scholarly journals Exploring the stellar properties of M dwarfs with high-resolution spectroscopy from the optical to the near-infrared

2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. A180 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Rajpurohit ◽  
F. Allard ◽  
S. Rajpurohit ◽  
R. Sharma ◽  
G. D. C. Teixeira ◽  
...  

Context. Being the most numerous and oldest stars in the galaxy, M dwarfs are objects of great interest for exoplanet searches. The presence of molecules in their atmosphere complicates our understanding of their atmospheric properties. But great advances have recently been made in the modeling of M dwarfs due to the revision of solar abundances. Aims. We aim to determine stellar parameters of M dwarfs using high resolution spectra (R ∼ 90 000) simultaneously in the visible and the near-infrared. The high resolution spectra and broad wavelength coverage provide an unique opportunity to understand the onset of dust and cloud formation at cool temperatures. Furthermore, this study will help in understanding the physical processes which occur in a cool atmospheres, particularly, the redistribution of energy from the optical to the near-infrared. Methods. The stellar parameters of M dwarfs in our sample have been determined by comparing the high resolution spectra both in the optical and in the near-infrared simultaneously observed by CARMENES with the synthetic spectra obtained from the BT-Settl model atmosphere. The detailed spectral synthesis of these observed spectra both in the optical and in the near-infrared helps to understand the missing continuum opacity. Results. For the first time, we derive fundamental stellar parameters of M dwarfs using the high resolution optical and near-infrared spectra simultaneously. We determine Teff, log g and [M/H] for 292 M dwarfs of spectral type M0 to M9, where the formation of dust and clouds are important. The derived Teff for the sample ranges from 2300 to 4000 K, values of log g ranges from 4.5 ≤ logg ≤ 5.5 and the resulting metallicity ranges from −0.5 ≤ [M/H] ≤ +0.5. We have also explored the possible differences in Teff, log g and [M/H] by comparing them with other studies of the same sample of M dwarfs.

2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. C1 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Rajpurohit ◽  
F. Allard ◽  
S. Rajpurohit ◽  
R. Sharma ◽  
G. D. C. Teixeira ◽  
...  

Geosciences ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Benatti

Exoplanet research has shown an incessant growth since the first claim of a hot giant planet around a solar-like star in the mid-1990s. Today, the new facilities are working to spot the first habitable rocky planets around low-mass stars as a forerunner for the detection of the long-awaited Sun-Earth analog system. All the achievements in this field would not have been possible without the constant development of the technology and of new methods to detect more and more challenging planets. After the consolidation of a top-level instrumentation for high-resolution spectroscopy in the visible wavelength range, a huge effort is now dedicated to reaching the same precision and accuracy in the near-infrared. Actually, observations in this range present several advantages in the search for exoplanets around M dwarfs, known to be the most favorable targets to detect possible habitable planets. They are also characterized by intense stellar activity, which hampers planet detection, but its impact on the radial velocity modulation is mitigated in the infrared. Simultaneous observations in the visible and near-infrared ranges appear to be an even more powerful technique since they provide combined and complementary information, also useful for many other exoplanetary science cases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 610 ◽  
pp. A19 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Rajpurohit ◽  
F. Allard ◽  
G. D. C. Teixeira ◽  
D. Homeier ◽  
S. Rajpurohit ◽  
...  

Context. M dwarfs are an important source of information when studying and probing the lower end of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram, down to the hydrogen-burning limit. Being the most numerous and oldest stars in the galaxy, they carry fundamental information on its chemical history. The presence of molecules in their atmospheres, along with various condensed species, complicates our understanding of their physical properties and thus makes the determination of their fundamental stellar parameters more challenging and difficult. Aim. The aim of this study is to perform a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the high-resolution H-band spectra of M dwarfs in order to determine their fundamental stellar parameters and to validate atmospheric models. The present study will also help us to understand various processes, including dust formation and depletion of metals onto dust grains in M dwarf atmospheres. The high spectral resolution also provides a unique opportunity to constrain other chemical and physical processes that occur in a cool atmosphere. Methods. The high-resolution APOGEE spectra of M dwarfs, covering the entire H-band, provide a unique opportunity to measure their fundamental parameters. We have performed a detailed spectral synthesis by comparing these high-resolution H-band spectra to that of the most recent BT-Settl model and have obtained fundamental parameters such as effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity (Teff, log g, and [Fe/H]), respectively. Results. We have determined Teff, log g, and [Fe/H] for 45 M dwarfs using high-resolution H-band spectra. The derived Teff for the sample ranges from 3100 to 3900 K, values of log g lie in the range 4.5 ≤ log g ≤ 5.5, and the resulting metallicities lie in the range −0.5 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ +0.5. We have explored systematic differences between effective temperature and metallicity calibrations with other studies using the same sample of M dwarfs. We have also shown that the stellar parameters determined using the BT-Settl model are more accurate and reliable compared to other comparative studies using alternative models.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Tako Ishikawa ◽  
Wako Aoki ◽  
Takayuki Kotani ◽  
Masayuki Kuzuhara ◽  
Masashi Omiya ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT M dwarfs are prominent targets of planet search projects, and their chemical composition is crucial to understanding the formation process or interior of orbiting exoplanets. However, measurements of elemental abundances of M dwarfs have been limited due to difficulties in the analysis of their optical spectra. We conducted a detailed chemical analysis of five M dwarfs (Teff ∼ 3200–3800 K), which form binary systems with G/K-type stars, by performing a line-by-line analysis based on high-resolution (R ∼ 80000) near-infrared (960–1710 nm) spectra obtained with CARMENES (Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exo-earths with Near-infrared and optical Échelle Spectrographs). We determined the chemical abundances of eight elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, and Fe), which are in agreement with those of the primary stars within measurement errors (∼0.2 dex). Through the analysis process, we investigated the unique behavior of atomic lines in a cool atmosphere. Most atomic lines are sensitive to changes in the abundance of not only the corresponding elements but also other elements, especially dominant electron donors such as Na and Ca. The Ti i lines show a negative correlation with the overall metallicity at Teff < 3400 K due to the consumption of neutral titanium by the formation of TiO molecules. These findings indicate that to estimate the overall metallicity or the abundance of any element correctly, we need to determine the abundances of other individual elements consistently.


2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (1) ◽  
pp. 1335-1362
Author(s):  
Logithan Kulenthirarajah ◽  
Jean-François Donati ◽  
Gaitee Hussain ◽  
Julien Morin ◽  
France Allard

Abstract The goal of the present study is to construct, test, and validate a high-resolution synthetic spectral library using PHOENIX model atmospheres and develop a reliable tool to estimate stellar parameters from high-resolution optical and/or near-infrared spectra of M dwarfs. We report here the preliminary results of tests characterizing main sequence G–K stars from high-resolution spectra. We anchored the atomic line-list using the stellar standards Sun, ξ Boo A, and ϵ Eri to ensure the synthetic spectra computed with PHOENIX reproduce their observed counterparts. These stars were chosen because their parameters are very well characterized, and on which the absolute accuracy of our method depends on. We successfully estimated the stellar parameters with associated error bars for 17 stars. Using a pseudo Monte Carlo statistical analysis, we present overall improved uncertainties on the stellar parameters compared to those in the literature (on average 9 K, 0.014 dex, and 0.008 dex for the effective temperature, the surface gravity, and the metallicity, respectively). Our estimated stellar parameters are also in good agreement with values found in the literature.


2011 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 04006 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. del Burgo ◽  
R. Deshpande ◽  
E.L. Martín ◽  
M.R. Zapatero Osorio ◽  
S. Witte ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 676-679
Author(s):  
Ruth C. Peterson

AbstractRecent results are reviewed for two methods of luminosity calibration based on high-resolution spectroscopy. The first relies onTeff/loggdeterminations from model-atmosphere analyses based on high-resolution spectra. This method is physically well founded but operationally demanding, and requires advance knowledge of stellar mass. The second, W-B, stems from the empirical relationship between luminosity and the width of chromospheric emission lines first established by Wilson and Bappu. Its physical basis is only partially understood, however, and the calibration depends on stellar metallicity and on the choice of lines.BothTeff/loggand W-B easily distinguish cool dwarfs from cool giants. Generally reasonable agreement is found between distances derived from Hipparcos parallaxes and those inferred from the loggvalues derived for nearby dwarfs with relatively well-known Hipparcos parallaxes, σ(π)/π < 0.2. Constraining Hipparcos parallaxes star-by-star is not possible at present. Improvements are suggested for both approaches.


Author(s):  
Gloria Guilluy ◽  
Alessandro Sozzetti ◽  
Paolo Giacobbe ◽  
Aldo S. Bonomo ◽  
Giuseppina Micela

AbstractSince the first discovery of an extra-solar planet around a main-sequence star, in 1995, the number of detected exoplanets has increased enormously. Over the past two decades, observational instruments (both onboard and on ground-based facilities) have revealed an astonishing diversity in planetary physical features (i. e. mass and radius), and orbital parameters (e.g. period, semi-major axis, inclination). Exoplanetary atmospheres provide direct clues to understand the origin of these differences through their observable spectral imprints. In the near future, upcoming ground and space-based telescopes will shift the focus of exoplanetary science from an era of “species discovery” to one of “atmospheric characterization”. In this context, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large (Ariel) survey, will play a key role. As it is designed to observe and characterize a large and diverse sample of exoplanets, Ariel will provide constraints on a wide gamut of atmospheric properties allowing us to extract much more information than has been possible so far (e.g. insights into the planetary formation and evolution processes). The low resolution spectra obtained with Ariel will probe layers different from those observed by ground-based high resolution spectroscopy, therefore the synergy between these two techniques offers a unique opportunity to understanding the physics of planetary atmospheres. In this paper, we set the basis for building up a framework to effectively utilise, at near-infrared wavelengths, high-resolution datasets (analyzed via the cross-correlation technique) with spectral retrieval analyses based on Ariel low-resolution spectroscopy. We show preliminary results, using a benchmark object, namely HD 209458 b, addressing the possibility of providing improved constraints on the temperature structure and molecular/atomic abundances.


2020 ◽  
Vol 640 ◽  
pp. A50 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. F. Bauer ◽  
M. Zechmeister ◽  
A. Kaminski ◽  
C. Rodríguez López ◽  
J. A. Caballero ◽  
...  

The high-resolution, dual channel, visible and near-infrared spectrograph CARMENES offers exciting opportunities for stellar and exoplanetary research on M dwarfs. In this work we address the challenge of reaching the highest radial velocity precision possible with a complex, actively cooled, cryogenic instrument, such as the near-infrared channel. We describe the performance of the instrument and the work flow used to derive precise Doppler measurements from the spectra. The capability of both CARMENES channels to detect small exoplanets is demonstrated with the example of the nearby M5.0 V star CD Cet (GJ 1057), around which we announce a super-Earth (4.0 ± 0.4 M⊕) companion on a 2.29 d orbit.


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