Context: The TESS team periodically issues a new list of transiting exoplanet candidates based on the analysis of the accumulating light curves obtained by the satellite. The list includes the estimated epochs, periods, and durations of the potential transits. As the point spread function (PSF) of TESS is relatively wide, follow-up photometric observations at higher spatial resolution are required in order to exclude apparent transits that are actually blended background eclipsing binaries (BEBs). Aims: The Gaia space mission, with its growing database of epoch photometry and high angular resolution, enables the production of distinct light curves for all sources included in the TESS PSF, up to the limiting magnitude of Gaia. This paper reports the results of an ongoing Gaia-TESS collaboration that uses the Gaia photometry to facilitate the identification of BEB candidates and even to confirm on-target candidates in some cases. Methods: We inspected the Gaia photometry of the individual sources included in the TESS PSF, searching for periodic dimming events compatible with their ephemerides and uncertainties, as published by TESS. The performance of the search depends mainly on the number of Gaia measurements during transit and their precision. Results: Since February 2021, the collaboration has been able to confirm 126 on-target candidates and exclude 124 as BEBs. Since June 2021, when our search methodology matured, we have been able to identify on the order of 5% as on-target candidates and another 5% as BEBs. Conclusions: This synergistic approach is combining the complementary capabilities of two of the astronomical space missions of NASA and ESA. It serves to optimize the process of detecting new planets by making better use of the resources of the astronomical community.

Ephemeris

Astrometry

Limiting magnitude

Limiting

Point spread function

Coronagraph

10.1051/0004-6361/202244207

Cite

Citations (4)

KELT-1b: A STRONGLY IRRADIATED, HIGHLY INFLATED, SHORT PERIOD, 27 JUPITER-MASS COMPANION TRANSITING A MID-F STAR

The Astrophysical Journal (2012)

Robert J. Siverd Thomas G. Beatty Joshua Pepper Jason D. Eastman Karen A. Collins

We present the discovery of KELT-1b, the first transiting low-mass companion from the wide-field Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope-North (KELT-North) survey. The V=10.7 primary is a mildly evolved, solar-metallicity, mid-F star. The companion is a low-mass brown dwarf or super-massive planet with mass of 27.23+/-0.50 MJ and radius of 1.110+0.037-0.024 RJ, on a very short period (P=1.21750007) circular orbit. KELT-1b receives a large amount of stellar insolation, with an equilibrium temperature assuming zero albedo and perfect redistribution of 2422 K. Upper limits on the secondary eclipse depth indicate that either the companion must have a non-zero albedo, or it must experience some energy redistribution. Comparison with standard evolutionary models for brown dwarfs suggests that the radius of KELT-1b is significantly inflated. Adaptive optics imaging reveals a candidate stellar companion to KELT-1, which is consistent with an M dwarf if bound. The projected spin-orbit alignment angle is consistent with zero stellar obliquity, and the vsini of the primary is consistent with tidal synchronization. Given the extreme parameters of the KELT-1 system, we expect it to provide an important testbed for theories of the emplacement and evolution of short-period companions, and theories of tidal dissipation and irradiated brown dwarf atmospheres.

Hot Jupiter

Ephemeris

Orbit (dynamics)

Radial velocity

10.1088/0004-637x/761/2/123

Cite

Citations (271)

Surviving in the Hot-Neptune Desert: The Discovery of the Ultrahot Neptune TOI-3261b

The Astronomical Journal (2024)

Emma Nabbie Chelsea X. Huang Jennifer Burt D. J. Armstrong Eric E. Mamajek

Abstract The recent discoveries of Neptune-sized ultra-short-period planets (USPs) challenge existing planet formation theories. It is unclear whether these residents of the Hot Neptune Desert have similar origins to smaller, rocky USPs, or if this discrete population is evidence of a different formation pathway altogether. We report the discovery of TOI-3261b, an ultrahot Neptune with an orbital period P = 0.88 day. The host star is a V = 13.2 mag, slightly supersolar metallicity ([Fe/H] ≃0.15), inactive K1.5 main-sequence star at d = 300 pc. Using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope, we find that TOI-3261b has a radius of 3.82 − 0.35 + 0.42 R ⊕ . Moreover, radial velocities from ESPRESSO and HARPS reveal a mass of 30.3 − 2.4 + 2.2 M ⊕ , more than twice the median mass of Neptune-sized planets on longer orbits. We investigate multiple mechanisms of mass loss that can reproduce the current-day properties of TOI-3261b, simulating the evolution of the planet via tidal stripping and photoevaporation. Thermal evolution models suggest that TOI-3261b should retain an envelope potentially enriched with volatiles constituting ∼5% of its total mass. This is the second highest envelope mass fraction among ultrahot Neptunes discovered to date, making TOI-3261b an ideal candidate for atmospheric follow-up observations.

Neptune

10.3847/1538-3881/ad60be

Cite

Citations (2)

Author Correction: An ultrahot Neptune in the Neptune desert

Nature Astronomy (2020)

J. S. Jenkins Matías R. Díaz N. T. Kurtovic Néstor Espinoza José I Vines

Neptune

Desert (philosophy)

10.1038/s41550-020-01252-5

Cite

Citations (0)

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Differential photometry & RVs of HAT-P-69 & HAT-P-70 (Zhou+, 2019)

yCat (2019)

George Zhou Chelsea X. Huang G. Á. Bakos J. D. Hartman David W. Latham

Source

Cite

Citations (0)

Characterization of a set of small planets with TESS and CHEOPS and an analysis of photometric performance

arXiv (Cornell University) (2023)

Dominic Oddo Diana Dragomir A. Brandeker H. P. Osborn Karen A. Collins

The radius valley carries implications for how the atmospheres of small planets form and evolve, but this feature is visible only with highly precise characterizations of many small planets. We present the characterization of nine planets and one planet candidate with both NASA TESS and ESA CHEOPS observations, which adds to the overall population of planets bordering the radius valley. While four of our planets - TOI 118 b, TOI 455 b, TOI 560 b, and TOI 562 b - have already been published, we vet and validate transit signals as planetary using follow-up observations for five new TESS planets, including TOI 198 b, TOI 244 b, TOI 262 b, TOI 444 b, and TOI 470 b. While a three times increase in primary mirror size should mean that one CHEOPS transit yields an equivalent model uncertainty in transit depth as about nine TESS transits in the case that the star is equally as bright in both bands, we find that our CHEOPS transits typically yield uncertainties equivalent to between two and 12 TESS transits, averaging 5.9 equivalent transits. Therefore, we find that while our fits to CHEOPS transits provide overall lower uncertainties on transit depth and better precision relative to fits to TESS transits, our uncertainties for these fits do not always match expected predictions given photon-limited noise. We find no correlations between number of equivalent transits and any physical parameters, indicating that this behavior is not strictly systematic, but rather might be due to other factors such as in-transit gaps during CHEOPS visits or nonhomogeneous detrending of CHEOPS light curves.

10.48550/arxiv.2301.08162

Cite

Citations (0)

A Comparative Study of WASP-67 b and HAT-P-38 b from WFC3 Data

The Astronomical Journal (2018)

G. Bruno Nikole K. Lewis Kevin B. Stevenson Joseph Filippazzo M. J. Hill

Atmospheric temperature and planetary gravity are thought to be the main parameters affecting cloud formation in giant exoplanet atmospheres. Recent attempts to understand cloud formation have explored wide regions of the equilibrium temperature-gravity parameter space. In this study, we instead compare the case of two giant planets with nearly identical equilibrium temperature ($T_\mathrm{eq}$ $\sim 1050 \, \mathrm{K}$) and gravity ($g \sim 10 \, \mathrm{m \, s}^{-1})$. During $HST$ Cycle 23, we collected WFC3/G141 observations of the two planets, WASP-67 b and HAT-P-38 b. HAT-P-38 b, with mass 0.42 M$_\mathrm{J}$ and radius 1.4 $R_\mathrm{J}$, exhibits a relatively clear atmosphere with a clear detection of water. We refine the orbital period of this planet with new observations, obtaining $P = 4.6403294 \pm 0.0000055 \, \mathrm{d}$. WASP-67 b, with mass 0.27 M$_\mathrm{J}$ and radius 0.83 $R_\mathrm{J}$, shows a more muted water absorption feature than that of HAT-P-38 b, indicating either a higher cloud deck in the atmosphere or a more metal-rich composition. The difference in the spectra supports the hypothesis that giant exoplanet atmospheres carry traces of their formation history. Future observations in the visible and mid-infrared are needed to probe the aerosol properties and constrain the evolutionary scenario of these planets.

Surface gravity

Hot Jupiter

10.3847/1538-3881/aaa0c7

Cite

Citations (45)

Three short-period Earth-sized planets around M dwarfs discovered by TESS: TOI-5720 b, TOI-6008 b, and TOI-6086 b

Astronomy and Astrophysics (2024)

Khalid Barkaoui Richard P. Schwarz Norio Narita Priyashkumar Mistry Christian Magliano

One of the main goals of the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission is the discovery of Earth-like planets around nearby M-dwarf stars. We present the discovery and validation of three new short-period Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby M dwarfs: TOI-5720 b, TOI-6008 b, and TOI-6086 b. We combined TESS data, ground-based multicolor light curves, ground-based optical and near-infrared spectroscopy, and Subaru/IRD radial velocity data to validate the planetary candidates and constrain the physical parameters of the systems. In addition, we used archival images, high-resolution imaging, and statistical validation techniques to support the planetary validation. TOI-5720 b is an Earth-sized planet with a radius of R p = 1.09 ± 0.07 R ⊕ . It orbits a nearby (36 pc) M 2.5 host with an orbital period of P = 1.4344555 ± 0.0000036 days. It has an equilibrium temperature of T eq = 708 ± 19 K (assuming a null albedo) and an incident flux of S p = 41.7 ± 4.5 S ⊕ . TOI-6008 b is a short-period planet of P = 0.8574347 ± 0.0000424 day. It has a radius of R p = 1.03 ± 0.05 R ⊕ , an equilibrium temperature of T eq = 707 ± 19 K, and an incident flux of S p = 41.5 ± 4.5 S ⊕ . The host star (TOI-6008) is a nearby (23 pc) M 5 with an effective temperature of T eff = 3075 ± 75 K. Based on the radial velocity measurements collected with Subaru/IRD, we set a 3 σ upper limit of M p < 4 M ⊕ , thus ruling out a star or brown dwarf as the transiting companion. TOI-6086 b orbits its nearby (32 pc) M 3 host star ( T eff = 3200 ± 75 K) every 1.3888725 ± 0.0000827 days and has a radius of R p = 1.18 ± 0.07 R ⊕ , an equilibrium temperature of T eq = 634 ± 16 K, and an incident flux of S p = 26.8 ± 2.7 S ⊕ . Additional high-precision radial velocity measurements are needed to derive the planetary masses and bulk densities and to search for additional planets in the systems. Moreover, short-period Earth-sized planets orbiting around nearby M dwarfs are suitable targets for an atmospheric characterization with the James Webb Space Telescope through transmission and emission spectroscopy and phase-curve photometry.

10.1051/0004-6361/202349127

Cite

Citations (0)

Early Results from the HUMDRUM Survey: A Small, Earth-mass Planet Orbits TOI-1450A

The Astronomical Journal (2024)

Madison Brady Jacob L. Bean Andreas Seifahrt David C. Kasper R. Luque

Abstract M-dwarf stars provide us with an ideal opportunity to study nearby small planets. The HUnting for M Dwarf Rocky planets Using MAROON-X (HUMDRUM) survey uses the MAROON-X spectrograph, which is ideally suited to studying these stars, to measure precise masses of a volume-limited (<30 pc) sample of transiting M-dwarf planets. TOI-1450 is a nearby (22.5 pc) binary system containing a M3 dwarf with a roughly 3000 K companion. Its primary star, TOI-1450A, was identified by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to have a 2.04 days transit signal, and is included in the HUMDRUM sample. In this paper, we present MAROON-X radial velocities (RVs) which confirm the planetary nature of this signal and measure its mass at nearly 10% precision. The 2.04 days planet, TOI-1450A b, has R b = 1.13 ± 0.04 R ⊕ and M b = 1.26 ± 0.13 M ⊕ . It is the second-lowest-mass transiting planet with a high-precision RV mass measurement. With this mass and radius, the planet’s mean density is compatible with an Earth-like composition. Given its short orbital period and slightly sub-Earth density, it may be amenable to JWST follow-up to test whether the planet has retained an atmosphere despite extreme heating from the nearby star. We also discover a nontransiting planet in the system with a period of 5.07 days and a M sin i c = 1.53 ± 0.18 M ⊕ . We also find a 2.01 days signal present in the systems’s TESS photometry that likely corresponds to the rotation period of TOI-1450A’s binary companion, TOI-1450B. TOI-1450A, meanwhile, appears to have a rotation period of approximately 40 days, which is in line with our expectations for a mid-M dwarf.

Dwarf planet

Super-Earth

10.3847/1538-3881/ad500a

Cite

Citations (0)

A History of Handheld and Mobile Video Game Sound

Oxford University Press eBooks (2014)

Sumanth Gopinath Jason Stanyek Karen A. Collins

This chapter explores the history of sound in handheld and mobile games. It examines how the sound development has been shaped by both the technological constraints and the constraints of the portability and functions of games on the devices. It describes game audio from the pre-digital and digital eras to the development of dedicated sound chips for games on handheld devices. The chapter also highlights the rapid growth of mobile gaming as part of the games industry.

Software portability

Video game

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199913657.013.015

Cite

Citations (0)