scholarly journals Misaligned spin-orbit in the XO-3 planetary system?

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S253) ◽  
pp. 508-511
Author(s):  
G. Hébrard ◽  
F. Bouchy ◽  
F. Pont ◽  
B. Loeillet ◽  
M. Rabus ◽  
...  

AbstractThe SOPHIE Consortium started a large program of exoplanets search and characterization in the Northern hemisphere with the new spectrograph SOPHIE at the 1.93-m telescope of Haute-Provence Observatory, France. The objectives of this program are to characterize the zoo of exoplanets and to bring strong constraints on their processes of formation and evolution using the radial velocity technique. We present here new SOPHIE measurements of the transiting planet host star XO-3. This allowed us to observe the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect and to refine the parameters of the planet. The unusual shape of the radial velocity anomaly during the transit provides a hint for a nearly transverse Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. The sky-projected angle between the planetary orbital axis and the stellar rotation axis should be λ = 70° ± 15° to be compatible with our observations. This suggests that some close-in planets might result from gravitational interaction between planets and/or stars rather than migration. This result requires confirmation by additional observations.

2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. A42 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Lillo-Box ◽  
A. Leleu ◽  
H. Parviainen ◽  
P. Figueira ◽  
M. Mallonn ◽  
...  

Context.Co-orbital bodies are the byproduct of planet formation and evolution, as we know from the solar system. Although planet-size co-orbitals do not exists in our planetary system, dynamical studies show that they can remain stable for long periods of time in the gravitational well of massive planets. Should they exist, their detection is feasible with the current instrumentation.Aims.In this paper, we present new ground-based observations searching for these bodies co-orbiting with nine close-in (P< 5 days) planets, using various observing techniques. The combination of all of these techniques allows us to restrict the parameter space of any possible trojan in the system.Methods.We used multi-technique observations, comprised of radial velocity, precision photometry, and transit timing variations, both newly acquired in the context of the TROY project and publicly available, to constrain the presence of planet-size trojans in the Lagrangian points of nine known exoplanets.Results.We find no clear evidence of trojans in these nine systems through any of the techniques used down to the precision of the observations. However, this allows us to constrain the presence of any potential trojan in the system, especially in the trojan mass or radius vs. libration amplitude plane. In particular, we can set upper mass limits in the super-Earth mass regime for six of the studied systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 641 ◽  
pp. L1 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Martioli ◽  
G. Hébrard ◽  
C. Moutou ◽  
J.-F. Donati ◽  
É. Artigau ◽  
...  

We present high-resolution near-infrared spectropolarimetric observations using the SPIRou instrument at Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) during a transit of the recently detected young planet AU Mic b, with supporting spectroscopic data from iSHELL at NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility. We detect Zeeman signatures in the Stokes V profiles and measure a mean longitudinal magnetic field of ¯Bℓ = 46.3 ± 0.7 G. Rotationally modulated magnetic spots likely cause long-term variations of the field with a slope of dBℓ/dt = −108.7 ± 7.7 G d−1. We apply the cross-correlation technique to measure line profiles and obtain radial velocities through CCF template matching. We find an empirical linear relationship between radial velocity and Bℓ, which allows us to estimate the radial-velocity induced by stellar activity through rotational modulation of spots for the five hours of continuous monitoring of AU Mic with SPIRou. We model the corrected radial velocities for the classical Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, using MCMC to sample the posterior distribution of the model parameters. This analysis shows that the orbit of AU Mic b is prograde and aligned with the stellar rotation axis with a sky-projected spin-orbit obliquity of λ = 0°−15°+18°. The aligned orbit of AU Mic b indicates that it formed in the protoplanetary disk that evolved into the current debris disk around AU Mic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (3) ◽  
pp. 3067-3075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coel Hellier ◽  
D R Anderson ◽  
A H M J Triaud ◽  
F Bouchy ◽  
A Burdanov ◽  
...  

Abstract We report the discovery of WASP-166b, a super-Neptune planet with a mass of 0.1 MJup (1.9 MNep) and a bloated radius of 0.63 RJup. It transits a V = 9.36, F9V star in a 5.44-d orbit that is aligned with the stellar rotation axis (sky-projected obliquity angle λ = 3 ± 5 deg). Variations in the radial-velocity measurements are likely the result of magnetic activity over a 12-d stellar rotation period. WASP-166b appears to be a rare object within the ‘Neptune desert’.


2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A50 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Lanza ◽  
L. Gizon ◽  
T. V. Zaqarashvili ◽  
Z.-C. Liang ◽  
K. Rodenbeck

Context. Radial velocity (RV) measurements are used to search for planets orbiting late-type main-sequence stars and to confirm the transiting planets. Aims. The most advanced spectrometers are now approaching a precision of ~10 cm s−1, which implies the need to identify and correct for all possible sources of RV oscillations intrinsic to the star down to this level and possibly beyond. The recent discovery of global-scale equatorial Rossby waves in the Sun, also called r modes, prompted us to investigate their possible signature in stellar RV measurements. These r modes are toroidal modes of oscillation whose restoring force is the Coriolis force; they propagate in the retrograde direction in a frame that co-rotates with the star. The solar r modes with azimuthal orders 3 ≤ m ≲ 15 were identified unambiguously because of their dispersion relation and their long e-folding lifetimes of hundreds of days. Methods. In this paper, we simulate the RV oscillations produced by sectoral r modes with 2 ≤ m ≤ 5 by assuming a stellar rotation period of 25.54 days and a maximum amplitude of the surface velocity of each mode of 2 m s−1. This amplitude is representative of the solar measurements except for the m = 2 mode, which has not yet been observed on the Sun. Results. Sectoral r modes with azimuthal orders m = 2 and 3 would produce RV oscillations with amplitudes of 76.4 and 19.6 cm s−1 and periods of 19.16 and 10.22 days, respectively, for a star with an inclination of the rotation axis to the line of sight i = 60°. Therefore, they may produce rather sharp peaks in the Fourier spectrum of the radial velocity time series that could lead to spurious planetary detections. Conclusions. Sectoral r modes may represent a source of confusion in the case of slowly rotating inactive stars that are preferential targets for RV planet search. The main limitation of the present investigation is the lack of observational constraints on the amplitude of the m = 2 mode on the Sun.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 379-379
Author(s):  
P.L. Cottrell ◽  
L. Skuljan ◽  
P.M. Kilmartin ◽  
C. Gilmore ◽  
W.A. Lawson

For more than a decade we have been able to acquire and analyse a significant amount of photometric data of the highly variable R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. This has made been possible by a photometric service observing programme instigated at the Observatory. These photometric data have been combined with less extensive spectroscopic coverage, particularly of the decline phase of these stars. These have been supplemented by observations obtained at Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories for a radial velocity study. Significantly more spectroscopic observations are now being acquired with the development of a new medium resolution spectrograph at Mount John University Observatory. In this poster we will present recent photometric and spectroscopic results for a number of the RCB stars in our sample. This observational and analysis work can be used to provide further insight into the nature of these stars, their likely progeny and progenitors and the processes that are involved in the formation and evolution of the obscuring dust clouds which cause the decline phase.


1995 ◽  
Vol 155 ◽  
pp. 42-43
Author(s):  
Hiromoto Shibahashi ◽  
Masao Takata

AbstractBy assuming that the RR Lyrae stars have fairly strong dipole magnetic fields with the symmetry axis oblique to the rotation axis of the star, we show that the oscillation mode which would be a pure radial oscillation in absence of the magnetic field has a quadrupole component, which is axisymmetric with respect to the magnetic axis. The aspect angle of the quadrupole component changes due to the stellar rotation, and this apparent variation is interpreted as the Blazhko effect in RR Lyrae stars.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S334) ◽  
pp. 331-332
Author(s):  
Xiao-Ying Pang ◽  
Chien-Cheng Lin

AbstractThe fundamental plane (FP) is the relation between the surface brightness (I), velocity dispersion (σ) and radius (R). The tilt of FP from the virial plane (R = σ2 I) not only tells the dynamical states of the system but also its formation and evolution. We motivate to looking for an FP in Galactic open clusters (OCs). To form a sample of OCs, we access the most recent DR 14 data from the SDSS/APOGEE2 and the Gaia-ESO survey. Membership of stars is determined via radial velocity and metallicity, plus star’s location in the color-magnitude diagram. Besides the velocity dispersion (σrv) obtained from SDSS/APOGEE2 &amp; Gaia-ESO, the average surface brightness (IKs), and apparent radii (r2) of OCs are taken from known OC catalog. A weak relation is found: log(r2) ∝ -0.34 * log(σ) - 0.08 * IKs. An implication of this FP needs further investigation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 624 ◽  
pp. A118 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-L. Maire ◽  
L. Rodet ◽  
F. Cantalloube ◽  
R. Galicher ◽  
W. Brandner ◽  
...  

Context. The 51 Eridani system harbors a complex architecture with its primary star forming a hierarchical system with the binary GJ 3305AB at a projected separation of 2000 au, a giant planet orbiting the primary star at 13 au, and a low-mass debris disk around the primary star with possible cold and warm components inferred from the spectral energy distribution. Aims. We aim to better constrain the orbital parameters of the known giant planet. Methods. We monitored the system over three years from 2015 to 2018 with the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Results. We measure an orbital motion for the planet of ~130 mas with a slightly decreasing separation (~10 mas) and find a hint of curvature. This potential curvature is further supported at 3σ significance when including literature Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) astrometry corrected for calibration systematics. Fits of the SPHERE and GPI data using three complementary approaches provide broadly similar results. The data suggest an orbital period of 32−9+17 yr (i.e., 12−2+4 au in semi-major axis), an inclination of 133−7+14 deg, an eccentricity of 0.45−0.15+0.10, and an argument of periastron passage of 87−30+34 deg [mod 180°]. The time at periastron passage and the longitude of node exhibit bimodal distributions because we do not yet detect whether the planet is accelerating or decelerating along its orbit. Given the inclinations of the orbit and of the stellar rotation axis (134–144°), we infer alignment or misalignment within 18° for the star–planet spin-orbit. Further astrometric monitoring in the next 3–4 yr is required to confirm at a higher significance the curvature in the motion of the planet, determine if the planet is accelerating or decelerating on its orbit, and further constrain its orbital parameters and the star–planet spin-orbit.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Kraus

&lt;p&gt;Observations of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect have revealed that the orbits of many exoplanets are misaligned with respect to the stellar rotation axis. Various scenarios have been proposed that associate the orbit obliquity either with multi-body interactions or dynamical processes in the disc during the planet formation process. In this talk, I will present how infrared interferometry allows us to study the origin of the planet obliquity:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In the first part of the talk I will present observations that reveal the recently-posted disc tearing effect, where the gravitational torque of companions on misaligned orbits can tear the disc apart into distinct rings that precess independently around the central objects. We imaged the triple system GW Orionis using VLTI, CHARA, ALMA, SPHERE, and GPI and discover three rings in thermal light and an asymmetric structure with radial shadows in scattered light. The inner-most ring is eccentric (e=0.3; 43 au radius) and strongly misaligned both with respect to the orbital planes and with respect to the outer disc. Modelling the scattered light signatures and the shape of the shadows cast by the misaligned ring allows us derive the shape and 3-dimensional orientation of the disc surface, revealing that the disc is strongly warped and breaks at a radius of about 50 au. Based on the measured triple star orbits and disc properties, we conducted smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations which show that the system is susceptible to the disc tearing effect. The ring offers suitable conditions for planet formation, providing a mechanism for forming wide-separation planets on highly oblique orbits. Our results imply that there may exist a significant, yet undiscovered population of long-period planets on highly oblique orbits that has formed around misaligned multiple systems.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In the second part I will show how infrared interferometry can be used to search for this predicted population of wide-separation planets on oblique orbits, probing a highly complementary regime to the parameter space accessible with the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. I will present the first study where the spin-orbit alignment has been measured for a directly-imaged exoplanet, namely on Beta Pictoris b. We used VLTI/GRAVITY spectro-interferometry with an astrometric accuracy of 1 microarcsecond to measure the photocenter displacement associated with the stellar rotation. Taking inclination constraints from astroseismology into account, we constrain the 3-dimensional orientation of the stellar spin axis and find that Beta Pic b orbits its host star on a prograde orbit with a small obliquity angle.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;I will conclude by offering a near-term perspective on how infrared interferometry with the proposed BIFROST beam-combination instrument could advance our understanding of the planet formation process and of the early dynamical evolution of exoplanetary systems.&lt;/p&gt;


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