" the="" this="" to="" use="" view="" vlt="" we="" which="" will="" with="">2. According to the BT-Settl model, this translates into Teff<800 and="" applied="" be="" better="" can="" characteristics="" data="" described="" dual-band="" expect="" filter="" here="" image="" imager="" interpretation="" irdis="" k.="" methods="" more="" of="" p="" performance="" quality.="" sphere.="" suitable="" thanks="" the="" to="" we="" with="">

Temperatures & Albedos of 20 Confirmed Kepler Gas Giants

Authors:

Angerhausen

Abstract:

We present a comprehensive study of phase curves and secondary eclipses in the Kepler data set using all available data from 15 quarters. Our original sample consists of 489 Kepler Objects of Interest (KOI) with R_p > 4 R_e , P < 10d, V_mag < 15 from the latest data release. Here we focus on 20 confirmed planets from that sample and derive their temperatures and albedos. Our results confirm and in most cases improve parameters derived by previous studies. We present new results for Kepler 1b-8b, 12b-15b, 17b, 40b, 41b, 43b, 44b, 76b, 77b, and 412b derived in a consistent manner. Furthermore we present a lightcurve analysis of Kepler 91b and Kepler 74b. Both show extra dimmings at times other than of the expected primary and secondary eclipses. Corrected for thermal emission we find the 20 planets we analyzed separate into two groups of high (>0.1) and low (<0 .1="" albedo.="" albedos="" all="" any="" are="" comment-0--="" correlation="" from="" however="" in="" low="" massive="" most="" no="" or="" our="" parameters.="" planetary="" planets="" sample="" significant="" stellar="" the="" to="" with="">

Gliese 229B: The First Methane Brown Dwarf

Companions of Stars: From Other Stars to Brown Dwarfs to Planets: The Discovery of the First Methane Brown Dwarf

Author:

Oppenheimer

Abstract:

The discovery of the first methane brown dwarf provides a framework for describing the important advances in both fundamental physics and astrophysics that are due to the study of companions of stars. I present a few highlights of the history of this subject along with details of the discovery of the brown dwarf Gliese 229B. The nature of companions of stars is discussed with an attempt to avoid biases induced by anthropocentric nomenclature. With the newer types of remote reconnaissance of nearby stars and their systems of companions, an exciting and perhaps even more profound set of contributions to science is within reach in the near future. This includes an exploration of the diversity of planets in the universe and perhaps soon the first solid evidence for biological activity outside our Solar System.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Nine New Brown Dwarf Candidates in Coma Berenices and the Hyades

Authors:

Casewell et al

Abstract:

We have obtained low and medium resolution spectra of 9 brown dwarf candidate members of Coma Berenices and the Hyades using SpEX on the NASA InfaRed Telescope Facility and LIRIS on the William Herschel Telescope. We conclude that 7 of these objects are indeed late M or early L dwarfs, and that two are likely members of Coma Berenices, and four of the Hyades. Two objects, cbd40 and Hy3 are suggested to be a field L dwarfs, although there is also a possibility that Hy3 is an unresolved binary belonging to the cluster. These objects have masses between 71 and 53 MJup, close to the hydrogen burning boundary for these clusters, however only an optical detection of Lithium can confirm if they are truly substellar.

New Technique for Studying Brown Dwarf Exoatmospheres Applied to Gl 570D

An Approach for Retrieving Temperatures and Abundances in Brown Dwarf Atmospheres

Authors:

Line et al

Abstract:

Brown dwarf spectra contain a wealth of information about their molecular abundances, temperature structure, and gravity. We present a new data driven retrieval approach, previously used in planetary atmosphere studies, to extract the molecular abundances and temperature structure from brown dwarf spectra. The feasibility of the approach is first demonstrated on a synthetic brown dwarf spectrum. Given typical spectral resolutions, wavelength coverage, and noise properties precisions of tens of percent can be obtained for the molecular abundances and 10s-100s K on the temperature profile. The technique is then applied to the well studied brown dwarf, Gl 570D. From this spectral retrieval the spectroscopic radius is constrained to be 0.75 - 0.83 RJ, log(g) to be 5.13 - 5.46 and Teff to be between 804 and 849 K. Estimates for the range of abundances and allowed temperature profiles are also derived. The results from our retrieval approach are in agreement with the self-consistent grid modeling results of Saumon et al (2006). This new approach will allow us to address issues of compositional differences between brown dwarfs and possibly their formation environments, disequilibrium chemistry, missing physics in current grid modeling approaches as well as a many other issues.

Hunting Brown Dwarf Exoplanet Hosts in Taurus and Chamaeleon Stellar Formation Regions

A Search for Companions to Brown Dwarfs in the Taurus and Chamaeleon Star Forming Regions

Authors:

Todorov et al

Abstract:

We present the results of a search for companions to young brown dwarfs in the Taurus and Chamaeleon I star forming regions (1/2-3 Myr). We have used WFPC2 on board HST to obtain F791W and F850LP images of 47 members of these regions that have spectral types of M6-L0 (0.01-0.1 Msun). An additional late-type member of Taurus, FU Tau (M7.25+M9.25), was also observed with adaptive optics at Keck Observatory. We have applied PSF subtraction to the primaries and have searched the resulting images for objects that have colors and magnitudes that are indicative of young low-mass objects. Through this process, we have identified promising candidate companions to 2MASS J04414489+2301513 (rho=0.105"/15 AU), 2MASS J04221332+1934392 (rho=0.05"/7 AU), and ISO 217 (rho=0.03"/5 AU). We reported the discovery of the first candidate in a previous study, showing that it has a similar proper motion as the primary through a comparison of astrometry measured with WFPC2 and Gemini adaptive optics. We have collected an additional epoch of data with Gemini that further supports that result. By combining our survey with previous high-resolution imaging in Taurus, Chamaeleon, and Upper Sco (10 Myr), we measure binary fractions of 14/93 = 0.15+0.05/-0.03 for M4-M6 (0.1-0.3 Msun) and 4/108 = 0.04+0.03/-0.01 for greater than M6 (less than .1 Msun) at separations of greater than 0 AU. Given the youth and low density of these three regions, the lower binary fraction at later types is probably primordial rather than due to dynamical interactions among association members. The widest low-mass binaries (>100 AU) also appear to be more common in Taurus and Chamaeleon than in the field, which suggests that the widest low-mass binaries are disrupted by dynamical interactions at greater than 10 Myr, or that field brown dwarfs have been born predominantly in denser clusters where wide systems are disrupted or inhibited from forming.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Proposed RZ Draconis System is Highly Unstable

On the RZ Draconis Sub-stellar Circumbinary Companions Stability Study of the Proposed Sub-stellar Circumbinary System

Authors:

Hinse et al

Abstract:

In this work we revisit the proposed multi-circumbinary system RZ Dra. We find the proposed system to be highly unstable. We attempt to find a best-fit light-travel time model rendering the orbits to follow stable orbits. We found a best-fit solution, but the resulting orbits also exhibit short-term orbital instabilities. We therefore conclude that the observed timing variation must be due to other astrophysical effects causing a change in the binary orbital period. Follow-up observations of this system is encouraged.

HAT-P-54b: a New Hot Jupiter

HAT-P-54b: A hot jupiter transiting a 0.64 Msun star in field 0 of the K2 mission

Authors:

Bakos et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of HAT-P-54b, a planet transiting a late K dwarf star in field 0 of the NASA K2 mission. We combine ground-based photometric light curves with radial velocity measurements to determine the physical parameters of the system. HAT-P-54b has a mass of 0.760 ± 0.032 MJ, a radius of 0.944 ± 0.028 RJ, and an orbital period of 3.7998 d. The star has V = 13.505 ± 0.060, a mass of 0.645 ± 0.020 M, a radius of 0.617 ± 0.013 R, an effective temperature of Teff = 4390 ± 50K, and a subsolar metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.127 ± 0.080. HAT-P-54b has a radius that is smaller than 92% of the known transiting planets with masses greater than that of Saturn, while HAT-P-54 is one of the lowest-mass stars known to host a hot Jupiter. Follow-up high-precision photometric observations by the K2 mission promise to make this a well-studied planetary system.

Carbon monoxide, Water Detected in Hot Jupiter HD 179949b's Atmosphere

Carbon monoxide and water vapor in the atmosphere of the non-transiting exoplanet HD 179949 b

Authors:

Brogi et al

Abstract:

In recent years, ground-based high-resolution spectroscopy has become a powerful tool for investigating exoplanet atmospheres. It allows the robust identification of molecular species, and it can be applied to both transiting and non-transiting planets. Radial-velocity measurements of the star HD 179949 indicate the presence of a giant planet companion in a close-in orbit. Here we present the analysis of spectra of the system at 2.3 micron, obtained at a resolution of R~100,000, during three nights of observations with CRIRES at the VLT. We targeted the system while the exoplanet was near superior conjunction, aiming to detect the planet's thermal spectrum and the radial component of its orbital velocity. We detect molecular absorption from carbon monoxide and water vapor with a combined S/N of 6.3, at a projected planet orbital velocity of K_P = (142.8 +- 3.4) km/s, which translates into a planet mass of M_P = (0.98 +- 0.04) Jupiter masses, and an orbital inclination of i = (67.7 +- 4.3) degrees, using the known stellar radial velocity and stellar mass. The detection of absorption features rather than emission means that, despite being highly irradiated, HD 179949 b does not have an atmospheric temperature inversion in the probed range of pressures and temperatures. Since the host star is active (R_HK > -4.9), this is in line with the hypothesis that stellar activity damps the onset of thermal inversion layers owing to UV flux photo-dissociating high-altitude, optical absorbers. Finally, our analysis favors an oxygen-rich atmosphere for HD 179949 b, although a carbon-rich planet cannot be statistically ruled out based on these data alone.

Monday, April 21, 2014

How Stable are the Orbits of Exoplanets of the Gliese 581 System?

A Consistent Orbital Stability Analysis for the GJ 581 System

Authors:

Joiner et al

Abstract:

We apply a combination of N-body modeling techniques and automated data fitting with Monte Carlo Markov Chain uncertainty analysis of Keplerian orbital models to radial velocity data to determine long term stability of the planetary system GJ 581. We find that while there are stability concerns with the 4-planet model as published by Forveille et al. (2011), when uncertainties in the system are accounted for, particularly stellar jitter, the hypothesis that the 4-planet model is gravitationally unstable is not statistically significant. Additionally, the system including proposed planet g by Vogt et al. (2012) also shows some stability concerns when eccentricities are allowed to float in the orbital fit, yet when uncertainties are included in the analysis the system including planet g also can not be proven to be unstable. We present revised reduced chi-squared values for Keplerian astrocentric orbital fits assuming 4-planet and 5-planet models for GJ~581 under the condition that best fits must be stable, and find no distinguishable difference by including planet g in the model. Additionally we present revised orbital element estimates for each assuming uncertainties due to stellar jitter under the constraint of the system being gravitationally stable.

Attempting to Understand the Potential for Habitability of ExoMoons

The Effect of Planetary Illumination on Climate Modelling of Earthlike Exomoons

Authors:

Forgan et al

Abstract:

From analytical studies of tidal heating, eclipses and planetary illumination, it is clear that the exomoon habitable zone (EHZ) - the set of moon and host planet orbits that permit liquid water on an Earthlike moon's surface - is a manifold of higher dimension than the planetary HZ.

This paper outlines the first attempt to produce climate models of exomoons which possess all the above sources and sinks of energy. We expand on our previous 1D latitudinal energy balance models (LEBMs), which follow the evolution of the temperature on an Earthlike moon orbiting a Jupiterlike planet, by adding planetary illumination.

We investigate the EHZ in four dimensions, running two separate suites of simulations. The first investigates the EHZ by varying the planet's orbit, keeping the moon's orbit fixed, to compare the EHZ with planetary habitable zones. In general, planetary illumination pushes EHZs slightly further away from the star.

Secondly, we fix the planet's orbit and vary the moon's orbit, to investigate the circumplanetary inner habitable edge. We demonstrate that an outer edge can exist due to eclipses (rather than merely orbital stability), but this edge may be pushed outwards when the effect of the carbonate-silicate cycle is taken into account.

Where are Earth's Missing Volatiles?

Protoplanetary dust porosity and FU Orionis Outbursts: Solving the mystery of Earth's missing volatiles

Authors:

Hubbard et al

Abstract:

The Earth is known to be depleted in volatile lithophile elements in a fashion that defies easy explanation. We resolve this anomaly with a model that combines the porosity of collisionally grown dust grains in protoplanetary disks with heating from FU Orionis events that dramatically raise protoplanetary disk temperatures. The heating from an FU Orionis event alters the aerodynamical properties of the dust while evaporating the volatiles. This causes the dust to settle, abandoning those volatiles. The success of this model in explaining the elemental composition of the Earth is a strong argument in favor of highly porous collisionally grown dust grains in protoplanetary disks outside our Solar System. Further, it demonstrates how thermal (or condensation based) alterations of dust porosity, and hence aerodynamics, can be a strong factor in planet formation, leading to the onset of rapid gravitational instabilities in the dust disk and the subsequent collapse that forms planetesimals.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Simulating PLATO

The PLATO Simulator: Modelling of High-Precision High-Cadence Space-Based Imaging

Authors:

Marcos-Arenal et al

Abstract:

Many aspects of the design trade-off of a space-based instrument and its performance can best be tackled through simulations of the expected observations. The complex interplay of various noise sources in the course of the observations make such simulations an indispensable part of the assessment and design study of any space-based mission. We present a formalism to model and simulate photometric time series of CCD images by including models of the CCD and its electronics, the telescope optics, the stellar field, the jitter movements of the spacecraft, and all important natural noise sources. This formalism has been implemented in a versatile end-to-end simulation software tool, called PLATO Simulator, specifically designed for the PLATO space mission to be operated from L2, but easily adaptable to similar types of missions. We provide a detailed description of several noise sources and discuss their properties, in connection with the optical design, the allowable level of jitter, the quantum efficiency of the detectors, etc. The expected overall noise budget of generated light curves is computed as a function of the stellar magnitude, for different sets of input parameters describing the instrument properties. The simulator is offered to the scientific community for future use.

Results From First Three Years of Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS)

THE MOVING GROUP TARGETS OF THE SEEDS HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING SURVEY OF EXOPLANETS AND DISKS: RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIRST THREE YEARS

Authors:

Brandt et al

Abstract:

We present results from the first three years of observations of moving group (MG) targets in the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS) high-contrast imaging survey of exoplanets and disks using the Subaru telescope. We achieve typical contrasts of ~105 at 1'' and ~106 beyond 2'' around 63 proposed members of nearby kinematic MGs. We review each of the kinematic associations to which our targets belong, concluding that five, β Pictoris (~20 Myr), AB Doradus (~100 Myr), Columba (~30 Myr), Tucana-Horogium (~30 Myr), and TW Hydrae (~10 Myr), are sufficiently well-defined to constrain the ages of individual targets. Somewhat less than half of our targets are high-probability members of one of these MGs. For all of our targets, we combine proposed MG membership with other age indicators where available, including Ca II HK emission, X-ray activity, and rotation period, to produce a posterior probability distribution of age. SEEDS observations discovered a substellar companion to one of our targets, κ And, a late B star. We do not detect any other substellar companions, but do find seven new close binary systems, of which one still needs to be confirmed. A detailed analysis of the statistics of this sample, and of the companion mass constraints given our age probability distributions and exoplanet cooling models, will be presented in a forthcoming paper.

Ruling out Companion Stars to Exoplanet Hosts

LIMITS ON STELLAR COMPANIONS TO EXOPLANET HOST STARS WITH ECCENTRIC PLANETS

Authors:

Kane et al

Abstract:

Though there are now many hundreds of confirmed exoplanets known, the binarity of exoplanet host stars is not well understood. This is particularly true of host stars that harbor a giant planet in a highly eccentric orbit since these are more likely to have had a dramatic dynamical history that transferred angular momentum to the planet. Here we present observations of four exoplanet host stars that utilize the excellent resolving power of the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument on the Gemini North telescope. Two of the stars are giants and two are dwarfs. Each star is host to a giant planet with an orbital eccentricity less than 0.5 and whose radial velocity (RV) data contain a trend in the residuals to the Keplerian orbit fit. These observations rule out stellar companions 4-8 mag fainter than the host star at passbands of 692 nm and 880 nm. The resolution and field of view of the instrument result in exclusion radii of 0.''05-1.''4, which excludes stellar companions within several AU of the host star in most cases. We further provide new RVs for the HD 4203 system that confirm that the linear trend previously observed in the residuals is due to an additional planet. These results place dynamical constraints on the source of the planet's eccentricities, place constraints on additional planetary companions, and inform the known distribution of multiplicity amongst exoplanet host stars.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Simulating Stability of Massive Protoplanetary Disks

Linear stability of magnetized massive protoplanetary disks

Author:

Lin

Abstract:

Magneto-rotational instability (MRI) and gravitational instability (GI) are the two principle routes to turbulent angular momentum transport in accretion disks. Protoplanetary disks may develop both. This paper aims to reinvigorate interest in the study of magnetized massive protoplanetary disks, starting from the basic issue of stability. The local linear stability of a self-gravitating, uniformly magnetized, differentially rotating, three-dimensional disk subject to axisymmetric perturbations is calculated numerically. The formulation includes resistivity. It is found that the reduction in the disk thickness by self-gravity can decrease MRI growth rates; the MRI becomes global in the vertical direction, and MRI modes with small radial length scales are stabilized. In massive disks with layered resistivity, the MRI is not well-localized to regions where the Elsasser number exceeds unity. For MRI modes with radial length scales on the order of the disk thickness, self-gravity can enhance density perturbations, an effect that becomes significant in the presence of a strong toroidal field. In gravitationally unstable disks where GI and MRI growth rates are comparable, the character of unstable modes can transition smoothly between MRI and GI. Implications for non-linear simulations are discussed briefly.

Did HD 20782 & HD 20781 Each Eat a Neptune Mass Worth of Exoplanet Material?

Detailed Abundances of Planet-Hosting Wide Binaries. I. Did Planet Formation Imprint Chemical Signatures in the Atmospheres of HD 20782/81?

Authors:

Mack et al

Abstract:

Using high-resolution echelle spectra obtained with Magellan/MIKE, we present a chemical abundance analysis of both stars in the planet-hosting wide binary system HD20782 + HD20781. Both stars are G dwarfs, and presumably coeval, forming in the same molecular cloud. Therefore we expect that they should possess the same bulk metallicities. Furthermore, both stars also host giant planets on eccentric orbits with pericenters ≲0.2 AU. We investigate if planets with such orbits could lead to the host stars ingesting material, which in turn may leave similar chemical imprints in their atmospheric abundances. We derived abundances of 15 elements spanning a range of condensation temperatures (TC≈40−1660 K). The two stars are found to have a mean element-to-element abundance difference of 0.04±0.07 dex, which is consistent with both stars having identical bulk metallicities. In addition, for both stars, the refractory elements (TC greater than 900 K) exhibit a positive correlation between abundance (relative to solar) and TC, with similar slopes of ≈ 1×10−4 dex K−1. The measured positive correlations are not perfect; both stars exhibit a scatter of ≈ 5×10−5 dex K−1 about the mean trend, and certain elements (Na, Al, Sc) are similarly deviant in both stars. These findings are discussed in the context of models for giant planet migration that predict the accretion of H-depleted rocky material by the host star. We show that a simple simulation of a solar-type star accreting material with Earth-like composition predicts a positive---but imperfect---correlation between refractory elemental abundances and TC. Our measured slopes for HD 20782/81 are consistent with what is predicted for the ingestion of 10--20 Earths by both stars.

Micro lensing Detection Around a Host Star

Transiting Planets Orbiting Source Stars in Microlensing Events

Authors:

Rybicki et al

Abstract:

The phenomenon of microlensing has successfully been used to detect extrasolar planets. By observing characteristic, rare deviations in the gravitational microlensing light curve one can discover that a lens is a star--planet system. In this paper we consider an opposite case where the lens is a single star and the source has a transiting planetary companion. We have studied the light curve of a source star with transiting companion magnified during microlensing event. Our model shows that in dense stellar fields, in which blending is significant, the light drop generated by transits is greater near the maximum of microlensing, which makes it easier to detect. We derive the probability for the detection of a planetary transit in a microlensed source to be of 2*10^(-6) for an individual microlensing event.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Lipids as the Ideal Biosignature on Exoplanetary Atmospheres?

Lipids as Universal Biomarkers of Extraterrestrial Life

Authors:

Georgiou et al

Abstract:

In 1965, James Lovelock published a general statement, based on thermodynamic chemical equilibrium principles, about how to detect extant or extinct life on a planet other than Earth. Nearly 50 years later, it is possible to make such measurements with robotic missions such as current and future Mars rovers, and probes to sample icy plumes of Enceladus or Europa. We make a specific recommendation that certain characteristic patterns in the composition of lipid hydrocarbons can only result from a biological process, because the signal arises from a universal requirement related to lipid bilayer fluidity and membrane stability. Furthermore, the pattern can be preserved over millions of years, and instrumentation is already available to be incorporated into flight missions.

The Love-Hate Relationship Between Habitable Terrestrial Worlds and Gas Giants

Earth-like Habitats in Planetary Systems

Authors:

Fritz et al

Abstract:

Understanding the concept of habitability is related to an evolutionary knowledge of the particular planet-in-question. Additional indications so-called "systemic aspects" of the planetary system as a whole governs a particular planet's claim on habitability. Here we focus on such systemic aspects and discuss their relevance to the formation of an 'Earth-like' habitable planet. We summarize our results obtained by lunar sample work and numerical models within the framework of the Research Alliance "Planetary Evolution and Life". We consider various scenarios which simulate the dynamical evolution of the Solar System and discuss the likelihood of forming an Earth-like world orbiting another star. Our model approach is constrained by observations of the modern Solar System and the knowledge of its history. Results suggest that the long-term presence of terrestrial planets is jeopardized due to gravitational interactions if giant planets are present. But habitability of inner rocky planets may be supported in those planetary systems hosting giant planets.

Gravitational interactions within a complex multiple-body structure including giant planets may supply terrestrial planets with materials which formed in the colder region of the proto-planetary disk. During these processes, water, the prime requisite for habitability, is delivered to the inner system. This may occur either during the main accretion phase of terrestrial planets or via impacts during a post-accretion bombardment. Results for both processes are summarized and discussed with reference to the lunar crater record.

Starting from a scenario involving migration of the giant planets this contribution discusses the delivery of water to Earth, the modification of atmospheres by impacts in a planetary system context and the likelihood of the existence of extrasolar Earth-like habitable worlds.

Modeling the Habitability of Kepler-186f

Formation, tidal evolution and habitability of the Kepler-186 system

Authors:

Bolmont et al

Abstract:

The Kepler-186 system consists of five planets orbiting an early-M dwarf. The planets have physical radii of 1.0-1.50 R and orbital periods of 4 to 130 days. The 1.1 R Kepler-186f with a period of 130 days is of particular interest. Its insolation of roughly 0.32 Splaces it within the liquid water habitable zone. We present a multi-faceted study of the Kepler-186 system. First, we show that the distribution of planet masses can be roughly reproduced if the planets accreted from a high-surface density disk presumably sculpted by an earlier phase of migration. However, our simulations predict the existence of 1-2 undetected planets between planets e and f. Next, we present a dynamical analysis of the system including the effect of tides. The timescale for tidal evolution is short enough that the four inner planets must have small obliquities and near-synchronous rotation rates. Tidal evolution of Kepler-186f is slow enough that its current spin state depends on a combination of its dissipation rate and the stellar age. Finally, we study the habitability of Kepler-186f with a 1-D climate model. The planet's surface temperature can be raised above 273 K with 0.5-5 bars of CO2, depending on the amount of N2 present. Kepler-186f represents a case study of an Earth-sized planet in the cooler regions of the habitable zone of a cool star.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Kepler-186f's Paper

An Earth-Sized Planet in the Habitable Zone of a Cool Star

Authors:

Quintana et al

Abstract:

The quest for Earth-like planets is a major focus of current exoplanet research. Although planets that are Earth-sized and smaller have been detected, these planets reside in orbits that are too close to their host star to allow liquid water on their surfaces. We present the detection of Kepler-186f, a 1.11 ± 0.14 Earth-radius planet that is the outermost of five planets, all roughly Earth-sized, that transit a 0.47 ± 0.05 solar-radius star. The intensity and spectrum of the star’s radiation place Kepler-186f in the stellar habitable zone, implying that if Kepler-186f has an Earth-like atmosphere and water at its surface, then some of this water is likely to be in liquid form.

Kepler-186f: A Cold Terrestrial World 1.1 Earth Radius

The first Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of another star has been confirmed by observations with both the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Gemini Observatory. The initial discovery, made by the Kepler Space Telescope, is one of a handful of smaller planets found by Kepler and verified using large ground-based telescopes.

"What makes this finding particularly compelling is that this Earth-sized planet, one of five orbiting this star, which is cooler than the Sun, resides in a temperate region where water could exist in liquid form," says Elisa Quintana of the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center who led the paper published in the current issue of the journal Science. The region in which this planet orbits its star is called the habitable zone, as it is thought that life would most likely form on planets with liquid water.

Steve Howell, Kepler's Project Scientist and a co-author on the paper, adds that neither Kepler (nor any telescope) is currently able to directly spot an exoplanet of this size and proximity to its host star. "However, what we can do is eliminate essentially all other possibilities so that the validity of these planets is really the only viable option."

link to video of the Kepler-186 system orbits (it won't let me embed it)

Detection Signals for Holes in Cloud Cover on Brown Dwarfs

Authors:

Abstract:

We report the results of a J band search for cloud-related variability in the atmospheres of 62 L4-T9 dwarfs using the Du Pont 2.5-m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory and the Canada France Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea. We find 9 of 57 objects included in our final analysis to be significantly variable with >99% confidence, 5 of which are new discoveries. In our study, strong variability (peak-to-peak amplitudes >2%) are confined to the L/T transition (4/16 objects with L9-T3.5 spectral types and 0/41 objects for all other spectral types). The probability that the observed occurrence rates for strong variability inside and outside the L/T transition originate from the same underlying true occurrence rate is excluded with >99.7% confidence. These observations suggest that the settling of condensate clouds below the photosphere in brown dwarf atmospheres does not occur in a spatially uniform manner. Rather, the formation and sedimentation of dust grains at the L/T transition is coupled to atmospheric dynamics, resulting in highly contrasting regions of thick and thin clouds and/or clearings. Outside the L/T transition we identify 5 weak variables (peak-to-peak amplitudes of 0.6%-1.6%). Excluding L9-T3.5 spectral types, we infer that 60+2218% of targets vary with amplitudes of 0.5%1.6%, suggesting that surface heterogeneities are ubiquitous among L and T dwarfs. Our survey establishes a significant link between strong variability and L/T transition spectral types, providing evidence in support of the hypothesis that cloud holes contribute to the abrupt decline in condensate opacity and 1 micron brightening observed in this regime. More generally, fractional cloud coverage is an important model parameter for brown dwarfs and giant planets, especially those with L/T transition spectral types and colors.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Water Clouds in Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanet Atmospheres

Water Clouds in Y Dwarfs and Exoplanets

Authors:

Morley et al

Abstract:

The formation of clouds affects brown dwarf and planetary atmospheres of nearly all effective temperatures. Iron and silicate condense in L dwarf atmospheres and dissipate at the L/T transition. Minor species such as sulfides and salts condense in mid-late T dwarfs. For brown dwarfs below Teff=450 K, water condenses in the upper atmosphere to form ice clouds. Currently over a dozen objects in this temperature range have been discovered, and few previous theoretical studies have addressed the effect of water clouds on brown dwarf or exoplanetary spectra. Here we present a new grid of models that include the effect of water cloud opacity. We find that they become optically thick in objects below Teff=350-375 K. Unlike refractory cloud materials, water ice particles are significantly non-gray absorbers; they predominantly scatter at optical wavelengths through J band and absorb in the infrared with prominent features, the strongest of which is at 2.8 microns. H2O, NH3, CH4, and H2 CIA are dominant opacity sources; less abundant species such as may also be detectable, including the alkalis, H2S, and PH3. PH3, which has been detected in Jupiter, is expected to have a strong signature in the mid-infrared at 4.3 microns in Y dwarfs around Teff=450 K; if disequilibrium chemistry increases the abundance of PH3, it may be detectable over a wider effective temperature range than models predict. We show results incorporating disequilibrium nitrogen and carbon chemistry and predict signatures of low gravity in planetary- mass objects. Lastly, we make predictions for the observability of Y dwarfs and planets with existing and future instruments including the James Webb Space Telescope and Gemini Planet Imager.

Extreme Axial Tilt Variation Increases the Habitability of Terrestrial Worlds

Effects of Extreme Obliquity Variations on the Habitability of Exoplanets

Authors:

Armstrong et al

Abstract:

We explore the impact of obliquity variations on planetary habitability in hypothetical systems with high mutual inclination. We show that large amplitude, high frequency obliquity oscillations on Earth-like exoplanets can suppress the ice-albedo feedback, increasing the outer edge of the habitable zone. We restrict our exploration to hypothetical systems consisting of a solar-mass star, an Earth-mass planet at 1 AU, and 1 or 2 larger planets. We verify that these systems are stable for 108 years with N-body simulations, and calculate the obliquity variations induced by the orbital evolution of the Earth-mass planet and a torque from the host star. We run a simplified energy balance model on the terrestrial planet to assess surface temperature and ice coverage on the planet's surface, and we calculate differences in the outer edge of the habitable zone for planets with rapid obliquity variations. For each hypothetical system, we calculate the outer edge of habitability for two conditions: 1) the full evolution of the planetary spin and orbit, and 2) the eccentricity and obliquity fixed at their average values. We recover previous results that higher values of fixed obliquity and eccentricity expand the habitable zone, but also find that obliquity oscillations further expand habitable orbits in all cases. Terrestrial planets near the outer edge of the habitable zone may be more likely to support life in systems that induce rapid obliquity oscillations as opposed to fixed-spin planets. Such planets may be the easiest to directly characterize with space-borne telescopes.

Super Earths are 1.5 Earth Radius (or less), Mini Neptunes are Larger

Occurrence and core-envelope structure of 1--4x Earth-size planets around Sun-like stars

Authors:

Marcy et al

Abstract:

Small planets, 1-4x the size of Earth, are extremely common around Sun-like stars, and surprisingly so, as they are missing in our solar system. Recent detections have yielded enough information about this class of exoplanets to begin characterizing their occurrence rates, orbits, masses, densities, and internal structures. The Kepler mission finds the smallest planets to be most common, as 26% of Sun-like stars have small, 1-2 R_e planets with orbital periods under 100 days, and 11% have 1-2 R_e planets that receive 1-4x the incident stellar flux that warms our Earth. These Earth-size planets are sprinkled uniformly with orbital distance (logarithmically) out to 0.4 AU, and probably beyond. Mass measurements for 33 transiting planets of 1-4 R_e show that the smallest of them, R less than 1.5 R_e, have the density expected for rocky planets. Their densities increase with increasing radius, likely caused by gravitational compression. Including solar system planets yields a relation: rho = 2.32 + 3.19 R/R_e [g/cc]. Larger planets, in the radius range 1.5-4.0 R_e, have densities that decline with increasing radius, revealing increasing amounts of low-density material in an envelope surrounding a rocky core, befitting the appellation "mini-Neptunes." Planets of ~1.5 R_e have the highest densities, averaging near 10 g/cc. The gas giant planets occur preferentially around stars that are rich in heavy elements, while rocky planets occur around stars having a range of heavy element abundances. One explanation is that the fast formation of rocky cores in protoplanetary disks enriched in heavy elements permits the gravitational accumulation of gas before it vanishes, forming giant planets. But models of the formation of 1-4 R_e planets remain uncertain. Defining habitable zones remains difficult, without benefit of either detections of life elsewhere or an understanding of life's biochemical origins.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

How Many Planets Does Gliese 667C Have?

Bayesian analysis of radial velocity data of GJ667C with correlated noise: evidence for only 2 planets

Authors:

Feroz et al

Abstract:

GJ667C is the least massive component of a triple star system which lies at a distance of about 6.8 pc (22.1 light-years) from Earth. GJ667C has received much attention recently due to the claims that it hosts up to seven planets including three super-Earths inside the habitable zone. We present a Bayesian technique for the analysis of radial velocity (RV) data-sets in the presence of correlated noise component ("red noise"), with unknown parameters. We also introduce hyper-parameters in our model in order to deal statistically with under or over-estimated error bars on measured RVs as well as inconsistencies between different data-sets. By applying this method to the RV data-set of GJ667C, we show that this data-set contains a significant correlated (red) noise component with correlation timescale for HARPS data of order 9 days. Our analysis shows that the data only provides strong evidence for the presence of two planets: GJ667Cb and c with periods 7.19d and 28.13d respectively, with some hints towards the presence of a third signal with period 91d. The planetary nature of this third signal is not clear and additional RV observations are required for its confirmation. Previous claims of the detection of additional planets in this system are due the erroneous assumption of white noise. Using the standard white noise assumption, our method leads to the detection of up to five signals in this system. We also find that with the red noise model, the measurement uncertainties from HARPS for this system are under-estimated at the level of ~50 per cent.

Habitable World may Need to be Part of Multiple Planet Systems

The Solar System and the Exoplanet Orbital Eccentricity - Multiplicity Relation

Authors:

Limbach et al

Abstract:

The known population of exoplanets exhibits a much wider range of orbital eccentricities than Solar System planets and has a much higher average eccentricity. These facts have been widely interpreted to indicate that the Solar System is an atypical member of the overall population of planetary systems. We report here on a strong anti-correlation of orbital eccentricity with multiplicity (number of planets in the system) among catalogued RV systems. The mean, median and rough distribution of eccentricities of Solar System planets fits an extrapolation of this anti-correlation to the eight planet case rather precisely. Thus, the Solar System is not anomalous among known exoplanetary systems with respect to eccentricities when its multiplicity is taken into account. Specifically, as the multiplicity of a system increases the eccentricity decreases roughly as a power law of index -1.20. A simple and plausible but ad hoc model of this relationship implies that approximately 80% of the one planet and 25% of the two planet systems in our sample have additional, as yet undiscovered, members. If low eccentricities favor high multiplicities, habitability may be more common in systems with a larger number of planets.

HD 97658b: a 7.55 Earth Mass Superearth Confirmed

TRANSIT CONFIRMATION AND IMPROVED STELLAR AND PLANET PARAMETERS FOR THE SUPER-EARTH HD 97658 b AND ITS HOST STAR

Authors:

Van Grootel et al

Abstract:

Super-Earths transiting nearby bright stars are key objects that simultaneously allow for accurate measurements of both their mass and radius, providing essential constraints on their internal composition. We present here the confirmation, based on Spitzer transit observations, that the super-Earth HD 97658 b transits its host star. HD 97658 is a low-mass (M * = 0.77 ± 0.05 M ☉) K1 dwarf, as determined from the Hipparcos parallax and stellar evolution modeling. To constrain the planet parameters, we carry out Bayesian global analyses of Keck-High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (Keck-HIRES) radial velocities and Microvariability and Oscillations of STars (MOST) and Spitzer photometry. HD 97658 b is a massive ($M_P=7.55^{+0.83}_{-0.79}\, M_{\oplus }$) and large ($R_{P} = 2.247^{+0.098}_{-0.095} R_{\oplus }$ at 4.5 μm) super-Earth. We investigate the possible internal compositions for HD 97658 b. Our results indicate a large rocky component, of at least 60% by mass, and very little H-He components, at most 2% by mass. We also discuss how future asteroseismic observations can improve the knowledge of the HD 97658 system, in particular by constraining its age. Orbiting a bright host star, HD 97658 b will be a key target for upcoming space missions such as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the Characterizing Exoplanet Satellite (CHEOPS), the Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO), and the James Webb Space Telescope to characterize thoroughly its structure and atmosphere.