| 1. |
- Esparza-Borges, E., et al.
(author)
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Detection of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere of WASP-39b Applying Standard Cross-correlation Techniques to JWST NIRSpec G395H Data
- 2023
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In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8213 .- 2041-8205. ; 955:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carbon monoxide was recently reported in the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter WASP-39b using the NIRSpec PRISM transit observation of this planet, collected as part of the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Program. This detection, however, could not be confidently confirmed in the initial analysis of the higher-resolution observations with NIRSpec G395H disperser. Here we confirm the detection of CO in the atmosphere of WASP-39b using the NIRSpec G395H data and cross-correlation techniques. We do this by searching for the CO signal in the unbinned transmission spectrum of the planet between 4.6 and 5.0 μm, where the contribution of CO is expected to be higher than that of other anticipated molecules in the planet’s atmosphere. Our search results in a detection of CO with a cross-correlation function (CCF) significance of 6.6σ when using a template with only 12C16O lines. The CCF significance of the CO signal increases to 7.5σ when including in the template lines from additional CO isotopologues, with the largest contribution being from 13C16O. Our results highlight how cross-correlation techniques can be a powerful tool for unveiling the chemical composition of exoplanetary atmospheres from medium-resolution transmission spectra, including the detection of isotopologues.
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| 2. |
- Fukui, Akihiko, et al.
(author)
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TOI-2285b: A 1.7 Earth-radius planet near the habitable zone around a nearby M dwarf
- 2022
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In: Publication of the Astronomical Society of Japan. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2053-051X .- 0004-6264. ; 74:1, s. L1-L8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the discovery of TO1-2285b, a sub-Neptune-sized planet transiting a nearby (42 pc) M dwarf with a period of 27.3 d. We identified the transit signal from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometric data, which we confirmed with ground-based photometric observations using the multiband imagers MuSCAT2 and MuSCAT3. Combining these data with other follow-up observations including high-resolution spectroscopy with the Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph, high-resolution imaging with the SPeckle Polarimeter, and radial velocity (RV) measurements with the InfraRed Doppler instrument, we find that the planet has a radius of 1.74 +/- 0.08 R-circle plus, a mass of <19.5 M-circle plus + (95% c.I.), and an insolation flux of 1.54 +/- 0.14 times that of the Earth. Although the planet resides just outside the habitable zone for a rocky planet, if the planet harbors an H2O layer under a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, then liquid water could exist on the surface of the H2O layer depending on the planetary mass and water mass fraction. The bright host star in the near-infrared (K-s = 9.0) makes this planet an excellent target for further RV and atmospheric observations to improve our understanding of the composition, formation, and habitability of sub-Neptune-sized planets.
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| 3. |
- Nowak, Grzegorz, et al.
(author)
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K2-280 b - a low density warm sub-Saturn around a mildly evolved star
- 2020
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 497:4, s. 4423-4435
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present an independent discovery and detailed characterization of K2-280 b, a transiting low density warm sub-Saturn in a 19.9-d moderately eccentric orbit (e = 0.35(-0.04)(+0.05)) from K2 campaign 7. A joint analysis of high precision HARPS, HARPS-N, and FIES radial velocity measurements and K2 photometric data indicates that K2-280 b has a radius of R-b = 7.50 +/- 0.44 R-circle plus and a mass of M-b = 37.1 +/- 5.6 M-circle plus, yielding a mean density of rho(b) = 0.48(-0.10)(+0.13) g cm(-3). The host star is a mildly evolved G7 star with an effective temperature of T-eff = 5500 +/- 100 K, a surface gravity of log g(star) = 4.21 +/- 0.05 (cgs), and an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = 0.33 +/- 0.08 dex, and with an inferred mass of M-star = 1.03 +/- 0.03 M-circle dot and a radius of R-star = 1.28 +/- 0.07 R-circle dot. We discuss the importance of K2-280 b for testing formation scenarios of sub-Saturn planets and the current sample of this intriguing group of planets that are absent in the Solar system.
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| 4. |
- Osborne, H. L.M., et al.
(author)
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TOI-544 b: a potential water-world inside the radius valley in a two-planet system
- 2024
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 527:4, s. 11138-11157
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the precise radial velocity follow-up of TOI-544 (HD 290498),ã bright K star ( V = 10.8), which hostsã small transiting planet recently disco v ered by the Trãnsiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) . We collected 122 high-resolution High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS)ãnd HARPS-N spectra to spectroscopically confirm the transiting planetãnd measure its mass. The nearly 3-yr baseline of our follow-upãllowed us to unveil the presence ofãnãdditional, non-transiting, longer-period companion planet. We derivedã radiusãnd mass for the inner planet, TOI-544 b, of 2.018 ±0.076 R⊙and 2.89 ±0.48 M⊙, respectively, which givesã bulk density of 1 . 93 + 0 . 30 -0 . 25 g cm -3 . TOI-544 c hasã minimum mass of 21.5 ±2.0 M⊙and orbital period of 50.1 ±0.2 d. The low density of planet-b implies that it has eitherãn Earth-like rocky core withã hydrogenãtmosphere, orã composition which harboursã significant fraction of water. The composition interpretation is degenerate depending on the specific choice of planet interior models used. Additionally, TOI-544 b hasãn orbital period of 1.55 dãnd equilibrium temperature of 999 ±14 K, placing it within the predicted location of the radius valley, where few planetsãre expected. TOI-544 b isã top target for futureãtmospheric observations, for example with JWST , which would enable better constraints of the planet composition.
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| 5. |
- Pelletier, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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Vanadium oxide and a sharp onset of cold-trapping on a giant exoplanet
- 2023
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In: Nature. - 0028-0836. ; 619:7970, s. 491-494
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The abundance of refractory elements in giant planets can provide key insights into their formation histories1. Owing to the low temperatures of the Solar System giants, refractory elements condense below the cloud deck, limiting sensing capabilities to only highly volatile elements2. Recently, ultra-hot giant exoplanets have allowed for some refractory elements to be measured, showing abundances broadly consistent with the solar nebula with titanium probably condensed out of the photosphere3,4. Here we report precise abundance constraints of 14 major refractory elements on the ultra-hot giant planet WASP-76b that show distinct deviations from proto-solar and a sharp onset in condensation temperature. In particular, we find nickel to be enriched, a possible sign of the accretion of the core of a differentiated object during the evolution of the planet. Elements with condensation temperatures below 1,550 K otherwise closely match those of the Sun5 before sharply transitioning to being strongly depleted above 1,550 K, which is well explained by nightside cold-trapping. We further unambiguously detect vanadium oxide on WASP-76b, a molecule long suggested to drive atmospheric thermal inversions6, and also observe a global east–west asymmetry7 in its absorption signals. Overall, our findings indicate that giant planets have a mostly stellar-like refractory elemental content and suggest that temperature sequences of hot Jupiter spectra can show abrupt transitions wherein a mineral species is either present or completely absent if a cold trap exists below its condensation temperature8.
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| 6. |
- Sedaghati, Elyar, et al.
(author)
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A spectral survey of WASP-19b with ESPRESSO
- 2021
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 505:1, s. 435-458
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High-resolution precision spectroscopy provides a multitude of robust techniques for probing exoplanetary atmospheres. We present multiple VLT/ESPRESSO transit observations of the hot-Jupiter exoplanet WASP-19b with previously published but disputed atmospheric features from lowresolution studies. Through spectral synthesis and modelling of the Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) effect we calculate stellar, orbital and physical parameters for the system. From narrow-band spectroscopy we do not detect any of HI, FeI, MgI, CaI, NaI, and KI neutral species, placing upper limits on their line contrasts. Through cross-correlation analyses with atmospheric models, we do not detect Fe I and place a 3σ upper limit of log (XFe/X⊙) ≈ -1.83 ± 0.11 on its mass fraction, from injection and retrieval. We show the inability to detect the presence of H2O for known abundances, owing to lack of strong absorption bands, as well as relatively low S/N ratio. We detect a barely significant peak (3.02±0.15 σ) in the cross-correlation map for TiO, consistent with the sub-solar abundance previously reported. This is merely a hint for the presence of TiO and does not constitute a confirmation. However, we do confirm the presence of previously observed enhanced scattering towards blue wavelengths, through chromatic RM measurements, pointing to a hazy atmosphere. We finally present a reanalysis of low-resolution transmission spectra of this exoplanet, concluding that unocculted starspots alone cannot explain previously detected features. Our reanalysis of the FORS2 spectra of WASP-19b finds a ~100× sub-solar TiO abundance, precisely constrained to log XTiO ≈ -7.52 ± 0.38, consistent with the TiO hint from ESPRESSO. We present plausible paths to reconciliation with other seemingly contradicting results.
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