Showing papers on "Exoplanet published in 2011"
TL;DR: A review of the outer parts, beyond 1 AU, of protoplanetary disks with a focus on recent infrared and (sub-)millimeter results can be found in this paper.
Abstract: Flattened, rotating disks of cool dust and gas extending for tens to hundreds of AU are found around almost all low mass stars shortly after their birth. These disks generally persist for several Myr, during which time some material accretes onto the star, some is lost through outflows and photoevaporation, and some condenses into centimeter- and larger-sized bodies or planetesimals. Through observations mainly at infrared through millimeter wavelengths, we can determine how common disks are at different ages, measure basic properties including mass, size, structure, and composition, and follow their varied evolutionary pathways. In this way, we see the first steps toward exoplanet formation and learn about the origins of the Solar System. This review addresses observations of the outer parts, beyond 1 AU, of protoplanetary disks with a focus on recent infrared and (sub-)millimeter results and an eye to the promise of new facilities in the immediate future.
943 citations
Ames Research Center1, University of California, Santa Cruz2, University of Florida3, Harvard University4, University of California, Berkeley5, San Diego State University6, San Jose State University7, University of Copenhagen8, University of Texas at Austin9, Lowell Observatory10, California Institute of Technology11, Space Telescope Science Institute12, Fermilab13
TL;DR: Kepler spacecraft observations of a single Sun-like star are reported that reveal six transiting planets, five with orbital periods between 10 and 47 days and a sixth planet with a longer period, among the smallest for which mass and size have both been measured.
Abstract: When an extrasolar planet passes in front of (transits) its star, its radius can be measured from the decrease in starlight and its orbital period from the time between transits. Multiple planets transiting the same star reveal much more: period ratios determine stability and dynamics, mutual gravitational interactions reflect planet masses and orbital shapes, and the fraction of transiting planets observed as multiples has implications for the planarity of planetary systems. But few stars have more than one known transiting planet, and none has more than three. Here we report Kepler spacecraft observations of a single Sun-like star, which we call Kepler-11, that reveal six transiting planets, five with orbital periods between 10 and 47 days and a sixth planet with a longer period. The five inner planets are among the smallest for which mass and size have both been measured, and these measurements imply substantial envelopes of light gases. The degree of coplanarity and proximity of the planetary orbits imply energy dissipation near the end of planet formation. NASA's Kepler mission, a space observatory designed to detect and study extrasolar planets that transit across the disk of their host star, has hit the jackpot with the discovery of a six-planet system orbiting a Sun-like star now named Kepler-11. Five of the planets have orbital periods of between 10 and 47 days, and these are among the smallest for which size and mass have both been measured. The sixth and outermost transiting planet has been less well characterized thus far. Only one other star has more than one confirmed transiting planet (Kepler-9, which has three). This newly discovered system resembles our own Solar System in being close to coplanar, but Kepler-11's planets orbit much closer to their star. Kepler is due to continue to return data on Kepler-11 and its planets for some time yet, and it should provide many valuable constraints on models of the formation and evolution of solar systems in general. When an extrasolar planet passes in front of its star (transits), its radius can be measured from the decrease in starlight and its orbital period from the time between transits. This study reports Kepler spacecraft observations of a single Sun-like star that reveal six transiting planets, five with orbital periods between 10 and 47 days plus a sixth one with a longer period. The five inner planets are among the smallest for which mass and size have both been measured, and these measurements imply substantial envelopes of light gases.
854 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a mechanism that can produce such atmospheric deviations from the stellar C/O ratio in protoplanetary disks, where different snowlines of oxygen- and carbon-rich ices, especially water and carbon monoxide, will result in systematic variations in the C /O ratio both in the gas and in the condensed phases.
Abstract: The C/O ratio is predicted to regulate the atmospheric chemistry in hot Jupiters Recent observations suggest that some exoplanets, eg, Wasp 12-b, have atmospheric C/O ratios substantially different from the solar value of 054 In this Letter, we present a mechanism that can produce such atmospheric deviations from the stellar C/O ratio In protoplanetary disks, different snowlines of oxygen- and carbon-rich ices, especially water and carbon monoxide, will result in systematic variations in the C/O ratio both in the gas and in the condensed phases In particular, between the H2O and CO snowlines most oxygen is present in icy grains—the building blocks of planetary cores in the core accretion model—while most carbon remains in the gas phase This region is coincidental with the giant-planet-forming zone for a range of observed protoplanetary disks Based on standard core accretion models of planet formation, gas giants that sweep up most of their atmospheres from disk gas outside of the water snowline will have a C/O ~ 1, while atmospheres significantly contaminated by evaporating planetesimals will have a stellar or substellar C/O when formed at the same disk radius The overall metallicity will also depend on the atmosphere formation mechanism, and exoplanetary atmospheric compositions may therefore provide constraints on where and how a specific planet formed
738 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a solar oxygen abundances and cloud model for the stellar to substellar transition is presented, which allows for the first time to reproduce the pho-tometric and spectroscopic properties of this transition.
Abstract: Within the next few years, GAIA and several instruments aiming at imag- ing extrasolar planets will see first light. In parallel, low mass planets are being searched around red dwarfs which offer more favourable conditions, both for radial velocity de- tection and transit studies, than solar-type stars. Authors of the model atmosphere code which has allowed the detection of water vapour in the atmosphere of Hot Jupiters re- view recent advancement in modelling the stellar to substellar transition. The revised solar oxygen abundances and cloud model allow for the first time to reproduce the pho- tometric and spectroscopic properties of this transition. Also presented are highlight results of a model atmosphere grid for stars, brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets.
725 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors apply systematic searches and diagnostics to discriminate whether the observed Doppler shifts are caused by stellar surface inhomogeneities or by the radial pull of orbiting planets.
Abstract: (Abridged) Searching for planets around stars with different masses probes the outcome of planetary formation for different initial conditions. This drives observations of a sample of 102 southern nearby M dwarfs, using a fraction of our guaranteed time on the ESO/HARPS spectrograph (Feb. 11th, 2003 to Apr. 1st 2009). This paper makes available the sample's time series, presents their precision and variability. We apply systematic searches and diagnostics to discriminate whether the observed Doppler shifts are caused by stellar surface inhomogeneities or by the radial pull of orbiting planets. We recover the planetary signals corresponding to 9 planets already announced by our group (Gl176b, Gl581b, c, d & e, Gl674b, Gl433b, Gl 667Cb and c). We present radial velocities that confirm GJ 849 hosts a Jupiter-mass planet, plus a long-term radial-velocity variation. We also present RVs that precise the planetary mass and period of Gl 832b. We detect long-term RV changes for Gl 367, Gl 680 and Gl 880 betraying yet unknown long-period companions. We identify candidate signals in the radial-velocity time series and demonstrate they are most probably caused by stellar surface inhomogeneities. Finally, we derive a first estimate of the occurrence of M-dwarf planets as a function of their minimum mass and orbital period. In particular, we find that giant planets (m sin i = 100-1,000 Mearth) have a low frequency (e.g. f<1% for P=1-10 d and f=0.02^{+0.03}_{-0.01} for P=10-100 d), whereas super-Earths (m sin i = 1-10 Mearth) are likely very abundant (f=0.36^{+0.25}_{-0.10} for P=1-10 d and f=0.35^{+0.45}_{-0.11} for P=10-100 d). We also obtained eta_earth=0.41^{+0.54}_{-0.13}, the frequency of habitable planets orbiting M dwarfs (1
701 citations
San Jose State University1, Ames Research Center2, Harvard University3, National Center for Atmospheric Research4, Aarhus University5, NASA Exoplanet Science Institute6, Lowell Observatory7, California Institute of Technology8, Space Telescope Science Institute9, University of California, Berkeley10, Massachusetts Institute of Technology11, Fermilab12, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network13, University of Texas at Austin14, Yale University15, University of Florida16, University of California, Santa Cruz17, San Diego State University18, Lawrence Hall of Science19
TL;DR: The first Earth-size exoplanet was discovered by NASA's Kepler mission as discussed by the authors, which used transit photometry to determine the frequency of Earthsize planets in or near the habitable zone of Sun-like stars.
Abstract: NASA's Kepler Mission uses transit photometry to determine the frequency of Earth-size planets in or near the habitable zone of Sun-like stars. The mission reached a milestone toward meeting that goal: the discovery of its first rocky planet, Kepler-10b. Two distinct sets of transit events were detected: (1) a 152 ± 4 ppm dimming lasting 1.811 ± 0.024 hr with ephemeris T [BJD] = 2454964.57375^(+0.00060)_(–0.00082) + N * 0.837495^(+0.000004)_(–0.000005) days and (2) a 376 ± 9 ppm dimming lasting 6.86 ± 0.07 hr with ephemeris T [BJD] = 2454971.6761^(+0.0020)_(–0.0023) + N * 45.29485^(+0.00065) _(–0.00076) days. Statistical tests on the photometric and pixel flux time series established the viability of the planet candidates triggering ground-based follow-up observations. Forty precision Doppler measurements were used to confirm that the short-period transit event is due to a planetary companion. The parent star is bright enough for asteroseismic analysis. Photometry was collected at 1 minute cadence for >4 months from which we detected 19 distinct pulsation frequencies. Modeling the frequencies resulted in precise knowledge of the fundamental stellar properties. Kepler-10 is a relatively old (11.9 ± 4.5 Gyr) but otherwise Sun-like main-sequence star with T_(eff) = 5627 ± 44 K, M_⋆ = 0.895 ± 0.060 M_⊙ , and R_⋆ = 1.056 ± 0.021 R_⊙. Physical models simultaneously fit to the transit light curves and the precision Doppler measurements yielded tight constraints on the properties of Kepler-10b that speak to its rocky composition: M_P = 4.56^9+1.17)_(–1.29) M_⊕, R_P = 1.416^(+0.033)_(–0.036) R_⊕, and ρ_P = 8.8^(+2.1)_(–2.9) g cm^(–3). Kepler-10b is the smallest transiting exoplanet discovered to date.
656 citations
TL;DR: The discovery of a population of unbound or distant Jupiter-mass objects is reported, which are almost twice as common as main-sequence stars, based on two years of gravitational microlensing survey observations towards the Galactic Bulge.
Abstract: Gravitational microlensing observations in the direction of the Galactic Bulge have come up with a surprising result: the discovery of ten previously unknown extrasolar planets that are not bound to host stars. These seemingly free-ranging Jupiter-mass objects could be in very distant orbits around host stars, but no hosts could be detected within a distance of 10 astronomical units from the free-floating planets. It seems possible, therefore, that planet scattering is a routine part of the planet formation process.
633 citations
TL;DR: The Exoplanet Orbit Database as discussed by the authors is a database of well-determined orbital parameters of exoplanets, and their host stars' properties, which includes spectroscopic orbital elements measured for 427 planets orbiting 363 stars.
Abstract: We present a database of well-determined orbital parameters of exoplanets, and their host stars’ properties. This database comprises spectroscopic orbital elements measured for 427 planets orbiting 363 stars from radial velocity and transit measurements as reported in the literature. We have also compiled fundamental transit parameters, stellar parameters, and the method used for the planets discovery. This Exoplanet Orbit Database includes all planets with robust, well measured orbital parameters reported in peer-reviewed articles. The database is available in a searchable, filterable, and sortable form online through the Exoplanets Data Explorer table, and the data can be plotted and explored through the Exoplanet Data Explorer plotter. We use the Data Explorer to generate publication-ready plots, giving three examples of the signatures of exoplanet migration and dynamical evolution: We illustrate the character of the apparent correlation between mass and period in exoplanet orbits, the different selection biases between radial velocity and transit surveys, and that the multiplanet systems show a distinct semimajor-axis distribution from apparently singleton systems.
626 citations
TL;DR: A brief excursion to very high eccentricity during the chaotic evolution of the inner orbit allows planet–star tidal interactions to rapidly circularize that orbit, decoupling the planets and forming a retrograde hot Jupiter.
Abstract: About one-quarter of the known hot Jupiter exoplanets are orbiting in the 'wrong direction', or counter to the spin axis of the host star. Attempts to explain this phenomenon have so far failed. It is known that in triple-star systems, retrograde orbits of this type can be produced by the long-term effects of stellar perturbations. An analysis of the motions of planetary bodies, including octupole-order effects and tidal friction, suggest that a similar mechanism may be operating involving planets rather than stars. The new model proposes a mechanism called Kozai capture, in which long-term interactions with a more-distant planet can naturally produce close-in planets with retrograde orbits, through forces familiar in the Kozai mechanism that are thought to cause the high eccentricities observed in the orbits of exosolar planets. About 25 per cent of ‘hot Jupiters’ (extrasolar Jovian-mass planets with close-in orbits) are actually orbiting counter to the spin direction of the star1. Perturbations from a distant binary star companion2,3 can produce high inclinations, but cannot explain orbits that are retrograde with respect to the total angular momentum of the system. Such orbits in a stellar context can be produced through secular (that is, long term) perturbations in hierarchical triple-star systems. Here we report a similar analysis of planetary bodies, including both octupole-order effects and tidal friction, and find that we can produce hot Jupiters in orbits that are retrograde with respect to the total angular momentum. With distant stellar mass perturbers, such an outcome is not possible2,3. With planetary perturbers, the inner orbit's angular momentum component parallel to the total angular momentum need not be constant4. In fact, as we show here, it can even change sign, leading to a retrograde orbit. A brief excursion to very high eccentricity during the chaotic evolution of the inner orbit allows planet–star tidal interactions to rapidly circularize that orbit, decoupling the planets and forming a retrograde hot Jupiter.
623 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the physical properties of 32 transiting extrasolar planet and brown-dwarf systems from existing photometric observations and measured spectroscopic parameters are calculated using the JKTEBOP code, with attention paid to the treatment of limb darkening, contaminating light, orbital eccentricity, correlated noise and numerical integration over long exposure times.
Abstract: I calculate the physical properties of 32 transiting extrasolar planet and brown-dwarf systems from existing photometric observations and measured spectroscopic parameters. The systems studied include fifteen observed by the CoRoT satellite, ten by Kepler and five by the Deep Impact spacecraft. Inclusion of the objects studied in previous papers leads to a sample of 58 transiting systems with homogeneously measured properties. The Kepler data include observations from Quarter 2, and my analyses of several of the systems are the first to be based on short-cadence data from this satellite. The light curves are modelled using the JKTEBOP code, with attention paid to the treatment of limb darkening, contaminating light, orbital eccentricity, correlated noise, and numerical integration over long exposure times. The physical properties are derived from the light curve parameters, spectroscopic characteristics of the host star, and constraints from five sets of theoretical stellar model predictions. An alternative approach using a calibration from eclipsing binary star systems is explored and found to give comparable results whilst imposing a much smaller computational burden. My results are in good agreement with published properties for most of the transiting systems, but discrepancies are identified for CoRoT-5, CoRoT-8, CoRoT-13, Kepler-5 and Kepler-7. Many of the errorbars quoted in the literature are underestimated. Refined orbital ephemerides are given for CoRoT-8 and for the Kepler planets. Asteroseismic constraints on the density of the host stars are in good agreement with the photometric equivalents for HD17156 and TrES-2, but not for HAT-P-7 and HAT-P-11. Complete error budgets are generated for each transiting system, allowing identification of the observations best-suited to improve measurements of their physical properties. Whilst most systems would benefit from further photometry and spectroscopy, HD17156, HD80606, HAT-P-7 and TrES-2 are now extremely well characterised. HAT-P-11 is an exceptional candidate for studying starspots. The orbital ephemerides of some transiting systems are becoming uncertain and they should be re-observed in the near future. The primary results from the current work and from previous papers in the series have been placed in an online catalogue, from where they can be obtained in a range of formats for reference and further study. TEPCat is available at http://www.astro.keele.ac.uk/ jkt/tepcat/
606 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe an online database for extra-solar planetary mass candidates, updated regularly as new data are available, and discuss criteria for the inclusion of objects in the catalog: definition of a planet and several aspects of the confidence level of planet candidates.
Abstract: We describe an online database for extra-solar planetary-mass candidates, updated regularly as new data are available. We first discuss criteria for the inclusion of objects in the catalog: "definition" of a planet and several aspects of the confidence level of planet candidates. {\bf We are led to point out the conflict between sharpness of belonging or not to a catalogue and fuzziness of the confidence level.} We then describe the different tables of extra-solar planetary systems, including unconfirmed candidates (which will ultimately be confirmed, or not, by direct imaging). It also provides online tools: histogrammes of planet and host star data, cross-correlations between these parameters and some VO services. Future evolutions of the database are presented.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the results of an 8-year survey carried out at the La Silla Observatory with the HARPS spectrograph to detect and characterize planets in the super-Earth and Neptune mass regime were reported.
Abstract: Aims We report on the results of an 8-year survey carried out at the La Silla Observatory with the HARPS spectrograph to detect and characterize planets in the super-Earth and Neptune mass regime Methods The size of our star sample and the precision achieved with HARPS have allowed the detection of a su ciently large number of low-mass planets to study the statistical properties of their orbital elements, the correlation of the host-star metallicity with the planet masses, as well as the occurrence rate of planetary systems around solar-type stars Results A robust estimate of the frequency of systems shows that more than 50% of solar-type stars harbor at least one planet of any mass and with period up to 100 days Di erent properties are observed for the population of planets less massive than about 30 M compared to the population of gaseous giant planets The mass distribution of Super-Earths and Neptune-mass planets (SEN) is strongly increasing between 30 and 15 M The SEN occurence rate does not exhibit a preference for metal rich stars Most of the SEN planets belong to multi-planetary systems The orbital eccentricities of the SEN planets seems limited to 045 At the opposite, the occurence rate of gaseous giant planets is growing with the logarithm of the period, and is strongly increasing with the host-star metallicity About 14 % of solar-type stars have a planetary companion more massive than 50 M on an orbit with a period shorter than 10 years Orbital eccentricities of giant planets are observed up to 09 and beyond Conclusions The precision of HARPS-type spectrographs opens the possibility to detect planets in the habitable zone of solar-type stars Identification of a significant number of super-Earths orbiting solar-type of the Sun vicinity is achieved by Doppler spectroscopy 41 newly discovered planets with HARPS are announced in the Appendix of this paper, among which 16 Super-Earths
Ames Research Center1, University of California, Berkeley2, San Jose State University3, Carnegie Institution for Science4, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network5, Search for extraterrestrial intelligence6, Aarhus University7, University of Texas at Austin8, Lowell Observatory9, Harvard University10, California Institute of Technology11, Space Telescope Science Institute12, Lawrence Hall of Science13, University of Florida14, University of California, Santa Cruz15, Massachusetts Institute of Technology16, Fermilab17, San Diego State University18, Yale University19, Southern Connecticut State University20, Marshall Space Flight Center21, Villanova University22
TL;DR: In this paper, the identity and characteristics of 305 released stars with planetary candidates are given, and five candidates are present in and near the habitable zone; two near super-Earth size, and three bracketing the size of Jupiter.
Abstract: In the spring of 2009, the Kepler Mission commenced high-precision photometry on nearly 156,000 stars to determine the frequency and characteristics of small exoplanets, conduct a guest observer program, and obtain asteroseismic data on a wide variety of stars. On 2010 June 15, the Kepler Mission released most of the data from the first quarter of observations. At the time of this data release, 705 stars from this first data set have exoplanet candidates with sizes from as small as that of Earth to larger than that of Jupiter. Here we give the identity and characteristics of 305 released stars with planetary candidates. Data for the remaining 400 stars with planetary candidates will be released in 2011 February. More than half the candidates on the released list have radii less than half that of Jupiter. Five candidates are present in and near the habitable zone; two near super-Earth size, and three bracketing the size of Jupiter. The released stars also include five possible multi-planet systems. One of these has two Neptune-size (2.3 and 2.5 Earth radius) candidates with near-resonant periods.
TL;DR: In this article, the first results from a speckle imaging survey of stars classified as candidate exoplanet host stars discovered by the Kepler mission were presented, where the authors used speckles to search for faint companions or closely aligned background stars that could contribute flux to the Kepler light curves of their brighter neighbors.
Abstract: We present the first results from a speckle imaging survey of stars classified as candidate exoplanet host stars discovered by the Kepler mission. We use speckle imaging to search for faint companions or closely aligned background stars that could contribute flux to the Kepler light curves of their brighter neighbors. Background stars are expected to contribute significantly to the pool of false positive candidate transiting exoplanets discovered by the Kepler mission, especially in the case that the faint neighbors are eclipsing binary stars. Here, we describe our Kepler follow-up observing program, the speckle imaging camera used, our data reduction, and astrometric and photometric performance. Kepler stars range from R = 8 to 16 and our observations attempt to provide background non-detection limits 5-6 mag fainter and binary separations of ~0.05-2.0 arcsec. We present data describing the relative brightness, separation, and position angles for secondary sources, as well as relative plate limits for non-detection of faint nearby stars around each of 156 target stars. Faint neighbors were found near 10 of the stars.
University of Exeter1, University of Oxford2, Harvard University3, Space Telescope Science Institute4, Tennessee State University5, University of California, Berkeley6, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris7, Tel Aviv University8, University of California, Santa Barbara9, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network10
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used time series spectra obtained during two transit events to determine the wavelength dependence of the planetary radius and measure the exoplanet's atmospheric transmission spectrum for the first time over this wavelength range.
Abstract: We present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) optical and near-ultraviolet transmission spectra of the transiting hot Jupiter HD 189733b, taken with the repaired Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument. The resulting spectra cover the range 2900–5700 A and reach per exposure signal-to-noise ratio levels greater than 11 000 within a 500-A bandwidth. We used time series spectra obtained during two transit events to determine the wavelength dependence of the planetary radius and measure the exoplanet’s atmospheric transmission spectrum for the first time over this wavelength range. Our measurements, in conjunction with existing HST spectra, now provide a broad-band transmission spectrum covering the full optical regime. The STIS data also show unambiguous evidence of a large occulted stellar spot during one of our transit events, which we use to place constraints on the characteristics of the K dwarf’s stellar spots, estimating spot temperatures around T eff ∼ 4250 K. With contemporaneous ground-based photometric monitoring of the stellar variability, we also measure the correlation between the stellar activity level and transit-measured planet-to-star radius contrast, which is in good agreement with predictions. We find a planetary transmission spectrum in good agreement with that of Rayleigh scattering from a high-altitude atmospheric haze as previously found from HST Advanced Camera for Surveys. The high-altitude haze is now found to cover the entire optical regime and is well characterized by Rayleigh scattering. These findings suggest that haze may be a globally dominant atmospheric feature of the planet which would result in a high optical albedo at shorter optical wavelengths.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reported the direct imaging discovery of a likely (proto)planet around the young (~2 Myr) solar analog LkCa 15, located inside a known gap in the protoplanetary disk (a "transitional disk").
Abstract: Young and directly imaged exoplanets offer critical tests of planet-formation models that are not matched by RV surveys of mature stars. These targets have been extremely elusive to date, with no exoplanets younger than 10--20 Myr and only a handful of direct-imaged exoplanets at all ages. We report the direct imaging discovery of a likely (proto)planet around the young (~2 Myr) solar analog LkCa 15, located inside a known gap in the protoplanetary disk (a "transitional disk"). Our observations use non-redundant aperture masking interferometry at 3 epochs to reveal a faint and relatively blue point source ($M_K'=9.1+/-0.2, K'-L'=0.98+/-0.22), flanked by approximately co-orbital emission that is red and resolved into at least two sources (M_L'=7.5+/-0.2, K'-L'=2.7+/-0.3; M_L'=7.4+/-0.2, K'-L'=1.94+/-0.16). We propose that the most likely geometry consists of a newly-formed (proto)planet that is surrounded by dusty material. The nominal estimated mass is ~6 M_{Jup} according to the 1 Myr hot-start models. However, we argue based on its luminosity, color, and the presence of circumplanetary material that the planet has likely been caught at its epoch of assembly, and hence this mass is an upper limit due to its extreme youth and flux contributed by accretion. The projected separations (71.9 +/- 1.6 mas, 100.7 +/- 1.9 mas, and 88.2 +/- 1.8 mas) and deprojected orbital radii (16, 21, and 19 AU) correspond to the center of the disk gap, but are too close to the primary star for a circular orbit to account for the observed inner edge of the outer disk, so an alternate explanation (i.e., additional planets or an eccentric orbit) is likely required. This discovery is the first direct evidence that at least some transitional disks do indeed host newly-formed (or forming) exoplanetary systems, and the observed properties provide crucial insight into the gas giant formation process.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used time series spectra obtained during two transit events to determine the wavelength dependance of the planetary radius and measure the exoplanet's atmospheric transmission spectrum for the first time over this wavelength range.
Abstract: We present Hubble Space Telescope optical and near-ultraviolet transmission spectra of the transiting hot-Jupiter HD189733b, taken with the repaired Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument. The resulting spectra cover the range 2900-5700 Ang and reach per-exposure signal-to-noise levels greater than 11,000 within a 500 Ang bandwidth. We used time series spectra obtained during two transit events to determine the wavelength dependance of the planetary radius and measure the exoplanet's atmospheric transmission spectrum for the first time over this wavelength range. Our measurements, in conjunction with existing HST spectra, now provide a broadband transmission spectrum covering the full optical regime. The STIS data also shows unambiguous evidence of a large occulted stellar spot during one of our transit events, which we use to place constraints on the characteristics of the K dwarf's stellar spots, estimating spot temperatures around Teff~4250 K. With contemporaneous ground-based photometric monitoring of the stellar variability, we also measure the correlation between the stellar activity level and transit-measured planet-to-star radius contrast, which is in good agreement with predictions. We find a planetary transmission spectrum in good agreement with that of Rayleigh scattering from a high-altitude atmospheric haze as previously found from HST ACS camera. The high-altitude haze is now found to cover the entire optical regime and is well characterised by Rayleigh scattering. These findings suggest that haze may be a globally dominant atmospheric feature of the planet which would result in a high optical albedo at shorter optical wavelengths.
TL;DR: In this paper, an all-sky catalog of M dwarfs with apparent infrared magnitude J 40 mas yr{sup -1}, supplemented on the bright end with the Tycho-2 catalog, is presented.
Abstract: We present an all-sky catalog of M dwarf stars with apparent infrared magnitude J 40 mas yr{sup -1}, supplemented on the bright end with the Tycho-2 catalog. Completeness tests which account for kinematic (proper motion) bias suggest that our catalog represents {approx}75% of the estimated {approx}11, 900 M dwarfs with J < 10 expected to populate the entire sky. Our catalog is, however, significantly more complete for the northern sky ({approx}90%) than it is for the south ({approx}60%). Stars are identified as cool, red M dwarfs from a combination of optical and infrared color cuts, and are distinguished from background M giants and highly reddened stars using either existing parallax measurements or, if such measurements are lacking, using their location in an optical-to-infrared reduced proper motion diagram. These bright M dwarfs are all prime targets for exoplanet surveys using the Doppler radial velocity or transit methods; the combination of low-mass and bright apparent magnitude should make possible the detection of Earth-size planets on short-period orbits using currently available techniques. Parallax measurements, when available, and photometric distance estimates are provided for allmore » stars, and these place most systems within 60 pc of the Sun. Spectral type estimated from V - J color shows that most of the stars range from K7 to M4, with only a few late M dwarfs, all within 20 pc. Proximity to the Sun also makes these stars good targets for high-resolution exoplanet imaging searches, especially if younger objects can be identified on the basis of X-ray or UV excess. For that purpose, we include X-ray flux from ROSAT and FUV/NUV ultraviolet magnitudes from GALEX for all stars for which a counterpart can be identified in those catalogs. Additional photometric data include optical magnitudes from Digitized Sky Survey plates and infrared magnitudes from the Two Micron All Sky Survey.« less
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used the coronal models of stars to calculate the EUV contribution to the stellar spectra, assuming that thermal losses dominate the mass loss of their atmospheres.
Abstract: Context: The current distribution of planet mass vs. incident stellar X-ray flux supports the idea that photoevaporation of the atmosphere may take place in close-in planets. Integrated effects have to be accounted for. A proper calculation of the mass loss rate due to photoevaporation requires to estimate the total irradiation from the whole XUV range. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to extend the analysis of the photoevaporation in planetary atmospheres from the accessible X-rays to the mostly unobserved EUV range by using the coronal models of stars to calculate the EUV contribution to the stellar spectra. The mass evolution of planets can be traced assuming that thermal losses dominate the mass loss of their atmospheres. Methods: We determine coronal models for 82 stars with exoplanets that have X-ray observations available. Then a synthetic spectrum is produced for the whole XUV range (~1-912 A). The determination of the EUV stellar flux, calibrated with real EUV data, allows us to calculate the accumulated effects of the XUV irradiation on the planet atmosphere with time, as well as the mass evolution for planets with known density. Results: We calibrate for the first time a relation of the EUV luminosity with stellar age valid for late-type stars. In a sample of 109 exoplanets, few planets with masses larger than ~1.5 Mj receive high XUV flux, suggesting that intense photoevaporation takes place in a short period of time, as previously found in X-rays. The scenario is also consistent with the observed distribution of planet masses with density. The accumulated effects of photoevaporation over time indicate that HD 209458b may have lost 0.2 Mj since an age of 20 Myr. Conclusions: Coronal radiation produces rapid photoevaporation of the atmospheres of planets close to young late-type stars. More complex models are needed to explain fully the observations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the transmission spectrum of the super-Earth exoplanet GJ1214b was found to be flat between 1.1 and 1.7 microns.
Abstract: Capitalizing on the observational advantage offered by its tiny M dwarf host, we present HST/WFC3 grism measurements of the transmission spectrum of the super-Earth exoplanet GJ1214b. These are the first published WFC3 observations of a transiting exoplanet atmosphere. After correcting for a ramp-like instrumental systematic, we achieve nearly photon-limited precision in these observations, finding the transmission spectrum of GJ1214b to be flat between 1.1 and 1.7 microns. Inconsistent with a cloud-free solar composition atmosphere at 8.2 sigma, the measured achromatic transit depth most likely implies a large mean molecular weight for GJ1214b's outer envelope. A dense atmosphere rules out bulk compositions for GJ1214b that explain its large radius by the presence of a very low density gas layer surrounding the planet. High-altitude clouds can alternatively explain the flat transmission spectrum, but they would need to be optically thick up to 10 mbar or consist of particles with a range of sizes approaching 1 micron in diameter.
TL;DR: In this paper, a decomposition of observed noise for an ensemble of 12th magnitude stars arising from fundamental terms (Poisson and readout noise), added noise due to the instrument and that intrinsic to the stars is presented.
Abstract: Kepler mission results are rapidly contributing to fundamentally new discoveries in both the exoplanet and asteroseismology fields. The data returned from Kepler are unique in terms of the number of stars observed, precision of photometry for time series observations, and the temporal extent of high duty cycle observations. As the first mission to provide extensive time series measurements on thousands of stars over months to years at a level hitherto possible only for the Sun, the results from Kepler will vastly increase our knowledge of stellar variability for quiet solar-type stars. Here, we report on the stellar noise inferred on the timescale of a few hours of most interest for detection of exoplanets via transits. By design the data from moderately bright Kepler stars are expected to have roughly comparable levels of noise intrinsic to the stars and arising from a combination of fundamental limitations such as Poisson statistics and any instrument noise. The noise levels attained by Kepler on-orbit exceed by some 50% the target levels for solar-type, quiet stars. We provide a decomposition of observed noise for an ensemble of 12th magnitude stars arising from fundamental terms (Poisson and readout noise), added noise due to the instrument and that intrinsic to the stars. The largest factor in the modestly higher than anticipated noise follows from intrinsic stellar noise. We show that using stellar parameters from galactic stellar synthesis models, and projections to stellar rotation, activity, and hence noise levels reproduce the primary intrinsic stellar noise features.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present three-dimensional climate simulations which demonstrate that GJ581d will have a stable atmosphere and surface liquid water for a wide range of plausible cases, making it the first confirmed super-Earth (exoplanet of 2-10 Earth masses) in the habitable zone.
Abstract: It has been suggested that the recently discovered exoplanet GJ581d might be able to support liquid water due to its relatively low mass and orbital distance. However, GJ581d receives 35% less stellar energy than Mars and is probably locked in tidal resonance, with extremely low insolation at the poles and possibly a permanent night side. Under such conditions, it is unknown whether any habitable climate on the planet would be able to withstand global glaciation and/or atmospheric collapse. Here we present three-dimensional climate simulations which demonstrate that GJ581d will have a stable atmosphere and surface liquid water for a wide range of plausible cases, making it the first confirmed super-Earth (exoplanet of 2-10 Earth masses) in the habitable zone. We find that atmospheres with over 10 bar CO2 and varying amounts of background gas (e.g., N2) yield global mean temperatures above 0°C for both land and ocean-covered surfaces. Based on the emitted IR radiation calculated by the model, we propose observational tests that will allow these cases to be distinguished from other possible scenarios in the future.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the HARPS spectrograph was used to obtain 121 new radial velocity measurements of Gl 581 with the ESO 3.6 m telescope, and analyzed those together with previous 119 measurements of that star to examine these potential additional super-Earth planets.
Abstract: The Gl 581 planetary system has generated wide interest, because its 4 planets include both the lowest mass planet known around a main sequence star other than the Sun and the first super-Earth planet in the habitable zone of its star. A recent paper announced the possible discovery of two additional super-Earth planets in that system, one of which would be in the middle of the habitable zone of Gl 581. The statistical significance of those two discoveries has, however, been questioned. We have obtained 121 new radial velocity measurements of Gl 581 with the HARPS spectrograph on the ESO 3.6 m telescope, and analyse those together with our previous 119 measurements of that star to examine these potential additional planets. We find that neither is likely to exist with their proposed parameters. We also obtained photometric observations with the 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescope during a potential transit of the inner planet, Gl 581e, which had a 5% geometric transit probability. Those observations exclude transits for planet densities under 4 times the Earth density within -0.2 sigma to +2.7 sigma of the predicted transit center.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore whether fly-bys involving planetary systems with properties similar to those of the gas giants in the Solar system can produce planets with properties very similar to the observed planets and show that fly-by can cause the immediate ejection of planets, and sometimes also lead to the capture of one or more planets by the intruder.
Abstract: Most of the observed extrasolar planets are found on tight and often eccentric orbits. The high eccentricities are not easily explained by planet-formation models, which predict that planets should be on rather circular orbits. Here we explore whether fly-bys involving planetary systems with properties similar to those of the gas giants in the Solar system can produce planets with properties similar to the observed planets. Using numerical simulations, we show that fly-bys can cause the immediate ejection of planets, and sometimes also lead to the capture of one or more planets by the intruder. More common, however, is that fly-bys only perturb the orbits of planets, sometimes leaving the system in an unstable state. Over time-scales of a few million to several hundred million years after the fly-by, this perturbation can trigger planet-planet scatterings, leading to the ejection of one or more planets. For example, in the case of the four gas giants of the Solar system, the fraction of systems from which at least one planet is ejected more than doubles in 108 yr after the fly-by. The remaining planets are often left on more eccentric orbits, similar to the eccentricities of the observed extrasolar planets. We combine our results of how fly-bys affect Solar-system-like planetary systems, with the rate at which encounters in young stellar clusters occur. For example, we measure the effects of fly-bys on the four gas giants in the Solar system. We find, that for such systems, between 5 and 15 per cent suffer ejections of planets in 108 yr after fly-bys in typical open clusters. Thus, encounters in young stellar clusters can significantly alter the properties of any planets orbiting stars in clusters. As a large fraction of stars which populate the solar neighbourhood form in stellar clusters, encounters can significantly affect the properties of the observed extrasolar planets. (Less)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present three-dimensional climate simulations that demonstrate GJ581d will have a stable atmosphere and surface liquid water for a wide range of plausible cases, making it the first confirmed super-Earth (exoplanet of 2-10 Earth masses) in the habitable zone.
Abstract: It has been suggested that the recently discovered exoplanet GJ581d might be able to support liquid water due to its relatively low mass and orbital distance. However, GJ581d receives 35% less stellar energy than Mars and is probably locked in tidal resonance, with extremely low insolation at the poles and possibly a permanent night side. Under such conditions, it is unknown whether any habitable climate on the planet would be able to withstand global glaciation and / or atmospheric collapse. Here we present three-dimensional climate simulations that demonstrate GJ581d will have a stable atmosphere and surface liquid water for a wide range of plausible cases, making it the first confirmed super-Earth (exoplanet of 2-10 Earth masses) in the habitable zone. We find that atmospheres with over 10 bar CO2 and varying amounts of background gas (e.g., N2) yield global mean temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius for both land and ocean-covered surfaces. Based on the emitted IR radiation calculated by the model, we propose observational tests that will allow these cases to be distinguished from other possible scenarios in the future.
TL;DR: The validated forward model can be used to simulate Earth's time-dependent brightness and spectral properties for wavelengths from the far ultraviolet to the far infrared and extended into the mid-infrared by comparing the model to high spectral resolution observations of Earth from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder.
Abstract: The EPOXI Discovery Mission of Opportunity reused the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to obtain spatially and temporally resolved visible photometric and moderate resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of Earth. These remote observations provide a rigorous validation of whole-disk Earth model simulations used to better understand remotely detectable extrasolar planet characteristics. We have used these data to upgrade, correct, and validate the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory three-dimensional line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model. This comprehensive model now includes specular reflectance from the ocean and explicitly includes atmospheric effects such as Rayleigh scattering, gas absorption, and temperature structure. We have used this model to generate spatially and temporally resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth for the dates of EPOXI observation. Model parameters were varied to yield an optimum fit to the data. We found that...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a systematic evaluation of the agreement between the observed radii of 90 well-characterized transiting extrasolar giant planets and their corresponding model radii.
Abstract: We present a systematic evaluation of the agreement between the observed radii of 90 well-characterized transiting extrasolar giant planets and their corresponding model radii. Our model radii are drawn from previously published calculations of coreless giant planets that have attained their asymptotic radii, and which have been tabulated for a range of planet masses and equilibrium temperatures. (We report a two-dimensional polynomial fitting function that accurately represents the models.) As expected, the model radii provide a statistically significant improvement over a null hypothesis that the sizes of giant planets are completely independent of mass and effective temperature. As is well known, however, fiducial models provide an insufficient explanation; the planetary radius anomalies, , are strongly correlated with planetary equilibrium temperature. We find that the radius anomalies have a best-fit dependence, , with α = 1.4 ± 0.6. Incorporating this relation into the model radii leads to substantially less scatter in the radius correlation. The extra temperature dependence represents an important constraint on theoretical models for hot Jupiters. Using simple scaling arguments, we find support for the hypothesis of Batygin & Stevenson that this correlation can be attributed to a planetary heating mechanism that is mediated by magnetohydrodynamic coupling between the planetary magnetic field and near-surface flow that is accompanied by ohmic dissipation at adiabatic depth. Additionally, we find that the temperature dependence is likely too strong to admit kinetic heating as the primary source of anomalous energy generation within the majority of the observed transiting planets.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors performed a series of numerical integrations of planet scattering followed by the tidal circularization and found that the standard Kozai migration is an inefficient mechanism for the formation of hot Jupiters.
Abstract: Exoplanets show a pile-up of Jupiter-size planets in orbits with a 3-day period. A fraction of these hot Jupiters have retrograde orbits with respect to the parent star's rotation. To explain these observations we performed a series of numerical integrations of planet scattering followed by the tidal circularization. We considered planetary systems having 3 and 4 planets initially. We found that the standard Kozai migration is an inefficient mechanism for the formation of hot Jupiters.
Our results show the formation of two distinct populations of hot Jupiters. The inner population of hot Jupiters with semimajor axis a 1 Gyr. The semimajor axis distribution of Population II fits nicely the observed 3-day pile-up.
The inclination distribution of the outer hot planets depends on the number of planets in the initial systems and the 4-planet case showed a larger proportion (up to 10%), and a wider spread in inclination values. As the later results roughly agrees with observations, this may suggest that the planetary systems with observed hot Jupiters were originally rich in the number of planets, some of which were ejected. In a broad perspective, our work therefore hints on an unexpected link between the hot Jupiters and recently discovered free floating planets.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a general method to fit the planetary distribution function (PLDF) to exoplanet survey data, which accommodates more than one planet per star and any number of planet or target star properties.
Abstract: We develop a general method to fit the planetary distribution function (PLDF) to exoplanet survey data. This maximum likelihood method accommodates more than one planet per star and any number of planet or target star properties. Application to \Kepler data relies on estimates of the efficiency of discovering transits around Solar type stars by Howard et al. (2011). These estimates are shown to agree with theoretical predictions for an ideal transit survey. Using announced \Kepler planet candidates, we fit the PLDF as a joint powerlaw in planet radius, down to 0.5 R_Eart, and orbital period, up to 50 days. The estimated number of planets per star in this sample is ~ 0.7 --- 1.4, where the broad range covers systematic uncertainties in the detection efficiency. To analyze trends in the PLDF we consider four planet samples, divided between shorter and longer periods at 7 days and between large and small radii at 3 R_Earth. At longer periods, the size distribution of the small planets, with index \alpha = -1.2 \pm 0.2 steepens to \alpha = -2.0 \pm 0.2 for the larger planet sample. For shorter periods, the opposite is seen: smaller planets follow a steep powerlaw, \alpha = -1.9 \pm 0.2 that is much shallower, \alpha = -0.7 \pm 0.2 at large radii. The observed deficit of intermediate-sized planets at the shortest periods may arise from the evaporation and sublimation of Neptune and Saturn-like planets. If the trend and explanation hold, it would be spectacular observational confirmation of the core accretion and migration hypotheses, and allow refinement of these theories.
Harvard University1, Massachusetts Institute of Technology2, University of California, Santa Cruz3, University of Texas at Austin4, University of California, Berkeley5, University of Copenhagen6, Ames Research Center7, San Jose State University8, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network9, Goddard Space Flight Center10, University of Florida11, Space Telescope Science Institute12, University of Liège13, University of Hertfordshire14
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported the discovery and characterization of the transiting hot giant exoplanet Kepler-17b, which has an orbital period of 1.486 days and radial velocity measurements from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope show a Doppler signal of 419.5+13.3 −15.6 m s−1.
Abstract: This paper reports the discovery and characterization of the transiting hot giant exoplanet Kepler-17b. The planet has an orbital period of 1.486 days, and radial velocity measurements from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope show a Doppler signal of 419.5+13.3 –15.6 m s–1. From a transit-based estimate of the host star's mean density, combined with an estimate of the stellar effective temperature T eff = 5630 ± 100 from high-resolution spectra, we infer a stellar host mass of 1.06 ± 0.07 M ☉ and a stellar radius of 1.02 ± 0.03 R ☉. We estimate the planet mass and radius to be M P = 2.45 ± 0.11 M J and R P = 1.31 ± 0.02 R J. The host star is active, with dark spots that are frequently occulted by the planet. The continuous monitoring of the star reveals a stellar rotation period of 11.89 days, eight times the planet's orbital period; this period ratio produces stroboscopic effects on the occulted starspots. The temporal pattern of these spot-crossing events shows that the planet's orbit is prograde and the star's obliquity is smaller than 15°. We detected planetary occultations of Kepler-17b with both the Kepler and Spitzer Space Telescopes. We use these observations to constrain the eccentricity, e, and find that it is consistent with a circular orbit (e < 0.011). The brightness temperatures of the planet's infrared bandpasses are = 1880 ± 100 K and = 1770 ± 150 K. We measure the optical geometric albedo Ag in the Kepler bandpass and find Ag = 0.10 ± 0.02. The observations are best described by atmospheric models for which most of the incident energy is re-radiated away from the day side.