| 1. |
- Farihi, J., et al.
(author)
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Magnetism, X-rays and accretion rates in WD 1145+017 and other polluted white dwarf systems
- 2018
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 474:1, s. 947-960
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper reports circular spectropolarimetry and X-ray observations of several polluted white dwarfs including WD 1145+017, with the aim to constrain the behaviour of disc material and instantaneous accretion rates in these evolved planetary systems. Two stars with previously observed Zeeman splitting, WD 0322-019 and WD 2105-820, are detected above 5 sigma and < B-z > > 1 kG, while WD 1145+017, WD 1929+011, and WD 2326+049 yield (null) detections below this minimum level of confidence. For these latter three stars, high-resolution spectra and atmospheric modelling are used to obtain limits on magnetic field strengths via the absence of Zeeman splitting, finding B-* < 20 kG based on data with resolving power R approximate to 40 000. An analytical framework is presented for bulk Earth composition material falling on to the magnetic polar regions of white dwarfs, where X-rays and cyclotron radiation may contribute to accretion luminosity. This analysis is applied to X-ray data for WD 1145+017, WD 1729+371, and WD 2326+049, and the upper bound count rates are modelled with spectra for a range of plasma kT = 1-10 keV in both the magnetic and non-magnetic accretion regimes. The results for all three stars are consistent with a typical dusty white dwarf in a steady state at 108-109 g s(-1). In particular, the non-magnetic limits for WD 1145+017 are found to be well below previous estimates of up to 10(12) g s(-1), and likely below 1010 g s(-1), thus suggesting the star-disc system may be average in its evolutionary state, and only special in viewing geometry.
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| 2. |
- Hirano, T., et al.
(author)
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K2-155: A Bright Metal-poor M Dwarf with Three Transiting Super-Earths
- 2018
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In: Astronomical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-3881 .- 0004-6256. ; 155:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the discovery of three transiting super-Earths around K2-155 (EPIC 210897587), a relatively bright early M dwarf (V = 12.81 mag) observed during Campaign 13 of the NASA K2 mission. To characterize the system and validate the planet candidates, we conducted speckle imaging and high-dispersion optical spectroscopy, including radial velocity measurements. Based on the K2 light curve and the spectroscopic characterization of the host star, the planet sizes and orbital periods are 1.55 -0.17 +0.20 R ⊕ and 6.34365 ±0.00028 days for the inner planet; 1.95 -0.22 +0.27 R ⊕ and 13.85402 ±0.00088 days for the middle planet; and 1.64 -0.17 +0.18 R ⊕ and 40.6835 ±0.0031 days for the outer planet. The outer planet (K2-155d) is near the habitable zone, with an insolation 1.67 ±0.38 times that of the Earth. The planet's radius falls within the range between that of smaller rocky planets and larger gas-rich planets. To assess the habitability of this planet, we present a series of three-dimensional global climate simulations, assuming that K2-155d is tidally locked and has an Earth-like composition and atmosphere. We find that the planet can maintain a moderate surface temperature if the insolation proves to be smaller than ∼1.5 times that of the Earth. Doppler mass measurements, transit spectroscopy, and other follow-up observations should be rewarding, as K2-155 is one of the optically brightest M dwarfs known to harbor transiting planets.
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| 3. |
- Korth, J., et al.
(author)
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K2-140b and K2-180b - Characterization of a hot Jupiter and a mini-Neptune from the K2 mission
- 2019
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 482:2, s. 1807-1823
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the independent discovery and characterization of two K2 planets: K2-180b, a mini-Neptune-sized planet in an 8.9-d orbit transiting a V = 12.6 mag, metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -0.65 ± 0.10) K2V star in K2 campaign 5; K2-140b, a transiting hot Jupiter in a 6.6-d orbit around a V = 12.6 mag G6V ([Fe/H] = + 0.10 ± 0.10) star in K2 campaign 10. Our results are based on K2 time-series photometry combined with high-spatial resolution imaging and high-precision radial velocity measurements. We present the first mass measurement of K2-180b. K2-180b has a mass of Mp = 11.3 ± 1.9 M_Earth and a radius of Rp = 2.2 ± 0.1 R_Earth, yielding a mean density of ρp = 5.6 ± 1.9 g cm-3, suggesting a rocky composition. Given its radius, K2-180b is above the region of the so-called `planetary radius gap'. K2-180b is in addition not only one of the densest mini-Neptune-sized planets, but also one of the few mini-Neptune-sized planets known to transit a metal-poor star. We also constrain the planetary and orbital parameters of K2-140b and show that, given the currently available Doppler measurements, the eccentricity is consistent with zero, contrary to the results of a previous study.
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| 4. |
- Niraula, P., et al.
(author)
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Three Super-Earths Transiting the Nearby Star GJ 9827
- 2017
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In: Astronomical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-3881 .- 0004-6256. ; 154:6, s. 266-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the discovery of three transiting planets around GJ 9827. The planets have radii of 1.75 ± 0.18, 1.36 ± 0.14, and 2.11_-0.21^+0.22 R⊕, and periods of 1.20896, 3.6480, and 6.2014 days, respectively. The detection was made in Campaign 12 observations as part of our K2 survey of nearby stars. GJ 9827 is a V = 10.39 mag K6V star at a distance of 30.3 ± 1.6 parsecs and the nearest star to be found hosting planets by Kepler and K2. The radial velocity follow-up, high-resolution imaging, and detection of multiple transiting objects near commensurability drastically reduce the false positive probability. The orbital periods of GJ 9827 b, c, and d planets are very close to the 1:3:5 mean motion resonance. Our preliminary analysis shows that GJ 9827 planets are excellent candidates for atmospheric observations. Besides, the planetary radii span both sides of the rocky and gaseous divide, hence the system will be an asset in expanding our understanding of the threshold.
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