Using WISE to Look for Kardashev Type II and Type III Civilizations

How Stable are the Atmospheres of Tidally Locked Terrestrial Exoplanets?

Atmospheric heat redistribution and collapse on tidally locked rocky planets

Author:

Wordsworth

Abstract:

Atmospheric collapse is likely to be of fundamental importance to tidally locked rocky exoplanets but remains understudied. Here, general results on the heat transport and stability of tidally locked terrestrial-type atmospheres are reported. First, the problem is modeled with an idealized 3D general circulation model (GCM) with gray gas radiative transfer. It is shown that over a wide range of parameters the atmospheric boundary layer, rather than the large-scale circulation, is the key to understanding the planetary energy balance. Through a scaling analysis of the interhemispheric energy transfer, theoretical expressions for the day-night temperature difference and surface wind speed are created that reproduce the GCM results without tuning. Next, the GCM is used with correlated-k radiative transfer to study heat transport for two real gases (CO2 and CO). For CO2, empirical formulae for the collapse pressure as a function of planetary mass and stellar flux are produced, and critical pressures for atmospheric collapse at Earth's stellar flux are obtained that are around five times higher (0.14 bar) than previous gray gas estimates. These results provide constraints on atmospheric stability that will aid in future interpretation of observations and exoplanet habitability modeling.

The Implications of SuperEarths and Mini Neptunes Atmospheric Envelopes

The Formation of Super-Earths and Mini-Neptunes with Giant Impacts

Authors:

Inamdar et al

Abstract:

The majority of discovered exoplanetary systems harbor a new class of planets, bodies typically several times more massive than Earth but orbiting their host stars well inside the orbit of Mercury. The origin of these close-in super-Earths and mini-Neptunes is a major unanswered question in planet formation. Unlike Earth, whose atmosphere contains less than 10−6 of its total mass, a large fraction of close-in planets have significant gaseous envelopes, containing 1% to 10% or more of their total mass. It has been proposed that these close-in planets formed in situ either by delivery of 50−100M⊕ of rocky material to inner regions of the protoplanetary disc or in a disc enhanced relative to the MMSN. In both cases, final assembly of the planets occurs by giant impacts (GIs). Here we test the viability of these scenarios. We show that atmospheres accreted by isolation masses are small (typically 10−3−10−2 the core mass) and that atmospheric mass loss during GIs is significant, resulting in typical post-GI atmospheres that are 10−4−10−3 the core mass. In the most optimistic scenario where there is no core luminosity from GIs and/or planetesimal accretion, we find post-GI envelope accretion from a depleted gas disc can yield envelope masses several percent the core mass, but still smaller than observed for many close-in planets. If the gravitational potential energy resulting from the last mass doubling of the planet is released over the disc dissipation timescale as core luminosity, then accreted envelope masses are reduced by about an order of magnitude. Finally we show that even in the absence of Type I migration, radial drift timescales due to gas drag for many isolation masses are shorter than typical disc lifetimes. Given these challenges, we conclude that most observed close-in planets with large envelopes likely formed at larger separations from their host stars.

On the Road to Jinx: Detecting Tidally Distorted Solid Exoplanets Around M Dwarfs

The observational effects and signatures of tidally distorted solid exoplanets

Authors:

Saxena et al

Abstract:

Our work examines the detectability of tidally distorted solid exoplanets in synchronous rotation. Previous work has shown that tidally distorted shapes of close-in gas giants can give rise to radius underestimates and subsequently density overestimates for those planets. We examine the assumption that such an effect is too minimal for rocky exoplanets and find that for smaller M Class stars there may be an observationally significant tidal distortion effect at very close-in orbits. We quantify the effect for different stellar types and planetary properties using some basic assumptions. Finally, we develop a simple analytic expression to test if there are detectable bulge signatures in the photometry of a system. We find that close in for smaller M Class stars there may be an observationally significant signature that may manifest itself in both in-transit bulge signatures and ellipsoidal variations.

Circum Trinary Stable Orbits

Secular dynamics of hierarchical quadruple systems: the case of a triple system orbited by a fourth body

Authors:

Hamers et al

Abstract:

We study the secular gravitational dynamics of quadruple systems consisting of a hierarchical triple system orbited by a fourth body. These systems can be decomposed into three binary systems with increasing semimajor axes, binaries A, B and C. The Hamiltonian of the system is expanded in ratios of the three binary separations, and orbit-averaged. Subsequently, we numerically solve the equations of motion. We study highly hierarchical systems that are well described by the lowest-order terms in the Hamiltonian. We find that the qualitative behaviour is determined by the ratio 0 of the initial Kozai-Lidov (KL) time-scales of the binary pairs AB and BC. If 0≪1, binaries AB remain coplanar if this is initially the case, and KL eccentricity oscillations in binary B are efficiently quenched. If 0≫1, binaries AB become inclined, even if initially coplanar. However, there are no induced KL eccentricity oscillations in binary A. Lastly, if 0∼1, complex KL eccentricity oscillations can occur in binary A that are coupled with the KL eccentricity oscillations in B. Even if binaries A and B are initially coplanar, the induced inclination can result in very high eccentricity oscillations in binary A. These extreme eccentricities could have significant implications for strong interactions such as tidal interactions, gravitational wave dissipation, and collisions and mergers of stars and compact objects. As an example, we apply our results to a planet+moon system orbiting a central star, which in turn is orbited by a distant and inclined stellar companion or planet, and to observed stellar quadruples.

Where Does the Ice-line Exists in the Circumbinary Protoplanetary Disks?

On the location of the ice line in circumbinary discs

Authors:

Shadmehri et al

Abstract:

Position of the ice line in a circumbinary disc is determined using a simplified and illustrative model. Main sources of the heat in the energy balance of the disc, i.e. heating by the turbulence, irradiation by the components of the binary and the tidal heating are considered. Our goal is to clarify role of the tidal heating in the position of the ice line. When viscous heating and irradiation of the binary are considered, ice line lies interior to the inner radius of the disc in most of the binaries represented by our parameter survey. But tidal heating significantly extends position of the ice line to a larger radius, so that a smaller fraction of the circumbinaries' population may have ice lines interior to the inner radius of the disc.

Nemesis Class Wide Orbit Substellar Companion to Binary FW Tau System

An ALMA Disk Mass for the Candidate Protoplanetary Companion to FW Tau

Authors:

Kraus et al

Abstract:

We present ALMA observations of the FW Tau system, a close binary pair of M5 stars with a wide-orbit (300 AU projected separation) substellar companion. The companion is extremely faint and red in the optical and near-infrared, but boasts a weak far-infrared excess and optical/near-infrared emission lines indicative of a primordial accretion disk of gas and dust. The component-resolved 1.3 mm continuum emission is found to be associated only with the companion, with a flux (1.78 +/- 0.03 mJy) that indicates a dust mass of 1-2 M_Earth. While this mass reservoir is insufficient to form a giant planet, it is more than sufficient to produce an analog of the Kepler-42 exoplanetary system or the Galilean satellites. The mass and geometry of the disk-bearing FW Tau companion remains unclear. Near-infrared spectroscopy shows deep water bands that indicate a spectral type later than M5, but substantial veiling prevents a more accurate determination of the effective temperature (and hence mass). Both a disk-bearing "planetary-mass" companion seen in direct light or a brown dwarf tertiary viewed in light scattered by an edge-on disk or envelope remain possibilities.

WASP-39b and WASP-43b Observed by San Pedro Mártir Telescopes

Multi-filter transit observations of WASP-39b and WASP-43b with three San Pedro Mártir telescopes

Authors:

Ricci et al

Abstract:

Three optical telescopes located at the San Pedro M\'artir National Observatory were used for the first time to obtain multi-filter defocused photometry of the transiting extrasolar planets WASP-39b and WASP-43b. We observed WASP-39b with the 2.12m telescope in the U filter for the first time, and additional observations were carried out in the R and I filters using the 0.84m telescope. WASP-43b was observed in VRI with the same instrument, and in the i filter with the robotic 1.50m telescope. We reduced the data using different pipelines and performed aperture photometry with the help of custom routines, in order to obtain the light curves. The fit of the light curves (1.5--2.5mmag rms), and of the period analysis, allowed a revision of the orbital and physical parameters, revealing for WASP-39b a period (4.0552947±9.65×10−7 days) which is 3.084±0.774 seconds larger than previously reported. Moreover, we find for WASP-43b a planet/star radius (0.1738±0.0033) which is 0.01637±0.00371 larger in the i filter with respect to previous works, and that should be confirmed with additional observations. Finally, we confirm no evidence of constant period variations in WASP-43b.

XUV-driven Mass Loss From Hot Juptiers Around Active Stars

XUV-driven mass loss from extrasolar giant planets orbiting active stars

Authors:

Chadney et al

Abstract:

Upper atmospheres of Hot Jupiters are subject to extreme radiation conditions that can result in rapid atmospheric escape. The composition and structure of the upper atmospheres of these planets are affected by the high-energy spectrum of the host star. This emission depends on stellar type and age, which are thus important factors in understanding the behaviour of exoplanetary atmospheres. In this study, we focus on Extrasolar Giant Planets (EPGs) orbiting K and M dwarf stars. XUV spectra for three different stars - epsilon Eridani, AD Leonis and AU Microscopii - are constructed using a coronal model. Neutral density and temperature profiles in the upper atmosphere of hypothetical EGPs orbiting these stars are then obtained from a fluid model, incorporating atmospheric chemistry and taking atmospheric escape into account. We find that a simple scaling based solely on the host star's X-ray emission gives large errors in mass loss rates from planetary atmospheres and so we have derived a new method to scale the EUV regions of the solar spectrum based upon stellar X-ray emission. This new method produces an outcome in terms of the planet's neutral upper atmosphere very similar to that obtained using a detailed coronal model of the host star. Our results indicate that in planets subjected to radiation from active stars, the transition from Jeans escape to a regime of hydrodynamic escape at the top of the atmosphere occurs at larger orbital distances than for planets around low activity stars (such as the Sun).

Hot Jupiter WASP-10b Orbit Refined

Detection of the secondary eclipse of WASP-10b in the Ks-band

Authors:

Cruz et al

Abstract:

WASP-10b, a non-inflated hot Jupiter, was discovered around a K-dwarf in a near circular orbit (∼0.06). Since its discovery in 2009, different published parameters for this system have led to a discussion about the size, density, and eccentricity of this exoplanet. In order to test the hypothesis of a circular orbit for WASP-10b, we have observed its secondary eclipse in the Ks-band, where the contribution of planetary light is high enough to be detected from the ground. Observations were performed with the OMEGA2000 instrument at the 3.5-meter telescope at Calar Alto (Almer\'ia, Spain), in staring mode during 5.4 continuous hours, with the telescope defocused, monitoring the target during the expected secondary eclipse. A relative light curve was generated and corrected from systematic effects, using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique. The final light curve was fitted using a transit model to find the eclipse depth and a possible phase shift. The best model obtained from the Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis resulted in an eclipse depth of ΔF of 0.137%+0.013%−0.019% and a phase offset of Δϕ of −0.0028+0.0005−0.0004. The eclipse phase offset derived from our modeling has systematic errors that were not taken into account and should not be considered as evidence of an eccentric orbit. The offset in phase obtained leads to a value for |ecosω| of 0.0044. The derived eccentricity is too small to be of any significance.

How Much Carbon monoxide is in Fomalhaut's Protoplanetary Disk?

CO mass upper limits in the Fomalhaut ring - the importance of NLTE excitation in debris discs and future prospects with ALMA

Authors:

Matrà et al

Abstract:

In recent years, gas has been observed in an increasing number of debris discs, though its nature remains to be determined. Here, we analyse CO molecular excitation in optically thin debris discs, and search ALMA Cycle-0 data for CO J=3-2 emission in the Fomalhaut ring. No significant line emission is observed; we set a 3-σ upper limit on the integrated line flux of 0.16 Jy km s−1. We show a significant dependency of the CO excitation on the density of collisional partners n, on the gas kinetic temperature Tk and on the ambient radiation field J, suggesting that assumptions widely used for protoplanetary discs (e.g. LTE) do not necessarily apply to their low density debris counterparts. When applied to the Fomalhaut ring, we consider a primordial origin scenario where H2 dominates collisional excitation of CO, and a secondary origin scenario dominated by e− and H2O. In either scenario, we obtain a strict upper limit on the CO mass of 4.9 × 10−4 M⊕. This arises in the non-LTE regime, where the excitation of the molecule is determined solely by the well-known radiation field. In the secondary scenario, assuming any CO present to be in steady state allows us to set an upper limit of ∼55% on the CO/H2O ice ratio in the parent planetesimals. This could drop to ∼3% if LTE applies, covering the range observed in Solar System comets (0.4-30%). Finally, in light of our analysis, we present prospects for CO detection and characterisation in debris discs with ALMA.

Dusty Horseshoes in Protoplanetary Disks

Fast Modes and Dusty Horseshoes in Transitional Disks

Authors:

Mittal et al

Abstract:

The brightest transitional protoplanetary disks are often azimuthally asymmetric: their mm-wave thermal emission peaks strongly on one side. Dust overdensities can exceed ∼100:1, while gas densities vary by factors less than a few. We propose that these remarkable ALMA observations---which may bear on how planetesimals form---reflect a gravitational global mode in the gas disk. The mode is (1) fast---its pattern speed equals the disk's mean Keplerian frequency; (2) of azimuthal wavenumber m=1, displacing the host star from the barycenter; and (3) Toomre-stable. We solve for gas streamlines including the indirect stellar potential in the frame rotating with the pattern speed, under the drastic simplification that gas does not feel its own gravity. Near co-rotation, the gas disk takes the form of a horseshoe-shaped annulus. Dust particles with aerodynamic stopping times much shorter or much longer than the orbital period are dragged by gas toward the horseshoe center. For intermediate stopping times, dust converges toward a ∼45∘-wide arc on the co-rotation circle. Particles that do not reach their final accumulation points within disk lifetimes, either because of gas turbulence or long particle drift times, conform to horseshoe-shaped gas streamlines. Our mode is not self-consistent because we neglect gas self-gravity; still, we expect that trends between accumulation location and particle size, similar to those we have found, are generically predicted by fast modes and are potentially observable. Unlike vortices, global modes are not restricted in radial width to the pressure scale height; their large radial and azimuthal extents may better match observations.

Examining EX Lupi's Protoplanetary Disk

Depletion of molecular gas by an accretion outburst in a protoplanetary disk

Authors:

Banzatti et al

Abstract:

We investigate new and archival 3-5 μm high resolution (∼3 km s−1) spectroscopy of molecular gas in the inner disk of the young solar-mass star EX Lupi, taken during and after the strong accretion outburst of 2008. The data were obtained using the CRIRES spectrometer at the ESO Very Large Telescope in 2008 and 2014. In 2008, emission lines from CO, H2O, and OH were detected with broad profiles tracing gas near and within the corotation radius (0.02-0.3 AU). In 2014, the spectra display marked differences. The CO lines, while still detected, are much weaker, and the H2O and OH lines have disappeared altogether. At 3 μm a veiled stellar photospheric spectrum is observed. Our analysis finds that the molecular gas mass in the inner disk has decreased by an order of magnitude since the outburst, matching a similar decrease in the accretion rate onto the star. We discuss these findings in the context of a rapid depletion of material accumulated beyond the disk corotation radius during quiescent periods, as proposed by models of episodic accretion in EXor type young stars.

Creation of Planet Forming Basins in Protoplanetary Disks

Transient chaos and fractal structures in planetary feeding zones

Authors:

Kovács et al

Abstract:

The circular restricted three body problem is investigated in the context of accretion and scattering processes. In our model a large number of identical non-interacting mass-less planetesimals are considered in planar case orbiting a star-planet system. This description allows us to investigate in dynamical systems approach the gravitational scattering and possible captures of the particles by the forming planetary embryo. Although the problem serves a large variety of complex motion, the results can be easily interpreted because of the low dimensionality of the phase space. We show that initial conditions define isolated regions of the disk, where accretion or escape of the planetesimals occur, these have, in fact, a fractal structure. The fractal geometry of these "basins" implies that the dynamics is very complex. Based on the calculated escape rates and escape times, it is also demonstrated that the planetary accretion rate is exponential for short times and follows a power-law for longer integration. A new numerical calculation of the maximum mass that a planet can reach (described by the expression of the isolation mass) is also derived.

Protoplanetary Disks of NGC1333 Stellar Cluster

The JCMT Gould Belt Survey: low-mass proto-planetary discs from a SCUBA-2 census of NGC1333

Authors:

Dodds et al

Abstract:

NGC1333 is a 1-2 Myr old cluster of stars in the Perseus molecular cloud. We used 850mu data from the Gould Belt Survey with SCUBA-2 on the JCMT to measure or place limits on disc masses for 82 Class II sources in this cluster. Eight disc-candidates were detected; one is estimated to have mass of about 9 Jupiter masses in dust plus gas, while the others host only 2-4 Jupiter masses of circumstellar material. None of these discs exceeds the threshold for the 'Minimum Mass Solar Nebula' (MMSN). This reinforces previous claims that only a small fraction of Class II sources at an age of 1-2 Myr has discs exceeding the MMSN threshold and thus can form a planetary system like our own. However, other regions with similarly low fractions of MMSN discs (IC348, UpSco, SigmaOri) are thought to be older than NGC1333. Compared with coeval regions, the exceptionally low fraction of massive discs in NGC1333 cannot easily be explained by the effects of UV radiation or stellar encounters. Our results indicate that additional environmental factors significantly affect disc evolution and the outcome of planet formation by core accretion.

Detecting Proto Kuiper Belt in Stellar Systems Forming Exoplanets

Detections of trans-Neptunian ice in protoplanetary disks

Authors:

McClure et al

Abstract:

We present Herschel Space Observatory PACS spectra of T Tauri stars, in which we detect amorphous and crystalline water ice features. Using irradiated accretion disk models, we determine the disk structure and ice abundance in each of the systems. Combining a model-independent comparison of the ice feature strength and disk size with a detailed analysis of the model ice location, we estimate that the ice emitting region is at disk radii greater than 30AU, consistent with a proto-Kuiper belt. Vertically, the ice emits most below the photodesorption zone, consistent with Herschel observations of cold water vapor. The presence of crystallized water ice at a disk location a) colder than its crystallization temperature and b) where it should have been re-amorphized in ~1 Myr suggests that localized generation is occurring; the most likely cause appears to be micrometeorite impact or planetesimal collisions. Based on simple tests with UV models and different ice distributions, we suggest that the SED shape from 20 to 50 micron may probe the location of the water ice snow line in the disk upper layers. This project represents one of the first extra-solar probes of the spatial structure of the cometary ice reservoir thought to deliver water to terrestrial planets.

95% of the Kepler Observed Stars are Younger Than 4 Billion Years

The Mass-Dependence of Angular Momentum Evolution in Sun-Like Stars

Authors:

Matt et al

Abstract:

To better understand the observed distributions of rotation rate and magnetic activity of sun-like and low-mass stars, we derive a physically motivated scaling for the dependence of the stellar-wind torque on Rossby number. The torque also contains an empirically-derived scaling with stellar mass (and radius), which provides new insight into the mass-dependence of stellar magnetic and wind properties. We demonstrate that this new formulation explains why the lowest mass stars are observed to maintain rapid rotation for much longer than solar-mass stars, and simultaneously, why older populations exhibit a sequence of slowly rotating stars, in which the low-mass stars rotate more slowly than solar-mass stars. The model also reproduces some previously unexplained features in the period-mass diagram for the Kepler field, notably: the particular shape of the "upper envelope" of the distribution, suggesting that ~95% of Kepler field stars with measured rotation periods are younger than ~4 Gyr; and the shape of the "lower envelope," corresponding to the location where stars transition between magnetically saturated and unsaturated regimes.

Li Abundances in F Class Exoplanetary Host Stars

Li abundances in F stars: planets, rotation and galactic evolution

Authors:

Delgado Mena et al

Abstract:

We find that hot jupiter host stars within the Teff range 5900-6300K show lower Li abundances, by 0.14 dex, than stars without detected planets. This offset has a significance at the level 7σ, pointing to a stronger effect of planet formation on Li abundances when the planets are more massive and migrate close to the star. However, we also find that the average v \textit{sin}i of (a fraction of) stars with hot jupiters is higher on average than for single stars in the same Teff region, suggesting that rotationally-induced mixing (and not the presence of planets) might be the cause for a greater depletion of Li. We confirm that the mass-metallicity dependence of the Li dip is extended towards [Fe/H] ∼ 0.4 dex (beginning at [Fe/H] ∼ -0.4 dex for our stars) and that probably reflects the mass-metallicity correlation of stars of the same Teff on the Main Sequence. We find that for the youngest stars (less than 1.5 Gyr) around the Li dip, the depletion of Li increases with v \textit{sin}i values, as proposed by rotationally-induced depletion models. This suggests that the Li dip consists of fast rotators at young ages whereas the most Li-depleted old stars show lower rotation rates (probably caused by the spin-down during their long lifes). We have also explored the Li evolution with [Fe/H] taking advantage of the metal-rich stars included in our sample. We find that Li abundance reaches its maximum around solar metallicity but decreases in the most metal-rich stars, as predicted by some models of Li Galactic production.

M Dwarf Systems Re-Examined

An empirical calibration to estimate cool dwarf fundamental parameters from H-band spectra

Authors:

Newton et al

Abstract:

Interferometric radius measurements provide a direct probe of the fundamental parameters of M dwarfs, but is within reach for only a limited sample of nearby, bright stars. We use interferometrically-measured radii, bolometric luminosities, and effective temperatures to develop new empirical calibrations based on low-resolution, near-infrared spectra. We use H-band Mg and Al features to determine effective temperature, radius and log luminosity; the standard deviations in the residuals of our best fits are, respectively, 73K, 0.027Rsun, and 0.049 dex (11% error on luminosity). These relationships are valid for mid-K to mid-M dwarfs, roughly corresponding to temperatures between 3100 and 4800K. We apply our calibrations to M dwarfs targeted by the MEarth transiting planet survey and to the cool Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs). We independently validate our calibrations by demonstrating a clear relationship between our inferred parameters and the absolute K magnitudes of the MEarth stars. We identify objects with magnitudes too bright for their inferred luminosities as candidate multiple systems. We also use our inferred luminosities to address the applicability of near-infrared metallicity calibrations to mid and late M dwarfs. The temperatures we infer for the KOIs agree remarkably well with those from the literature; however, our stellar radii are systematically larger than those presented in previous works that derive radii from model isochrones. This results in a mean planet radius that is 14% larger than one would infer using the stellar properties from recent catalogs. Our results confirm those of previous in-depth studies of Kepler-42, Kepler-45, and Kepler-168.

3D Atmospheric Simulation of Warm and Hot Jupiters

Three-dimensional Atmospheric Circulation of Warm and Hot Jupiters: Effects of Orbital Distance, Rotation Period, and Non-Synchronous Rotation

Authors:

Showman et al

Abstract:

Efforts to characterize extrasolar giant planet (EGP) atmospheres have so far emphasized planets within 0.05 AU of their stars. Despite this focus, known EGPs populate a continuum of orbital separations from canonical hot Jupiter values (0.03-0.05 AU) out to 1 AU and beyond. Unlike typical hot Jupiters, these more distant EGPs will not in general be synchronously rotating. In anticipation of observations of this population, we here present three-dimensional atmospheric circulation models exploring the dynamics that emerge over a broad range of rotation rates and incident stellar fluxes appropriate for warm and hot Jupiters. We find that the circulation resides in one of two basic regimes. On typical hot Jupiters, the strong day-night heating contrast leads to a broad, fast superrotating (eastward) equatorial jet and large day-night temperature differences. At faster rotation rates and lower incident fluxes, however, the day-night heating gradient becomes less important, and baroclinic instabilities emerge as a dominant player, leading to eastward jets in the midlatitudes, minimal temperature variations in longitude, and, in many cases, weak winds at the equator. Our most rapidly rotating and least irradiated models exhibit multiple eastward jets in each hemisphere--similar to the jets on Jupiter and Saturn--and illuminate the dynamical continuum between highly irradiated EGPs and the weakly irradiated giant planets of our own Solar System. We present infrared (IR) light curves and spectra of these models, which show that the amplitude and offset of the IR phase variation, as well as the shape of the spectra, depend significantly on incident flux and rotation rate. This provides a way to identify the regime transition in future observations and suggests that, in some cases, IR light curves can provide constraints on the rotation rate of non-synchronously rotating planets.

Old, Cloudy, Metal Rich Brown Dwarf WISEP J004701.06+680352.1 is 27.3 Light Years Away

WISEP J004701.06+680352.1: An intermediate surface gravity, dusty brown dwarf in the AB Dor Moving Group

Authors:

Gizis et al

Abstract:

We present spectroscopy, astrometry, and photometry of the brown dwarf WISEP J004701.06+680352.1 (W0047+68), an unusually red field L dwarf at a distance of 12.2±0.4 parsecs. The three-dimensional space motion identifies it as a member of the AB Dor Moving Group, an identification supported by our classification of W0047+68 as intermediate surface gravity (INT-G) using the Allers \& Liu (2013) near-infrared classification system. This moving group membership implies near-solar metallicity, age ∼100−125 Myr, M≈0.018 M⊙, and logg≈4.5; the thick condensate clouds needed to explain the infrared spectrum are therefore a result of the lower surface gravity than ordinary field brown dwarfs. From the observed luminosity and evolutionary model radius, we find Teff≈1300K, a temperature normally associated with early T dwarfs. Thick clouds are also used to explain the spectral properties of directly imaged giant planets, and we discuss the successes and challenges for such substellar models in matching the observed optical and infrared spectra. W0047+68 shows that cloud thickness is more sensitive to intermediate surface gravity than in most models. We also present a trigonometric parallax of the dusty L6 dwarf 2MASS J21481628+4003593. It lies at 8.060±0.036 parsecs; its astrometry is consistent with the view that it is older and metal-rich.

Modeling Cloud Formation in Brown Dwarf and Exoplanetary Atmospheres

Cloud formation in substellar atmospheres

Author:

Helling

Abstract:

Clouds seem like an every-day experience. But -- do we know how clouds form on brown dwarfs and extra-solar planets? How do they look like? Can we see them? What are they composed of? Cloud formation is an old-fashioned but still outstanding problem for the Earth atmosphere, and it has turned into a challenge for the modelling of brown dwarf and exo-planetary atmospheres. Cloud formation imposes strong feedbacks on the atmospheric structure, not only due to the clouds own opacity, but also due to the depletion of the gas phase, possibly leaving behind a dynamic and still supersaturated atmosphere. I summarise the different approaches taken to model cloud formation in substellar atmospheres and workout their differences. Focusing on the phase-non-equilibrium approach to cloud formation, I demonstrate the inside we gain from detailed micro-physical modelling on for instance the material composition and grain size distribution inside the cloud layer on a Brown Dwarf atmosphere. A comparison study on four different cloud approaches in Brown Dwarf atmosphere simulations demonstrates possible uncertainties in interpretation of observational data.

Getting Art of Exoplanets Scientifically Accurate

The Consequences of the Photoeccentric Effect on Proto Hot Jupiters

THE PHOTOECCENTRIC EFFECT AND PROTO-HOT JUPITERS. III. A PAUCITY OF PROTO-HOT JUPITERS ON SUPER-ECCENTRIC ORBITS

Authors:

Dawson et al

Abstract:

Gas giant planets orbiting within 0.1 AU of their host stars are unlikely to have formed in situ and are evidence for planetary migration. It is debated whether the typical hot Jupiter smoothly migrated inward from its formation location through the proto-planetary disk, or was perturbed by another body onto a highly eccentric orbit, which tidal dissipation subsequently shrank and circularized during close stellar passages. Socrates and collaborators predicted that the latter model should produce a population of super-eccentric proto-hot Jupiters readily observable by Kepler. We find a paucity of such planets in the Kepler sample, which is inconsistent with the theoretical prediction with 96.9% confidence. Observational effects are unlikely to explain this discrepancy. We find that the fraction of hot Jupiters with an orbital period P greater than 3 days produced by the star-planet Kozai mechanism does not exceed (at two-sigma) 44%. Our results may indicate that disk migration is the dominant channel for producing hot Jupiters with P greater than 3 days. Alternatively, the typical hot Jupiter may have been perturbed to a high eccentricity by interactions with a planetary rather than stellar companion, and began tidal circularization much interior to 1 AU after multiple scatterings. A final alternative is that early in the tidal circularization process at high eccentricities tidal circularization occurs much more rapidly than later in the process at low eccentricities, although this is contrary to current tidal theories.

What is the Photoeccentric Effect?

How Low Can You Go? The Photoeccentric Effect for Planets of Various Sizes

Authors:

Price et al

Abstract:

It is well-known that the light curve of a transiting planet contains information about the planet's orbital period and size relative to the host star. More recently, it has been demonstrated that a tight constraint on an individual planet's eccentricity can sometimes be derived from the light curve via the "photoeccentric effect," the effect of a planet's eccentricity on the shape and duration of its light curve. This has only been studied for large planets and high signal-to-noise scenarios, raising the question of how well it can be measured for smaller planets or low signal-to-noise cases. We explore the limits of the photoeccentric effect over a wide range of planet parameters. The method hinges upon measuring g directly from the light curve, where g is the ratio of the planet's speed (projected on the plane of the sky) during transit to the speed expected for a circular orbit. We find that when the signal-to-noise in the measurement of g is less than 10, the ability to measure eccentricity with the photoeccentric effect decreases. We develop a "rule of thumb" that for per-point relative photometric uncertainties σ={10−3,10−4,10−5}, the critical values of planet-star radius ratio are Rp/R⋆≈{0.1,0.05,0.03} for Kepler-like 30-minute integration times. We demonstrate how to predict the best-case uncertainty in eccentricity that can be found with the photoeccentric effect for any light curve. This clears the path to study eccentricities of individual planets of various sizes in the Kepler sample and future transit surveys.

Implications of Mercury's Projected Fate for Exoplanetary Systems

Chaotic Disintegration of the Inner Solar System

Authors:

Batygin et al

Abstract:

On timescales that greatly exceed an orbital period, typical planetary orbits evolve in a stochastic yet stable fashion. On even longer timescales, however, planetary orbits can spontaneously transition from bounded to unbound chaotic states. Large-scale instabilities associated with such behavior appear to play a dominant role in shaping the architectures of planetary systems, including our own. Here we show how such transitions are possible, focusing on the specific case of the long-term evolution of Mercury. We develop a simple analytical model for Mercury's dynamics and elucidate the origins of its short term stochastic behavior as well as of its sudden progression to unbounded chaos. Our model allows us to estimate the timescale on which this transition is likely to be triggered, i.e. the dynamical lifetime of the Solar System as we know it. The formulated theory is consistent with the results of numerical simulations and is broadly applicable to extrasolar planetary systems dominated by secular interactions. These results constitute a significant advancement in our understanding of the processes responsible for sculpting of the dynamical structures of generic planetary systems.

Hot Jupiter WASP-6b's Atmosphere is Hazy

HST hot-Jupiter transmission spectral survey: Haze in the atmosphere of WASP-6b

Authors:

Nikolov et al

Abstract:

We report Hubble Space Telescope (HST) optical to near-infrared transmission spectroscopy of the hot Jupiter WASP-6b, measured with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and Spitzer's InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC). The resulting spectrum covers the range 0.29−4.5μm. We find evidence for modest stellar activity of WASP-6b and take it into account in the transmission spectrum. The overall main characteristic of the spectrum is an increasing radius as a function of decreasing wavelength corresponding to a change of Δ(Rp/R∗)=0.0071 from 0.33 to 4.5μm. The spectrum suggests an effective extinction cross-section with a power law of index consistent with Rayleigh scattering, with temperatures of 973±144 K at the planetary terminator. We compare the transmission spectrum with hot-Jupiter atmospheric models including condensate-free and aerosol-dominated models incorporating Mie theory. While none of the clear-atmosphere models is found to be in good agreement with the data, we find that the complete spectrum can be described by models that include significant opacity from aerosols including Fe-poor Mg2SiO4, MgSiO3, KCl and Na2S dust condensates. WASP-6b is the second planet after HD189733b which has equilibrium temperatures near ∼1200 K and shows prominent atmospheric scattering in the optical.

The Intersection of Hot Jupiter and Host Star Demographics

On the Occurrence Rate of Hot Jupiters in Different Stellar Environments

Authors:

Wang et al

Abstract:

Many Hot Jupiters (HJs) are detected by the Doppler and the transit techniques. From surveys using these two techniques, however, the measured HJ occurrence rates differ by a factor of two or more. Using the California Planet Survey sample and the Kepler sample, we investigate the causes for the difference of HJ occurrence rate. First, we find that 12.8%±0.24% of HJs are misidentified in the Kepler mission because of photometric dilution and subgiant contamination. Second, we explore the differences between the Doppler sample and the Kepler sample that can account for the different HJ occurrence rate. Third, we discuss how to measure the fundamental HJ occurrence rates by synthesizing the results from the Doppler and Kepler surveys. The fundamental HJ occurrence rates are a measure of HJ occurrence rate as a function of stellar multiplicity and evolutionary stage, e.g., the HJ occurrence rate for single and multiple stars or for main sequence and subgiant stars. While we find qualitative evidence that HJs occur less frequently in subgiants and multiple stellar systems, we conclude that our current knowledge of stellar properties and stellar multiplicity rate is too limited for us to reach any quantitative result for the fundamental HJ occurrence rates. This concern extends to ηEarth, the occurrence rate of Earth-like planets.

Hot Jupiters XO-5b and WASP-82b Reconsidered

The properties of XO-5b and WASP-82b redetermined using new high-precision transit photometry and global data analyses

Author:

Smith

Abstract:

This paper presents new transit photometry of two transiting exoplanetary systems, XO-5 and WASP-82. In each case the new transit light curve is more precise than any other of that system previously published. The new data are analysed alongside previously-published photometry and radial velocities, resulting in an improved orbital ephemeris and a refined set of system parameters in each case.

Modeling a Close-in Exoplanet as a Maclaurin Spherioid

Tidal interactions of a Maclaurin spheroid. II: Resonant excitation of modes by a close, misaligned orbit

Authors:

Braviner et al

Abstract:

We model a tidally forced star or giant planet as a Maclaurin spheroid, decomposing the motion into the normal modes found by Bryan (1889). We first describe the general prescription for this decomposition and the computation of the tidal power. Although this formalism is very general, forcing due to a companion on a misaligned, circular orbit is used to illustrate the theory. The tidal power is plotted for a variety of orbital radii, misalignment angles, and spheroid rotation rates. Our calculations are carried out including all modes of degree l≤4, and the same degree of gravitational forcing. Remarkably, we find that for close orbits (a/R∗≈3) and rotational deformations that are typical of giant planets (e≈0.4) the l=4 component of the gravitational potential may significantly enhance the dissipation through resonance with surface gravity modes. There are also a large number of resonances with inertial modes, with the tidal power being locally enhanced by up to three orders of magnitude. For very close orbits (a/R∗≈3), the contribution to the power from the l=4 modes is roughly the same magnitude as that due to the l=3 modes.

Warm Neptune Simulated Atmospheric Chemistries

Influence of different parameters on the chemical composition of warm neptunes

Authors:

Olivia et al

Abstract:

We developed a 1D photo-thermochemical model to study the atmosphere of warm exoplanets. The chemical scheme used in this model is completely new in planetology and has been constructed in collaboration with specialists of combustion. It has been validated as a whole through experiments on a large range of temperature (300 - 2500 K) and pressure (1 mbar - 100 bar), allowing to study a wide variety of exoplanets. We have used this chemical model to study the atmosphere of two warm Neptunes, GJ3470b and GJ436b, and the influence of different parameters (vertical mixing, metallicity, temperature, . . . ) on their chemical composition. We present here the results obtained in these studies.

GJ 3293 and GJ 3341 Exoplanetary Systems: Two Neptunes and a SuperEarth

The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets XXXV. Planetary systems and stellar activity of the M dwarfs GJ 3293, GJ 3341, and GJ 3543

Authors:

Astudillo-Defru et al

Abstract:

Context.

Planetary companions of a fixed mass induce larger amplitude reflex motions around lower-mass stars, which helps make M dwarfs excellent targets for extra-solar planet searches. State of the art velocimeters with ∼1m/s stability can detect very low-mass planets out to the habitable zone of these stars. Low-mass, small, planets are abundant around M dwarfs, and most known potentially habitable planets orbit one of these cool stars.

Aims.

Our M-dwarf radial velocity monitoring with HARPS on the ESO 3.6m telescope at La Silla observatory makes a major contribution to this sample.

Methods.

We present here dense radial velocity (RV) time series for three M dwarfs observed over ∼5 years: GJ 3293 (0.42M⊙), GJ 3341 (0.47M⊙), and GJ 3543 (0.45M⊙). We extract those RVs through minimum χ2 matching of each spectrum against a high S/N ratio stack of all observed spectra for the same star. We then vet potential orbital signals against several stellar activity indicators, to disentangle the Keplerian variations induced by planets from the spurious signals which result from rotational modulation of stellar surface inhomogeneities and from activity cycles.

Results.

Two Neptune-mass planets - msin(i)=1.4±0.1 and 1.3±0.1Mnept - orbit GJ 3293 with periods P=30.60±0.02 d and P=123.98±0.38 d, possibly together with a super-Earth - msin(i)∼7.9±1.4M⊕ - with period P=48.14±0.12d. A super-Earth - msin(i)∼6.1M⊕ - orbits GJ 3341 with P=14.207±0.007d. The RV variations of GJ 3543, on the other hand, reflect its stellar activity rather than planetary signals.

Stellar Wind-Cosmic Ray Interaction & its Effect on Protoplanetary Disk Processes

Wind-driven Exclusion of Cosmic Rays in the Protoplanetary Disk Environment

Authors:

Cleeves et al

Abstract:

The recent (apparent) passage of the Voyager 1 spacecraft into interstellar space provides us with front-row seats to the complex interplay between the solar wind and the protective surrounding bubble known as heliosphere. The heliosphere extends radially out to ∼100 AU from the sun, and within this sphere of influence, the solar wind modulates the incoming flux of galactic cosmic rays (CRs), especially those at low energies. Newly formed stars, which support both strong magnetic fields and winds, are expected to produce analogous regions of CR exclusion, perhaps at elevated levels. Such young stars are encircled by molecular gas-rich disks, and the net removal of CRs from the circumstellar environment significantly reduces the expected CR ionization rate in the disk gas, most likely by many orders-of-magnitude. The loss of ionization reduces disk turbulence, and thereby affects both planet-formation and active chemical processes in the disk. We present models of CR exclusion and explore the implications for turbulence and for predicted chemical abundances. We also discuss means by which ALMA can be used to search for extrasolar heliosphere-analogs around young stars.

Roadmap to Determining Galactic Exoplanet Distribution

Pathway to the Galactic Distribution of Planets: Combined Spitzer and Ground-Based Microlens Parallax Measurements of 21 Single-Lens Events

Authors:

Calchi Novati et al

Abstract:

We present microlens parallax measurements for 21 (apparently) isolated lenses observed toward the Galactic bulge that were imaged simultaneously from Earth and Spitzer, which was ~1 AU West of Earth in projection. We combine these measurements with a kinematic model of the Galaxy to derive distance estimates for each lens, with error bars that are small compared to the Sun's Galactocentric distance. The ensemble therefore yields a well-defined cumulative distribution of lens distances. In principle it is possible to compare this distribution against a set of planets detected in the same experiment in order to measure the Galactic distribution of planets. Since these Spitzer observations yielded only one planet, this is not yet possible in practice. However, it will become possible as larger samples are accumulated.

Ground Based Telescope Successfully Detects SuperEarth 55 Cnc e

Ground-Based Transit Observations of the Super-Earth 55 Cnc e

Authors:

de Mooij et al

Abstract:

We report the first ground-based detections of the shallow transit of the super-Earth exoplanet 55 Cnc e using a 2-meter-class telescope. Using differential spectrophotometry, we observed one transit in 2013 and another in 2014, with average spectral resolutions of ~700 and ~250, spanning the Johnson BVR photometric bands. We find a white-light planet-to-star radius ratio of 0.0190 -0.0027+0.0023 from the 2013 observations and 0.0200 -0.0018+0.0017 from the 2014 observations. The two datasets combined results in a radius ratio of 0.0198 -0.0014+0.0013. These values are all in agreement with previous space-based results. Scintillation noise in the data prevents us from placing strong constraints on the presence of an extended hydrogen-rich atmosphere. Nevertheless, our detections of 55 Cnc e in transit demonstrate that moderate-size telescopes on the ground will be capable of routine follow-up observations of super-Earth candidates discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) around bright stars. We expect it will be also possible to place constraints on the atmospheric characteristics of those planets by devising observational strategies to minimize scintillation noise.

Debris Distribution in HD 95086

Debris Distribution in HD 95086 - A Young Analog of HR 8799

Authors:

Su et al

Abstract:

HD 95086 is a young early-type star that hosts (1) a 5 MJ planet at the projected distance of 56 AU revealed by direct imaging, and (2) a prominent debris disk. Here we report the detection of 69 um crystalline olivine feature from the disk using the Spitzer/MIPS-SED data covering 55-95 um. Due to the low resolution of MIPS-SED mode, this feature is not spectrally resolved, but is consistent with the emission from crystalline forsterite contributing 5% of the total dust mass. We also present detailed analysis of the disk SED and re-analysis of resolved images obtained by Herschel. Our results suggest that the debris structure around HD 95086 consists of a warm (175 K) belt, a cold (55 K) disk, and an extended disk halo (up to 800 AU), and is very similar to that of HR 8799. We compare the properties of the three debris components, and suggest that HD 95086 is a young analog of HR 8799. We further investigate and constrain single-planet, two-planet, three-planet and four-planet architectures that can account for the observed debris structure and are compatible with dynamical stability constraints. We find that equal-mass four-planet configurations of geometrically spaced orbits, with each planet of mass 5 MJ, could maintain the gap between the warm and cold debris belts, and also be just marginally stable for timescales comparable to the age of the system.

Signatures of Young ExoPlanets in Protoplanetary Disks

Observational Signatures of Planets in Protoplanetary Disks I: Gaps Opened by Single and Multiple Young Planets in Disks

Authors:

Dong et al

Abstract:

It has been suggested that the gaps and cavities recently discovered in transitional disks are opened by planets. To explore this scenario, we combine two-dimensional two fluid (gas + particle) hydrodynamical calculations with fully three-dimensional Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer simulations and study the observational signatures of gaps opened by one or several planets, making qualitative comparisons with observations. We find that a single planet as small as 0.2 MJ can produce a deep gap at millimeter (mm) wavelengths and almost no features at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths, while multiple planets can open up a few ?10 AU wide common gap at both wavelengths. Both the contrast ratio of the the gaps and the wavelength dependence of the gap sizes are broadly consistent with data. When viewed at a moderate inclination angle, a physically circular on-centered gap could appear to be off-centered from the star due to shadowing. This effect can be used to check the existence of an unseen inner disk. Planet-induced spiral arms are more apparent at NIR than at mm wavelengths. Overall, our results suggest that the planet-opening-gap scenario is a promising way to explain the origin of the transitional disks. Finally, inspired by the recent ALMA release of the image of the HL Tau disk, we show that multiple narrow gaps, well separated by bright rings, can be opened by 0.2MJ planets soon after their formation in a relatively massive disk.

Alignment of Protostars and Circumstellar Disks During the Embedded Phase

Alignment of Protostars and Circumstellar Disks During the Embedded Phase

Authors:

Spalding et al

Abstract:

Star formation proceeds via the collapse of a molecular cloud core over multiple dynamical timescales. Turbulence within cores results in a spatially non-uniform angular momentum of the cloud, causing a stochastic variation in orientation of the disk forming from the collapsing material. In the absence of star-disk angular momentum coupling, such disk-tilting would provide a natural mechanism for production of primordial spin-orbit misalignments in the resulting planetary systems. However, owing to high accretion rates in the embedded phase of star formation, the inner edge of the circumstellar disk extends down to the stellar surface, resulting in efficient gravitational and accretional angular momentum transfer between the star and the disk. Here, we demonstrate that the resulting gravitational coupling is sufficient to suppress any significant star-disk misalignment, with accretion playing a secondary role. The joint tilting of the star-disk system leads to a stochastic wandering of star-aligned bipolar outflows. Such wandering widens the effective opening angle of stellar outflows, allowing for more efficient clearing of the remainder of the protostar's gaseous envelope. Accordingly, the processes described in this work provide an additional mechanism responsible for sculpting the stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF).

Can Gaia Detect Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanets Around White Dwarfs?

Detectability of substellar companions around white dwarfs with Gaia

Authors:

Silvotti et al

Abstract:

To date not a single-bona fide planet has been identified orbiting a single white dwarf. In fact we are ignorant about the final configuration of greater than 95% of planetary systems. Theoretical models predict a gap in the final distribution of orbital periods, due to the opposite effects of stellar mass loss (planets pushed outwards) and tidal interactions (planets pushed inwards) during the RGB and the AGB stellar expansions. Over its five year primary mission, Gaia is expected to astrometrically detect the first (few tens of) WD massive planets/BDs giving first evidence that WD planets exist, at least those in wide orbits. In this article we present preliminary results of our simulations of what Gaia should be able to find in this field.

Ton 345 Accreted an Anhydrous Carbonaceous Minor Planet

Evidence for an Anhydrous Carbonaceous Extrasolar Minor Planet

Authors:

Jura et al

Abstract:

Using Keck/HIRES, we report abundances of 11 different elements heavier than helium in the spectrum of Ton 345, a white dwarf that has accreted one of its own minor planets. This particular extrasolar planetesimal which was at least 60% as massive as Vesta appears to have been carbon-rich and water-poor; we suggest it was compositionally similar to those Kuiper Belt Objects with relatively little ice.

Close-in Exoplanets Around White Dwarfs Detected

Detectable close-in planets around white dwarfs through late unpacking

Authors:

Veras et al

Abstract:

Although 25%-50% of white dwarfs (WDs) display evidence for remnant planetary systems, their orbital architectures and overall sizes remain unknown. Vibrant close-in (~1 Solar radius) circumstellar activity is detected at WDs spanning many Gyrs in age, suggestive of planets further away. Here we demonstrate how systems with 4 and 10 closely-packed planets that remain stable and ordered on the main sequence can become unpacked when the star evolves into a WD and experience pervasive inward planetary incursions throughout WD cooling. Our full-lifetime simulations run for the age of the Universe and adopt main sequence stellar masses of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 Solar masses, which correspond to the mass range occupied by the progenitors of typical present-day WDs. These results provide (i) a natural way to generate an ever-changing dynamical architecture in post-main-sequence planetary systems, (ii) an avenue for planets to achieve temporary close-in orbits that are potentially detectable by transit photometry, and (iii) a dynamical explanation for how residual asteroids might pollute particularly old WDs.

HIP 116454b: Hot SuperEarth Discovered by Kepler's K2 Mission

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the report of the Kepler spacecraft's death was greatly exaggerated. Despite a malfunction that ended its primary mission in May 2013, Kepler is still alive and working. The evidence comes from the discovery of a new super-Earth using data collected during Kepler's "second life."

"Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Kepler has been reborn and is continuing to make discoveries. Even better, the planet it found is ripe for follow-up studies," says lead author Andrew Vanderburg of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).

NASA's Kepler spacecraft detects planets by looking for transits, when a star dims slightly as a planet crosses in front of it. The smaller the planet, the weaker the dimming, so brightness measurements must be exquisitely precise. To enable that precision, the spacecraft must maintain a steady pointing.

Kepler's primary mission came to an end when the second of four reaction wheels used to stabilize the spacecraft failed. Without at least three functioning reaction wheels, Kepler couldn't be pointed accurately.

Rather than giving up on the plucky spacecraft, a team of scientists and engineers developed an ingenious strategy to use pressure from sunlight as a virtual reaction wheel to help control the spacecraft. The resulting second mission, K2, promises to not only continue Kepler's search for other worlds, but also introduce new opportunities to observe star clusters, active galaxies, and supernovae.

Due to Kepler's reduced pointing capabilities, extracting useful data requires sophisticated computer analysis. Vanderburg and his colleagues developed specialized software to correct for spacecraft movements, achieving about half the photometric precision of the original Kepler mission.

Kepler's new life began with a 9-day test in February 2014. When Vanderburg and his colleagues analyzed that data, they found that Kepler had detected a single planetary transit.

They confirmed the discovery with radial velocity measurements from the HARPS-North spectrograph on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo in the Canary Islands. Additional transits were weakly detected by the Microvariability and Oscillations of STars (MOST) satellite.

The newfound planet, HIP 116454b, has a diameter of 20,000 miles, two and a half times the size of Earth. HARPS-N showed that it weighs almost 12 times as much as Earth. This makes HIP 116454b a super-Earth, a class of planets that doesn't exist in our solar system. The average density suggests that this planet is either a water world (composed of about three-fourths water and one-fourth rock) or a mini-Neptune with an extended, gaseous atmosphere.

link.

Is Fomalhaut b Really a Dust Cloud From a Catastrophic Collision?

Fomalhaut b as a Dust Cloud: Frequent Collisions within the Fomalhaut Disk

Authors:

Lawler et al

Abstract:

The planet candidate Fomalhaut b is bright in optical light but undetected in longer wavelengths, requiring a large, reflective dust cloud. The most recent observations find an extremely eccentric orbit (e ~ 0.8), indicating that Fomalhaut b cannot be the planet that is constraining the system's eccentric debris ring. An irregular satellite swarm around a super-Earth has been proposed, however, explaining the well-constrained debris ring requires an additional planet on an orbit that crosses that of the putative super-Earth. This paper expands upon a second theory: Fomalhaut b is a transient dust cloud produced by a catastrophic collision between planetesimals in the disk. We perform collisional probability simulations of the Fomalhaut debris disk based on the structure of our Kuiper belt, finding that the catastrophic disruption rate of d ~ 100 km bodies in the high-eccentricity scattering component is several per decade. This model paints a picture of the Fomalhaut system as having recently (within ~10-100 Myr) experienced a dynamical instability within its planetary system, which scattered a massive number of planetesimals onto large, high eccentricity orbits similar to that of Fom b. If Fomalhaut b is indeed a dust cloud produced by such a collision, we should soon see another appear, while Fomalhaut b will expand until it is either resolved or becomes too faint to be seen.

Forming Multiple Moons From Low-Mass Circumplanetary Disks

Formation of Multiple-Satellite Systems From Low-Mass Circumplanetary Particle Disks

Authors:

Hyodo et al

Abstract:

Circumplanetary particle disks would be created in the late stage of planetary formation either by impacts of planetary bodies or disruption of satellites or passing bodies, and satellites can be formed by accretion of disk particles spreading across the Roche limit. Previous N-body simulation of lunar accretion focused on the formation of single-satellite systems from disks with large disk-to-planet mass ratios, while recent models of the formation of multiple-satellite systems from disks with smaller mass ratios do not take account of gravitational interaction between formed satellites. In the present work, we investigate satellite accretion from particle disks with various masses, using N-body simulation. In the case of accretion from somewhat less massive disks than the case of lunar accretion, formed satellites are not massive enough to clear out the disk, but can become massive enough to gravitationally shepherd the disk outer edge and start outward migration due to gravitational interaction with the disk. When the radial location of the 2:1 mean motion resonance of the satellite reaches outside the Roche limit, the second satellite can be formed near the disk outer edge, and then the two satellites continue outward migration while being locked in the resonance. Co-orbital satellites are found to be occasionally formed on the orbit of the first satellite. Our simulations also show that stochastic nature involved in gravitational interaction and collision between aggregates in the tidal environment can lead to diversity in the final mass and orbital architecture, which would be expected in satellite systems of exoplanets.

Kepler-90g's Exomoon is a False Positive

The Possible Moon of Kepler-90g is a False Positive

Authors:

Kipping et al

Abstract:

The discovery of an exomoon would provide deep insights into planet formation and the habitability of planetary systems, with transiting examples being particularly sought after. Of the hundreds of Kepler planets now discovered, the seven-planet system Kepler-90 is unusual for exhibiting an unidentified transit-like signal in close proximity to one of the transits of the long-period gas-giant Kepler-90g, as noted by Cabrera et. al. (2014). As part of the 'Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler' (HEK) project, we investigate this possible exomoon signal and find it passes all conventional photometric, dynamical and centroid diagnostic tests. However, pixel-level light curves indicate that the moon-like signal occurs on nearly all of the target's pixels, which we confirm using a novel way of examining pixel-level data which we dub the 'transit centroid'. This test reveals that the possible exomoon to Kepler-90g is likely a false positive, perhaps due to a cosmic ray induced Sudden Pixel Sensitivity Dropout (SPSD). This work highlights the extreme care required for seeking non-periodic low-amplitude transit signals, such as exomoons.

HD 131511AB has an Exo Kuiper Belt

Nature or nurture of coplanar Tatooines: the aligned circumbinary Kuiper belt analogue around HD 131511

Author:

Kennedy

Abstract:

A key discovery of the Kepler mission is of the circumbinary planets known as "Tatooines", which appear to be well aligned with their host stars' orbits. Whether this alignment is due to initially coplanar circumbinary planet-forming discs (i.e. nature), or subsequent alignment of initially misaligned discs by warping the inner disc or torquing the binary (i.e. nurture), is not known. Tests of which scenario dominates may be possible by observing circumbinary Kuiper belt analogues ("debris discs"), which trace the plane of the primordial disc. Here, the 140 au diameter circumbinary debris disc around HD 131511 is shown to be aligned to within 10∘ of the plane of the near edge-on 0.2 au binary orbit. The stellar equator is also consistent with being in this plane. If the primordial disc was massive enough to pull the binary into alignment, this outcome should be common and distinguishing nature versus nurture will be difficult. However, if only the inner disc becomes aligned with the binary, the HD 131511 system was never significantly misaligned. Given an initial misalignment, the ∼Gyr main-sequence lifetime of the star allows secular perturbations to align the debris disc out to 100 au at the cost of an increased scale height. The observed debris disc scale height limits any misalignment to less than 25∘. With only a handful known, many more such systems need to be characterised to help test whether the alignment of circumbinary planets is nature or nurture.

Where Are The Circumbinary Planets of Contact Binaries?

Where Are The Circumbinary Planets of Contact Binaries?

Authors:

Demircan et al

Abstract:

Up to present date, no circumbinary planet around contact binaries were discovered neither by transit method nor by the minima times variation, although they are known having third component stars around. We thus ask: where are the circumbinary planets of contact binaries?

By considering the physical and geometrical parameters we simulated the light curves of contact binaries with possible transiting circumbinary jovian planets.

It seems either the circumbinary jovian planets are not formed around contact binaries, probably due to dynamical effects of the binary and third component stars, or they are present but the discovery of such planets were not possible so far due to larger distortions then expected in the photometric data and in the minima times.

Examining Kepler Circumbinary Planetary Systems With Single Planets

A dynamical stability study of Kepler Circumbinary planetary systems with one planet

Authors:

Chavez et al

Abstract:

To date, 17 circumbinary planets have been discovered. In this paper, we focus our attention on the stability of the Kepler circumbinary planetary systems with only one planet, i.e. Kepler-16, Kepler-34, Kepler-35, Kepler-38, Kepler-64 and Kepler-413. In addition to their intrinsic interest, the study of such systems is an opportunity to test our understanding of planetary system formation and evolution around binaries. The investigation is done by means of numerical simulations. We perform numerical integrations of the full equations of motion of each system with the aim of checking the stability of the planetary orbit. The investigation of the stability of the above systems consists of three numerical experiments. In the first one, we perform a long-term (1 Gyr) numerical integration of the nominal solution of the six Kepler systems under investigation. In the second experiment, we look for the critical semimajor axis of the six planetary orbits, and finally, in the third experiment, we construct two-dimensional stability maps on the eccentricity–pericentre distance plane. Additionally, using numerical integrations of the nominal solutions we checked if these solutions were close to the exact resonance.

KOI-1299b: a Gas Giant Interacting With its Dying Red Giant Host Star

KOI-1299: a red giant interacting with one of its two long period giant planets

Authors:

Quinn et al

Abstract:

We report the discovery of KOI-1299b, a giant planet (Mb=5.41+0.32−0.18MJup,Rb=1.145+0.036−0.039RJup) transiting an evolved star (M⋆=1.32+0.10−0.07M⊙,R⋆=4.06+0.12−0.08R⊙) with an orbital period of Pb=52.501134+0.000070−0.000107 days. Radial velocities (RVs) reveal that KOI-1299b orbits its parent star with an eccentricity of e=0.5134+0.0098−0.0089, which we also measure independently with asterodensity profiling (e=0.507+0.039−0.114), thereby confirming the validity of asterodensity profiling on this particular evolved star. The well determined planetary properties and unusually large mass also make this planet an important benchmark for theoretical models of super-Jupiter formation. Long-term RV monitoring detected the presence of a non-transiting outer planet (KOI-1299c; Mcsinic=2.43+0.22−0.24MJup,Pc=406.2+3.9−2.5 days), and adaptive optics imaging revealed a nearby (0.87"), faint companion (KOI-1299B) that is a physically bound M dwarf. The host star exhibits high S/N asteroseismic oscillations, which enable precise measurements of the stellar mass, radius and age. Analysis of the rotational splitting of the oscillation modes additionally reveals the stellar spin axis to be nearly edge-on, which suggests that the stellar spin is likely well-aligned with the orbit of the transiting planet. Despite its long period, the obliquity of the 52.5-day orbit may have been shaped by star-planet interaction (SPI) in a manner similar to hot Jupiter systems, and we present observational and theoretical evidence to support this scenario. Finally, as a short-period outlier among giant planets orbiting giant stars, study of KOI-1299b may help explain the distribution of massive planets orbiting giant stars interior to 1 AU.

Hot Jupiters in Open Clusters

Dynamical Interactions Make Hot Jupiters in Open Star Clusters

Authors:

Shara et al

Abstract:

Explaining the origin and evolution of exoplanetary "hot Jupiters" remains a significant challenge. One possible mechanism for their production is planet-planet interactions, which produces hot Jupiters from planets born far from their host stars but near their dynamical stability limits. In the much more likely case of planets born far from their dynamical stability limits, can hot Jupiters can be formed in star clusters? Our N-body simulations of planetary systems inside star clusters answer this question in the affirmative, and show that hot Jupiter formation is not a rare event. We detail three case studies of the dynamics-induced births of hot Jupiters on highly eccentric orbits that can only occur inside star clusters. The hot Jupiters' orbits bear remarkable similarities to those of some of the most extreme exoplanets known: HAT-P-32 b, HAT-P-2 b, HD 80606 b and GJ 876 d. If stellar perturbations formed these hot Jupiters then our simulations predict that these very hot, inner planets are sometimes accompanied by much more distant gas giants in highly eccentric orbits.

Problems Hunting for Titanium oxide in the Hot Jupiter HD 209458b's Atmosphere

A search for TiO in the optical high-resolution transmission spectrum of HD 209458b: Hindrance due to inaccuracies in the line database

Authors:

Hoeijmakers et al

Abstract:

The spectral signature of an exoplanet can be separated from the spectrum of its host star using high-resolution spectroscopy. During such observations, the radial component of the planet's orbital velocity changes, resulting in a significant Doppler shift which allows its spectral features to be extracted. Aims: In this work, we aim to detect TiO in the optical transmission spectrum of HD 209458b. Gaseous TiO has been suggested as the cause of the thermal inversion layer invoked to explain the dayside spectrum of this planet. Method: We used archival data from the 8.2m Subaru Telescope taken with the High Dispersion Spectrograph of a transit of HD209458b in 2002. We created model transmission spectra which include absorption by TiO, and cross-correlated them with the residual spectral data after removal of the dominating stellar absorption features. We subsequently co-added the correlation signal in time, taking into account the change in Doppler shift due to the orbit of the planet. Results: We detect no significant cross-correlation signal due to TiO, though artificial injection of our template spectra into the data indicates a sensitivity down to a volume mixing ratio of ~10E-10. However, cross-correlating the template spectra with a HARPS spectrum of Barnard's star yields only a weak wavelength-dependent correlation, even though Barnard's star is an M4V dwarf which exhibits clear TiO absorption. We infer that the TiO line list poorly match the real positions of TiO lines at spectral resolutions of ~100,000. Similar line lists are also used in the PHOENIX and Kurucz stellar atmosphere suites and we show that their synthetic M-dwarf spectra also correlate poorly with the HARPS spectra of Barnard's star and five other M-dwarfs. We conclude that the lack of an accurate TiO line list is currently critically hampering this high-resolution retrieval technique.

HD 189733b & HD 209458b's Exoplanetary Systems

Stellar Diameters and Temperatures VI. High angular resolution measurements of the transiting exoplanet host stars HD 189733 and HD 209458 and implications for models of cool dwarfs

Authors:

Boyajian et al

Abstract:

We present direct radii measurements of the well-known transiting exoplanet host stars HD 189733 and HD 209458 using the CHARA Array interferometer. We find the limb-darkened angular diameters to be theta_LD = 0.3848 +/- 0.0055 and 0.2254 +/- 0.0072 milliarcsec for HD 189733 and HD 209458, respectively. HD 189733 and HD 209458 are currently the only two transiting exoplanet systems where detection of the respective planetary companion's orbital motion from high resolution spectroscopy has revealed absolute masses for both star and planet. We use our new measurements together with the orbital information from radial velocity and photometric time series data, Hipparcos distances, and newly measured bolometric fluxes to determine the stellar effective temperatures (T_eff = 4875 +/- 43, 6093 +/- 103 K), stellar linear radii (R_* = 0.805 +/- 0.016, 1.203 +/- 0.061 R_sun), mean stellar densities (rho_* = 1.62 +/- 0.11, 0.58 +/- 0.14 rho_sun), planetary radii (R_p = 1.216 +/- 0.024, 1.451 +/- 0.074 R_Jup), and mean planetary densities (rho_p = 0.605 +/- 0.029, 0.196 +/- 0.033 rho_Jup) for HD 189733 b and HD 209458 b, respectively. The stellar parameters for HD 209458, a F9 dwarf, are consistent with indirect estimates derived from spectroscopic and evolutionary modeling. However, we find that models are unable to reproduce the observational results for the K2 dwarf, HD 189733. We show that, for stellar evolutionary models to match the observed stellar properties of HD 189733, adjustments lowering the solar-calibrated mixing length parameter from 1.83 to 1.34 need to be employed.

Observational Studies of Transiting Exoplanets

Observational studies of transiting extrasolar planets (invited review)

Author:

Southworth

Abstract:

The study of transiting extrasolar planets is only 15 years old, but has matured into a rich area of research. I review the observational aspects of this work, concentrating on the discovery of transits, the characterisation of planets from photometry and spectroscopy, the Homogeneous Studies project, starspots, orbital obliquities, and the atmospheric properties of the known planets. I begin with historical context and conclude with a glance to a future of TESS, CHEOPS, Gaia and PLATO.

N2k Consortium Reports New Exoplanets Found Around HD 5319, HD 11506, HD 75784 and HD 10442

Newly-Discovered Planets Orbiting HD~5319, HD~11506, HD~75784 and HD~10442 from the N2K Consortium

Authors:

Giguere et al

Abstract:

Initially designed to discover short-period planets, the N2K campaign has since evolved to discover new worlds at large separations from their host stars. Detecting such worlds will help determine the giant planet occurrence at semi-major axes beyond the ice line, where gas giants are thought to mostly form. Here we report four newly-discovered gas giant planets (with minimum masses ranging from 0.4 to 2.1 MJup) orbiting stars monitored as part of the N2K program. Two of these planets orbit stars already known to host planets: HD 5319 and HD 11506. The remaining discoveries reside in previously-unknown planetary systems: HD 10442 and HD 75784. The refined orbital period of the inner planet orbiting HD 5319 is 641 days. The newly-discovered outer planet orbits in 886 days. The large masses combined with the proximity to a 4:3 mean motion resonance make this system a challenge to explain with current formation and migration theories. HD 11506 has one confirmed planet, and here we confirm a second. The outer planet has an orbital period of 1627.5 days, and the newly-discovered inner planet orbits in 223.6 days. A planet has also been discovered orbiting HD 75784 with an orbital period of 341.7 days. There is evidence for a longer period signal; however, several more years of observations are needed to put tight constraints on the Keplerian parameters for the outer planet. Lastly, an additional planet has been detected orbiting HD 10442 with a period of 1043 days.

Multiple Star Systems Observed with CoRoT and Kepler

Multiple star systems observed with CoRoT and Kepler (invited review)

Author:

Southworth

Abstract:

The CoRoT and Kepler satellites were the first space platforms designed to perform high-precision photometry for a large number of stars. Multiple systems display a wide variety of photometric variability, making them natural benefactors of these missions. I review the work arising from CoRoT and Kepler observations of multiple systems, with particular emphasis on eclipsing binaries containing giant stars, pulsators, triple eclipses and/or low-mass stars. Many more results remain untapped in the data archives of these missions, and the future holds the promise of K2, TESS and PLATO.

Exploring MINERVA: Miniature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array

Miniature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) I. Design, Commissioning, and First Science Results

Authors:

Swift et al

Abstract:

The MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) is a US-based observational facility dedicated to the discovery and characterization of exoplanets around a nearby sample of bright stars. MINERVA employs a robotic array of four 0.7 m telescopes outfitted for both high-resolution spectroscopy and photometry, and is designed for completely autonomous operation. The primary science program is a dedicated radial velocity survey and the secondary science objective is to obtain high precision transit light curves. The modular design of the facility and the flexibility of our hardware allows for both science programs to be pursued simultaneously, while the robotic control software provides a robust and efficient means to carry out nightly observations. In this article, we describe the design of MINERVA including major hardware components, software, and science goals. The telescopes and photometry cameras are characterized at our test facility on the Caltech campus in Pasadena, CA, and their on-sky performance is validated. New observations from our test facility demonstrate sub-mmag photometric precision of one of our radial velocity survey targets, and we present new transit observations and fits of WASP-52b -- a known hot-Jupiter with an inflated radius and misaligned orbit. The facility is now in the process of being relocated to its final destination at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona, and science operations will begin in 2015.

The Potential for Observing Transiting Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope

Observations of Transiting Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP), December 2014

Authors:

Beichman et al

Abstract:

This article summarizes a workshop held on March, 2014, on the potential of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to revolutionize our knowledge of the physical properties of exoplanets through transit observations. JWST's unique combination of high sensitivity and broad wavelength coverage will enable the accurate measurement of transits with high signal-to-noise. Most importantly, JWST spectroscopy will investigate planetary atmospheres to determine atomic and molecular compositions, to probe vertical and horizontal structure, and to follow dynamical evolution, i.e. exoplanet weather. JWST will sample a diverse population of planets of varying masses and densities in a wide variety of environments characterized by a range of host star masses and metallicities, orbital semi-major axes and eccentricities. A broad program of exoplanet science could use a substantial fraction of the overall JWST mission.

Vortex Cycles at the Inner Edges of Dead Zones in Protoplanetary Disks

Vortex cycles at the inner edges of dead zones in protoplanetary disks

Authors:

Faure et al

Abstract:

In protoplanetary disks, the inner boundary between the turbulent and laminar regions is a promising site for planet formation because solids may become trapped at the interface itself or in vortices generated by the Rossby wave instability. The disk thermodynamics and the turbulent dynamics at that location are entwined because of the importance of turbulent dissipation on thermal ionization and, conversely, of thermal ionisation on the turbulence. However, most previous work has neglected this dynamical coupling and have thus missed a key element of the physics in this region. In this paper, we aim to determine how the the interplay between ionization and turbulence impacts on the formation and evolution of vortices at the interface between the active and the dead zones. Using the Godunov code RAMSES, we have performed a 3D magnetohydrodynamic global numerical simulation of a cylindrical model of an MRI--turbulent protoplanetary disk, including thermodynamical effects as well as a temperature-dependant resistivity. The comparison with an analogous 2D viscous simulation has been extensively used to help identify the relevant physical processes and the disk's long-term evolution. We find that a vortex formed at the interface, due to Rossby wave instability, migrates inward and penetrates the active zone where it is destroyed by turbulent motions. Subsequently, a new vortex emerges a few tens of orbits later at the interface, and the new vortex migrates inward too. The sequence repeats itself, resulting in cycles of vortex formation, migration, and disruption. This behavior is successfully reproduced using two different codes. In this paper, we characterize this vortex life cycle and discuss its implications for planet formation at the dead/active interface. Our simulations highlight the importance of thermodynamical processes for the vortex evolution at the dead zone inner edge.

The Structure of Protoplanetary Disks Around Evolving Young Stars

The structure of protoplanetary discs around evolving young stars

Authors:

Bitsch et al

Abstract:

The formation of planets with gaseous envelopes takes place in protoplanetary accretion discs on time-scales of several millions of years. Small dust particles stick to each other to form pebbles, pebbles concentrate in the turbulent flow to form planetesimals and planetary embryos and grow to planets, which undergo substantial radial migration. All these processes are influenced by the underlying structure of the protoplanetary disc, specifically the profiles of temperature, gas scale height and density. The commonly used disc structure of the Minimum Mass Solar Nebular (MMSN) is a simple power law in all these quantities. However, protoplanetary disc models with both viscous and stellar heating show several bumps and dips in temperature, scale height and density caused by transitions in opacity, which are missing in the MMSN model. These play an important role in the formation of planets, as they can act as sweet spots for the formation of planetesimals via the streaming instability and affect the direction and magnitude of type-I-migration. We present 2D simulations of accretion discs that feature radiative cooling, viscous and stellar heating, and are linked to the observed evolutionary stages of protoplanetary discs and their host stars. These models allow us to identify preferred planetesimal and planet formation regions in the protoplanetary disc as a function of the disc's metallicity, accretion rate and lifetime. We derive simple fitting formulae that feature all structural characteristics of protoplanetary discs during the evolution of several Myr. These fits are straightforward to apply for modelling any growth stage of planets where detailed knowledge of the underlying disc structure is required.

Sintering of Chondritic Planetesimals

Thermal evolution and sintering of chondritic planetesimals II. Improved treatment of the compaction process

Authors:

Gail et al

Abstract:

Reconstruction of the thermal history of individual meteorites which can be assigned to the same parent body allows to derive general characteristics of the parent body, which hold important clues on the planetary formation process. This requires to construct models for the heating of such bodies by short lived radioactives, in particular by 26Al, and its cooling by heat conduction, which then are compared with the cooling histories of the meteorites. The heat conductivity of the planetesimal material depends critically on the porosity of the chondritic material and changes by sintering of the material at elevated temperatures and pressures. Compaction of a granular material is a key process for the thermal history of the parent bodies of meteorites. The modelling of the compaction process is improved by applying concepts originally developed for hot isostatic pressing in metallurgical processes. It is extended to a binary mixture of matrix and chondrules, as observed in chondrites. By comparison with published data on sintering experiments it is shown that the algorithm allows a sufficiently accurate modelling of the compaction of silicate material. It is shown that the characteristic temperature at which sintering occurs is different for matrix or chondrule dominated precursor material. We apply the new method to model the thermal evolution of the parent body of the H chondrites and determine an improved optimized set of model parameters for this body.

Direct Imaging of Sub-stellar Companions for Young Nearby Stars

A direct imaging search for close stellar and sub-stellar companions to young nearby stars

Authors:

Vogt et al

Abstract:

A total of 28 young nearby stars (ages ≤60,Myr) have been observed in the Ks-band with the adaptive optics imager Naos-Conica of the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. Among the targets are ten visual binaries and one triple system at distances between 10 and 130 pc, all previously known. During a first observing epoch a total of 20 faint stellar or sub-stellar companion-candidates were detected around seven of the targets. These fields, as well as most of the stellar binaries, were re-observed with the same instrument during a second epoch, about one year later. We present the astrometric observations of all binaries. Their analysis revealed that all stellar binaries are co-moving. In two cases (HD 119022 AB and FG Aqr B/C) indications for significant orbital motions were found. However, all sub-stellar companion-candidates turned out to be non-moving background objects except PZ Tel which is part of this project but whose results were published elsewhere. Detection limits were determined for all targets, and limiting masses were derived adopting three different age values; they turn out to be less than 10 Jupiter masses in most cases, well below the brown dwarf mass range. The fraction of stellar multiplicity and of the sub-stellar companion occurrence in the star forming regions in Chamaeleon are compared to the statistics of our search, and possible reasons for the observed differences are discussed.

Brown Dwarf LHS 6343 C's Physical Properties

Characterizing the Cool KOIs. VII. Refined Physics Properties of the Eclipsing Brown Dwarf LHS 6343 C

Authors:

Montet et al

Abstract:

We present an updated analysis of LHS 6343, a triple system in the Kepler field which consists of a brown dwarf eclipsing one member of a widely-separated M+M binary system. By analyzing the full Kepler dataset and 34 Keck/HIRES radial velocity observations, we measure both the observed eclipse depth and Doppler semiamplitude to 0.5% precision. With Robo-AO and Palomar/PHARO adaptive optics imaging as well as TripleSpec spectroscopy, we measure a model-dependent mass for LHS 6343 C of 62.1 +/- 1.2 M_Jup and a radius of 0.783 +/- 0.011 R_Jup. We detect the secondary eclipse in the Kepler data at 3.5 sigma, measuring e cos omega = 0.0228 +/- 0.0008. We also derive a method to measure the mass and radius of a star and transiting/eclipsing companion directly, without any reliance on stellar models. The mass and radius of both objects depend only on the orbital period, stellar density, reduced semimajor axis, Doppler semiamplitude, eccentricity, and inclination. With this method, we calculate a model-independent mass and radius for LHS 6343 C to a precision of 3% and 2%, respectively.