Exoplanets orbiting in the habitable zone around M dwarf stars have been prime targets in the search for life due to the long lifetimes of the host star, the prominence of such stars in the galaxy, and the apparent excess of terrestrial planets found around M dwarfs. However, the heightened stellar activity of M dwarfs and the often tidally locked planets in these systems have raised questions about the habitability of these planets. In this Letter we examine another significant challenge that may exist: these systems seem to lack the architecture necessary to deliver asteroids to the habitable terrestrial planets, and asteroid impacts may play a crucial role in the origin of life. The most widely accepted mechanism for producing a stable asteroid belt and the late-stage delivery of asteroids after gas disk dissipation requires a giant planet exterior to the snow-line radius. We show that none of the observed systems with planets in the habitable zone of their star also contain a giant planet and therefore are unlikely to have stable asteroid belts. We consider the locations of observed giant planets relative to the snow-line radius as a function of stellar mass and find that there is a population of giant planets outside of the snow-line radius around M dwarfs. Therefore, asteroid belt formation around M dwarfs is generally possible. However, we find that multiplanetary system architectures around M dwarfs can be quite different from those around more massive stars.

Life on Exoplanets in the Habitable Zone of M Dwarfs?

Variability in the far-ultraviolet (FUV) emission produced by stellar activity affects photochemistry and heating in orbiting planetary atmospheres. We present a comprehensive analysis of the FUV variability of GJ 436, a field-age M2.5V star (P rot ≈ 44 days) that is orbited by a warm Neptune-sized planet (M ≈ 25 M ⊕, R ≈ 4.1 M ⊕, P orb ≈ 2.6 days). Observations at three epochs from 2012 to 2018 span nearly a full activity cycle, sample two rotations of the star and two orbital periods of the planet, and reveal a multitude of brief flares. From 2012 to 2018, the star’s 7.75 ± 0.10 yr activity cycle produced the largest observed variations, 38% ± 3% in the summed flux of the major FUV emission lines. In 2018, the variability due to rotation was 8% ± 2%. An additional 11% ± 1% scatter at a cadence of 10 minutes, which is treated as white noise in the fits, likely has both instrumental and astrophysical origins. Flares increased time-averaged emission by 15% over the 0.88 days of cumulative exposure, peaking as high as 25× quiescence. We interpret these flare values as lower limits given that flares too weak or too infrequent to have been observed likely exist. GJ 436’s flare frequency distribution at FUV wavelengths is unusual compared to other field-age M dwarfs, exhibiting a statistically significant dearth of high-energy (>4 × 1028 erg) events, which we hypothesize to be the result of a magnetic star–planet interaction (SPI) triggering premature flares. If an SPI is present, GJ 436 b’s magnetic field strength must be ≲100 G to explain the statistically insignificant increase in the orbit-phased FUV emission.

pdf/flares-rotation-activity-cycles-and-a-magnetic-star-planet-3sxjkegp.pdf

Flares, Rotation, Activity Cycles, and a Magnetic Star–Planet Interaction Hypothesis for the Far-ultraviolet Emission of GJ 436

Context. Although more than one thousand sub-stellar companions have already been detected with the radial velocity (RV) method, many new companions remain to be detected in the public RV archives. Aims. We wish to use the archival data obtained with the ESO/HARPS spectrograph to search for sub-stellar companions. Methods. We use the astronomic acceleration measurements of stars obtained with the Hipparcos and Gaia satellites to identify anomalies that could be explained by the presence of a companion. Once hints for a companion are found, we combine the RV data with absolute astrometry and, when available, relative astrometry data, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to determine the orbital parameters and mass of the companion. Results. We find and characterize three new brown dwarfs (GJ660.1 C, HD73256 B, and HD165131 B) and six new planets (HD75302 b, HD108202 b, HD135625 b, HD185283 b, HIP10337 b, and HIP54597 b) with separations between 1 and 6 au and masses between 0.6 and 100 MJup. We also constrain the orbital inclination of ten known sub-stellar companions and determine their true mass. Finally, we identify twelve new stellar companions. This shows that the analysis of proper motion anomalies allows for optimizing the RV search for sub-stellar companions and their characterization.

https://export.arxiv.org/pdf/2308.05417v1.pdf

A multi-technique approach to identifying and/or constraining radial-velocity substellar companions

The ESO Library maintains the ESO Telescope Bibliography (telbib) and is responsible for providing paper-based statistics. Publications in refereed journals based on ESO data (2021) can be retrieved through telbib: ESO data papers 2021. Access to the database for the years 1996 to present as well as an overview of publication statistics are available via https://telbib.eso.org and from the "Basic ESO Publication Statistics" document. Papers that use data from non-ESO telescopes or observations obtained with hosted telescopes are not included.

ESO Staff Publications (2021)

We report the discovery of two exoplanets around the M dwarfs GJ 724 and GJ 3988 using the radial velocity (RV) method. We obtained a total of 153 3.5 m Calar Alto/CARMENES spectra for both targets and measured their RVs and activity indicators. We also added archival ESO/HARPS data for GJ 724 and infrared RV measurements from Subaru/IRD for GJ 3988. We searched for periodic and stable signals to subsequently construct Keplerian models, considering different numbers of planets, and we selected the best models based on their Bayesian evidence. Gaussian process (GP) regression was included in some models to account for activity signals. For both systems, the best model corresponds to one single planet. The minimum masses are $10.75^{+0.96}_{-0.87}$ and $3.69^{+0.42}_{-0.41}$ Earth-masses for GJ 724 b and GJ 3988 b, respectively. Both planets have short periods (P<10 d) and, therefore, they orbit their star closely (a<0.05 au). GJ 724 b has an eccentric orbit (e = $0.577^{+0.055}_{-0.052}$), whereas the orbit of GJ 3988 b is circular. The high eccentricity of GJ 724 b makes it the most eccentric single exoplanet (to this date) around an M dwarf. Thus, we suggest a further analysis to understand its configuration in the context of planetary formation and architecture. In contrast, GJ 3988 b is an example of a common type of planet around mid-M dwarfs.

pdf/planetary-companions-orbiting-the-m-dwarfs-gj-724-and-gj-26srvwdld6.pdf

Planetary companions orbiting the M dwarfs GJ 724 and GJ 3988. A CARMENES and IRD collaboration

Context. Gliese-832 (GJ 832) is an M2V star hosting a massive planet on a decade-long orbit, GJ 832b, discovered by radial velocity (RV). Later, a super Earth or mini-Neptune orbiting within the stellar habitable zone was reported (GJ 832c). The recently determined stellar rotation period (45.7 ± 9.3 days) is close to the orbital period of putative planet c (35.68 ± 0.03 days). Aims. We aim to conﬁrm or dismiss the planetary nature of the RV signature attributed to GJ 832c, by adding 119 new RV data points, new photometric data, and an analysis of the spectroscopic stellar activity indicators. Additionally, we update the orbital parameters of the planetary system and search for additional signals. Methods. We performed a frequency content analysis of the RVs to search for periodic and stable signals. Radial velocity time series were modelled with Keplerians and Gaussian process (GP) regressions alongside activity indicators to subsequently compare them within a Bayesian framework. Results. We updated the stellar rotational period of GJ 832 from activity indicators, obtaining 37.5 + 1 . 4 − 1 . 5 days, improving the precision by a factor of 6. The new photometric data are in agreement with this value. We detected an RV signal near 18 days (FAP < 4.6%), which is half of the stellar rotation period. Two Keplerians alone fail at modelling GJ 832b and a second planet with a 35-day orbital period. Moreover, the Bayesian evidence from the GP analysis of the RV data with simultaneous activity indices prefers a model without a second Keplerian, therefore negating the existence of planet c.

/pdf/detailed-stellar-activity-analysis-and-modelling-of-gj-832-e4irkvk2.pdf

Detailed stellar activity analysis and modelling of GJ 832. Reassessment of the putative habitable zone planet GJ 832c

In recent years, the number of exoplanets has grown considerably. The most successful techniques in these detections are the radial velocity (RV) and planetary transits techniques, the latter of which has been signiﬁcantly advanced by the Kepler, K2 and, more recently, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) missions. The detection of exoplanets by means of both transits and RVs is of importance because this allows the characterization of their bulk densities and internal compositions. The TESS survey o ﬀ ers a unique possibility to search for transits of extrasolar planets detected using RVs. In this work, we present the results of our search for transits of RV-detected planets using the photometry of the TESS space mission. We focus on systems with super-Earth- and Neptune-sized planets on orbits with periods of shorter than 30 days. This cut is intended to keep objects with a relatively high transit probability, and is also consistent with the duration of TESS observations on a single sector. Given the summed geometric transit probabilities, the expected number of transiting planets is 3 . 4 ± 1 . 8. The sample contains two known transiting planets. We report null results for the remaining 66 out of 68 planets studied, and we exclude in all cases planets larger than 2.4 R ⊕ under the assumption of central transits. The remaining two planets orbit HD 136352 and were recently announced.

pdf/null-transit-detections-of-68-radial-velocity-exoplanets-343y1ir5.pdf

Null transit detections of 68 radial-velocity exoplanets observed by TESS

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Detailed stellar activity analysis and modelling of GJ 832. Reassessment of the putative habitable zone planet GJ 832c

Null transit detections of 68 radial-velocity exoplanets observed by TESS