scholarly journals A precise architecture characterization of the π Mensae planetary system

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. A31 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Damasso ◽  
A. Sozzetti ◽  
C. Lovis ◽  
S. C. C. Barros ◽  
S. G. Sousa ◽  
...  

Context. The bright star π Men was chosen as the first target for a radial velocity follow-up to test the performance of ESPRESSO, the new high-resolution spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. The star hosts a multi-planet system (a transiting 4 M⊕ planet at ~0.07 au and a sub-stellar companion on a ~2100-day eccentric orbit), which is particularly suitable for a precise multi-technique characterization. Aims. With the new ESPRESSO observations, which cover a time span of 200 days, we aim to improve the precision and accuracy of the planet parameters and search for additional low-mass companions. We also take advantage of the new photometric transits of π Men c observed by TESS over a time span that overlaps with that of the ESPRESSO follow-up campaign. Methods. We analysed the enlarged spectroscopic and photometric datasets and compared the results to those in the literature. We further characterized the system by means of absolute astrometry with HIPPARCOS and Gaia. We used the high-resolution spectra of ESPRESSO for an independent determination of the stellar fundamental parameters. Results. We present a precise characterization of the planetary system around π Men. The ESPRESSO radial velocities alone (37 nightly binned data with typical uncertainty of 10 cm s−1) allow for a precise retrieval of the Doppler signal induced by π Men c. The residuals show a root mean square of 1.2 m s−1, which is half that of the HARPS data; based on the residuals, we put limits on the presence of additional low-mass planets (e.g. we can exclude companions with a minimum mass less than ~2 M⊕ within the orbit of π Men c). We improve the ephemeris of π Men c using 18 additional TESS transits, and, in combination with the astrometric measurements, we determine the inclination of the orbital plane of π Men b with high precision (ib =45.8−1.1+1.4 deg). This leads to the precise measurement of its absolute mass mb =14.1−0.4+0.5 MJup, indicating that π Men b can be classified as a brown dwarf. Conclusions. The π Men system represents a nice example of the extreme precision radial velocities that can be obtained with ESPRESSO for bright targets. Our determination of the 3D architecture of the π Men planetary system and the high relative misalignment of the planetary orbital planes put constraints on and challenge the theories of the formation and dynamical evolution of planetary systems. The accurate measurement of the mass of π Men b contributes to make the brown dwarf desert a bit greener.

2020 ◽  
Vol 638 ◽  
pp. A120 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gratton ◽  
A. Zurlo ◽  
H. Le Coroller ◽  
M. Damasso ◽  
F. Del Sordo ◽  
...  

Context. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun and it is known to host an Earth-like planet in its habitable zone; very recently a second candidate planet was proposed based on radial velocities. At quadrature, the expected projected separation of this new candidate is larger than 1 arcsec, making it a potentially interesting target for direct imaging. Aims. While identification of the optical counterpart of this planet is expected to be very difficult, successful identification would allow for a detailed characterization of the closest planetary system. Methods. We searched for a counterpart in SPHERE images acquired over four years through the SHINE survey. In order to account for the expected large orbital motion of the planet, we used a method that assumes the circular orbit obtained from radial velocities and exploits the sequence of observations acquired close to quadrature in the orbit. We checked this with a more general approach that considers Keplerian motion, called K-stacker. Results. We did not obtain a clear detection. The best candidate has signal-to-noise ratio (S∕N) = 6.1 in the combined image. A statistical test suggests that the probability that this detection is due to random fluctuation of noise is <1%, but this result depends on the assumption that the distribution of noise is uniform over the image, a fact that is likely not true. The position of this candidate and the orientation of its orbital plane fit well with observations in the ALMA 12 m array image. However, the astrometric signal expected from the orbit of the candidate we detected is 3σ away from the astrometric motion of Proxima as measured from early Gaia data. This, together with the unexpectedly high flux associated with our direct imaging detection, means we cannot confirm that our candidate is indeed Proxima c. Conclusions. On the other hand, if confirmed, this would be the first observation in imaging of a planet discovered from radial velocities and the second planet (after Fomalhaut b) of reflecting circumplanetary material. Further confirmation observations should be done as soon as possible.


2020 ◽  
Vol 641 ◽  
pp. A105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheongho Han ◽  
In-Gu Shin ◽  
Youn Kil Jung ◽  
Doeon Kim ◽  
Jennifer C. Yee ◽  
...  

Aims. We announce the discovery of a microlensing planetary system, in which a sub-Saturn planet is orbiting an ultracool dwarf host. Methods. We detected the planetary system by analyzing the short-timescale (tE ~ 4.4 days) lensing event KMT-2018-BLG-0748. The central part of the light curve exhibits asymmetry due to negative deviations in the rising side and positive deviations in the falling side. Results. We find that the deviations are explained by a binary-lens model with a mass ratio between the lens components of q ~ 2 × 10−3. The short event timescale, together with the small angular Einstein radius, θE ~ 0.11 mas, indicate that the mass of the planet host is very small. The Bayesian analysis conducted under the assumption that the planet frequency is independent of the host mass indicates that the mass of the planet is Mp = 0.18−0.10+0.29 MJ, and the mass of the host, Mh = 0.087−0.047+0.138 M⊙, is near the star–brown dwarf boundary, but the estimated host mass is sensitive to this assumption about the planet hosting probability. High-resolution follow-up observations would lead to revealing the nature of the planet host.


Author(s):  
G Lacedelli ◽  
L Malavolta ◽  
L Borsato ◽  
G Piotto ◽  
D Nardiello ◽  
...  

Abstract Based on HARPS-N radial velocities (RVs) and TESS photometry, we present a full characterisation of the planetary system orbiting the late G dwarf After the identification of three transiting candidates by TESS, we discovered two additional external planets from RV analysis. RVs cannot confirm the outer TESS transiting candidate, which would also make the system dynamically unstable. We demonstrate that the two transits initially associated with this candidate are instead due to single transits of the two planets discovered using RVs. The four planets orbiting TOI-561 include an ultra-short period (USP) super-Earth (TOI-561 b) with period Pb = 0.45 d, mass Mb = 1.59 ± 0.36 M⊕ and radius Rb = 1.42 ± 0.07 R⊕, and three mini-Neptunes: TOI-561 c, with Pc = 10.78 d, Mc = 5.40 ± 0.98 M⊕, Rc = 2.88 ± 0.09 R⊕; TOI-561 d, with Pd = 25.6 d, Md = 11.9 ± 1.3 M⊕, Rd = 2.53 ± 0.13 R⊕; and TOI-561 e, with Pe = 77.2 d, Me = 16.0 ± 2.3 M⊕, Re = 2.67 ± 0.11 R⊕. Having a density of 3.0 ± 0.8 g cm−3, TOI-561 b is the lowest density USP planet known to date. Our N-body simulations confirm the stability of the system and predict a strong, anti-correlated, long-term transit time variation signal between planets d and e. The unusual density of the inner super-Earth and the dynamical interactions between the outer planets make TOI-561 an interesting follow-up target.


2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 119-131
Author(s):  
Albert A. Smith ◽  
Nicolas Bolik-Coulon ◽  
Matthias Ernst ◽  
Beat H. Meier ◽  
Fabien Ferrage

AbstractThe dynamics of molecules in solution is usually quantified by the determination of timescale-specific amplitudes of motions. High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry experiments—where the sample is transferred to low fields for longitudinal (T1) relaxation, and back to high field for detection with residue-specific resolution—seeks to increase the ability to distinguish the contributions from motion on timescales slower than a few nanoseconds. However, tumbling of a molecule in solution masks some of these motions. Therefore, we investigate to what extent relaxometry improves timescale resolution, using the “detector” analysis of dynamics. Here, we demonstrate improvements in the characterization of internal dynamics of methyl-bearing side chains by carbon-13 relaxometry in the small protein ubiquitin. We show that relaxometry data leads to better information about nanosecond motions as compared to high-field relaxation data only. Our calculations show that gains from relaxometry are greater with increasing correlation time of rotational diffusion.


2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. A177 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-L. Maire ◽  
L. Rodet ◽  
C. Lazzoni ◽  
A. Boccaletti ◽  
W. Brandner ◽  
...  

Context. A low-mass brown dwarf has recently been imaged around HR 2562 (HD 50571), a star hosting a debris disk resolved in the far infrared. Interestingly, the companion location is compatible with an orbit coplanar with the disk and interior to the debris belt. This feature makes the system a valuable laboratory to analyze the formation of substellar companions in a circumstellar disk and potential disk-companion dynamical interactions. Aims. We aim to further characterize the orbital motion of HR 2562 B and its interactions with the host star debris disk. Methods. We performed a monitoring of the system over ~10 months in 2016 and 2017 with the VLT/SPHERE exoplanet imager. Results. We confirm that the companion is comoving with the star and detect for the first time an orbital motion at high significance, with a current orbital motion projected in the plane of the sky of 25 mas (~0.85 au) per year. No orbital curvature is seen in the measurements. An orbital fit of the SPHERE and literature astrometry of the companion without priors on the orbital plane clearly indicates that its orbit is (quasi-)coplanar with the disk. To further constrain the other orbital parameters, we used empirical laws for a companion chaotic zone validated by N-body simulations to test the orbital solutions that are compatible with the estimated disk cavity size. Non-zero eccentricities (>0.15) are allowed for orbital periods shorter than 100 yr, while only moderate eccentricities up to ~0.3 for orbital periods longer than 200 yr are compatible with the disk observations. A comparison of synthetic Herschel images to the real data does not allow us to constrain the upper eccentricity of the companion.


2003 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
M. Tamura ◽  
T. Naoi ◽  
Y. Oasa ◽  
Y. Nakajima ◽  
C. Nagashima ◽  
...  

We are currently conducting three kinds of IR surveys of star forming regions (SFRs) in order to seek for very low-mass young stellar populations. First is a deep JHKs-bands (simultaneous) survey with the SIRIUS camera on the IRSF 1.4m or the UH 2.2m telescopes. Second is a very deep JHKs survey with the CISCO IR camera on the Subaru 8.2m telescope. Third is a high resolution companion search around nearby YSOs with the CIAO adaptive optics coronagraph IR camera on the Subaru. In this contribution, we describe our SIRIUS camera and present preliminary results of the ongoing surveys with this new instrument.


2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. A201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemek Mróz ◽  
Andrzej Udalski ◽  
David P. Bennett ◽  
Yoon-Hyun Ryu ◽  
Takahiro Sumi ◽  
...  

Planet formation theories predict the existence of free-floating planets that have been ejected from their parent systems. Although they emit little or no light, they can be detected during gravitational microlensing events. Microlensing events caused by rogue planets are characterized by very short timescales tE (typically below two days) and small angular Einstein radii θE (up to several μas). Here we present the discovery and characterization of two ultra-short microlensing events identified in data from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) survey, which may have been caused by free-floating or wide-orbit planets. OGLE-2012-BLG-1323 is one of the shortest events discovered thus far (tE = 0.155 ± 0.005 d, θE = 2.37 ± 0.10μas) and was caused by an Earth-mass object in the Galactic disk or a Neptune-mass planet in the Galactic bulge. OGLE-2017-BLG-0560 (tE = 0.905 ± 0.005 d, θE = 38.7 ± 1.6μas) was caused by a Jupiter-mass planet in the Galactic disk or a brown dwarf in the bulge. We rule out stellar companions up to a distance of 6.0 and 3.9 au, respectively. We suggest that the lensing objects, whether located on very wide orbits or free-floating, may originate from the same physical mechanism. Although the sample of ultrashort microlensing events is small, these detections are consistent with low-mass wide-orbit or unbound planets being more common than stars in the Milky Way.


Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 363 (6430) ◽  
pp. 965-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi-Fan Yang ◽  
Boqiang Shen ◽  
Heming Wang ◽  
Minh Tran ◽  
Zhewei Zhang ◽  
...  

Determination of laser frequency with high resolution under continuous and abrupt tuning conditions is important for sensing, spectroscopy, and communications. We show that a single microresonator provides rapid and broadband measurement of optical frequencies with a relative frequency precision comparable to that of conventional dual-frequency comb systems. Dual-locked counterpropagating solitons having slightly different repetition rates were used to implement a vernier spectrometer, which enabled characterization of laser tuning rates as high as 10 terahertz per second, broadly step-tuned lasers, multiline laser spectra, and molecular absorption lines. Besides providing a considerable technical simplification through the dual-locked solitons and enhanced capability for measurement of arbitrarily tuned sources, our results reveal possibilities for chip-scale spectrometers that exceed the performance of tabletop grating and interferometer-based devices.


2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (968) ◽  
pp. 104501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gao ◽  
Plavchan P. ◽  
Gagné J. ◽  
Furlan E. ◽  
Bottom M. ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Del Castillo ◽  
Ambra Castrofino ◽  
Francesca Grosso ◽  
Giuseppe Marano ◽  
Patrizia Boracchi ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives. To assess the time span from positive to negative SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by RT-PCR, and to evaluate the reliability of the test-based criteria as the required condition for the reintroduction of the asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive patient in the community. Methods. We used information concerning negativization and the respective times. Cumulative probabilities of negativization during the follow-up were evaluated by Crude Cumulative Incidences (CCIs). Non-parametric estimates of CCIs and respective 95% C.I.s were obtained.Results. We report only the results for 52,186 individuals. 33486 subjects resulted negative or potentially negative with a CCI of 75.2% at 70 days from the first swab (95% CI: 74.8% to 75.7%). 11,000 subjects deceased before 14/05/2020 without diagnosis of negative status (CCI 21.9%; 95% CI: 21.5% to 22.3%), at 56 days from the first swab (maximum observed time to death).Conclusions. SARS-CoV-2 positivity is a condition that frequently lasts more than 30 days. Since the determination of isolation based only on a status of positivity could be excessive, more solid studies are required to determinate the significance of a prolonged state of positivity and the consequences on the policies of dismission of quarantine and isolation.


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