Search

The maximum eccentricity method (MEM, (Dvorak et al. in Astron Astrophys 426(2):L37–L40, 2004)) is a standard tool for the analysis of planetary systems and their stability. The method amounts to estimating the maximal stretch of orbits over sampled domains of initial conditions. The present paper leverages on the MEM to introduce a sharp detector of separatrices and chaotic seas. After introducing the MEM analogue for nearly-integrable action-angle Hamiltonians, i.e., diameters, we use low-dimensional dynamical systems with multi-resonant modes and junctions, supporting chaotic motions, to recognise the drivers of the diameter metric. Once this is appreciated, we present a second-derivative-based index measuring the regularity of this application. This quantity turns to be a sensitive and robust indicator to detect separatrices, resonant webs and chaotic seas. We discuss practical applications of this framework in the context of N-body simulations for the planetary case affected by mean-motion resonances, and demonstrate the ability of the index to distinguish minute structures of the phase space, otherwise undetected with the original MEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ariel mission will characterise the chemical and thermal properties of the atmospheres of about a thousand exoplanets transiting their host star(s). The observation of such a large sample of planets will allow to deepen our understanding of planetary and atmospheric formation at the early stages, providing a truly representative picture of the chemical nature of exoplanets, and relating this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. Hence, the accurate and precise determination of the host star fundamental properties is essential to Ariel for drawing a comprehensive picture of the underlying essence of these planetary systems. We present here a structured approach for the characterisation of Ariel stars that accounts for the concepts of homogeneity and coherence among a large set of stellar parameters. We present here the studies and benchmark analyses we have been performing to determine robust stellar fundamental parameters, elemental abundances, activity indices, and stellar ages. In particular, we present results for the homogeneous estimation of the activity indices S and log (R HK ′) , and preliminary results for elemental abundances of Na, Al, Mg, Si, C, N. In addition, we analyse the variation of a planetary spectrum, obtained with Ariel, as a function of the uncertainty on the stellar effective temperature. Finally, we present our observational campaign for precisely and homogeneously characterising all Ariel stars in order to perform a meaningful choice of final targets before the mission launch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dark spots on the surface of active stars produce changes in the shapes of the spectral lines that mimic spurious Doppler shifts, compromising the detection of small planets by means of the radial velocity (RV) technique. Modeling the spot‐driven RV variability (known as "jitter") and how it affects the RV data sets is therefore crucial to design efficient activity‐filtering techniques and inform observing strategies. Here, we characterize starspots and simulate the RV curves induced by them to determine typical jitter amplitudes for a representative sample of 15 known host stars spanning between F and M spectral types. We collect information on the logRHK′ activity index from the literature for 205 stars and, due to a lack of data in the temperature range 4,000–4,500 K, we measure it for 10 stars using archival data. Additional stellar parameters required for the simulations are collected from the literature or constrained by observational data in order to derive realistic estimates. Our results can be used as reference to determine typical peak‐to‐peak spot‐induced RV jitter in the visible domain that can be expected when targeting host stars with different properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the large rocky bodies in the solar system display evidence of past and/or current magnetic activity, driven by thermochemical convection in an electrically conducting fluid layer. The discovery of a large number of extrasolar planets motivates the search for magnetic fields beyond the solar system. While current observations are limited to providing planetary radii and minimum masses, studying the evolution of exoplanets' magnetic fields and their interaction with the atmosphere can open new avenues for constraining interior properties from future atmospheric observations. Here, we investigate the evolution of massive rocky planets (0.8 − 2 MEarth) with different bulk and mantle iron contents. Starting from their temperature profiles after accretion, we determine the structure of the core and model its subsequent thermal and magnetic evolution over 5 Gyr. We find that the planetary iron inventory and distribution strongly affect core structure, evolution, and the lifetime of a magnetic field. Planets with large bulk and mantle iron contents tend to feature large solid inner cores, which can grow up to the liquid outer core radius, shutting down any pre‐existing magnetic activity. Consequently, the longest dynamo lifetimes (∼ 4.25 Gyr) are obtained for massive planets with intermediate iron inventories. The smaller inner core radii and the chemical buoyancy fluxes introduced by the presence of light impurities can extend the magnetic field lifetimes to more than 5 Gyr. While the calculated magnetic fields are too weak to be detected by ground facilities, indirect observations may provide valuable insights into exoplanetary dynamos. Plain Language Summary: Earth's magnetic field is powered by vigorous convection in its liquid metallic outer core. The presence of a magnetic field is thought to accommodate habitable surface conditions by shielding the planetary upper atmosphere from harmful solar radiation. Most rocky planets in our solar system display past or present signatures of magnetic activity, and similar trends may exist in exoplanetary systems. The current knowledge of exoplanets relies on their radii and masses, while internal properties remain largely unconstrained. Studying the evolution of exoplanetary magnetic fields and their interaction with the surrounding environment will help to constrain interior properties from future atmospheric observations. Here, we investigate the structure and the thermal and magnetic evolution of the cores of rocky planets with different masses (0.8–2 Earth masses) and variable iron contents. We find that the iron content and its internal distribution between a planet's core and mantle strongly affect the evolution of the core and the lifetime of a magnetic field. The longest‐lived magnetic fields are obtained for massive planets having intermediate iron contents. Iron‐rich planets tend to grow fully solid cores, hindering any further magnetic activity. The presence of a small fraction of light core impurities can help prolong magnetic field lifetimes. Key Points: We investigate the evolution of the cores of rocky planets with masses 0.8–2 MEarth and variable bulk and mantle iron contentsThe content and distribution of iron in a planetary body significantly influence core evolution and magnetic field lifetimesThe cores of iron‐rich planets tend to become fully solid, shutting off any pre‐existing magnetic field and shortening the dynamo lifetime [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the origin of close-in planets and related phenomena orbiting white dwarfs (WDs), which are thought to originate from orbits more distant from the star. We use the planetary architectures of the 75 multiple-planet systems (four, five, and six planets) detected orbiting main-sequence stars to build 750 dynamically analogous templates that we evolve to the WD phase. Our exploration of parameter space, although not exhaustive, is guided and restricted by observations and we find that the higher the multiplicity of the planetary system, the more likely it is to have a dynamical instability (losing planets, orbit crossing, and scattering), that eventually will send a planet (or small object) through a close periastron passage. Indeed, the fraction of unstable four- to six-planet simulations is comparable to the 25–50 |${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| fraction of WDs having atmospheric pollution. Additionally, the onset of instability in the four- to six-planet configurations peaks in the first Gyr of the WD cooling time, decreasing thereafter. Planetary multiplicity is a natural condition to explain the presence of close-in planets to WDs, without having to invoke the specific architectures of the system or their migration through the von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai effects from binary companions or their survival through the common envelope phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRAPPIST-1 is a fantastic nearby (∼39.14 light years) planetary system made of at least seven transiting terrestrial-size, terrestrial-mass planets all receiving a moderate amount of irradiation. To date, this is the most observationally favourable system of potentially habitable planets known to exist. Since the announcement of the discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system in 2016, a growing number of techniques and approaches have been used and proposed to characterize its true nature. Here we have compiled a state-of-the-art overview of all the observational and theoretical constraints that have been obtained so far using these techniques and approaches. The goal is to get a better understanding of whether or not TRAPPIST-1 planets can have atmospheres, and if so, what they are made of. For this, we surveyed the literature on TRAPPIST-1 about topics as broad as irradiation environment, planet formation and migration, orbital stability, effects of tides and Transit Timing Variations, transit observations, stellar contamination, density measurements, and numerical climate and escape models. Each of these topics adds a brick to our understanding of the likely—or on the contrary unlikely—atmospheres of the seven known planets of the system. We show that (i) Hubble Space Telescope transit observations, (ii) bulk density measurements comparison with H2-rich planets mass-radius relationships, (iii) atmospheric escape modelling, and (iv) gas accretion modelling altogether offer solid evidence against the presence of hydrogen-dominated—cloud-free and cloudy—atmospheres around TRAPPIST-1 planets. This means that the planets are likely to have either (i) a high molecular weight atmosphere or (ii) no atmosphere at all. There are several key challenges ahead to characterize the bulk composition(s) of the atmospheres (if present) of TRAPPIST-1 planets. The main one so far is characterizing and correcting for the effects of stellar contamination. Fortunately, a new wave of observations with the James Webb Space Telescope and near-infrared high-resolution ground-based spectrographs on existing very large and forthcoming extremely large telescopes will bring significant advances in the coming decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major outstanding question regarding the formation of planetary systems is whether wide-orbit giant planets form differently than close-in giant planets. We aim to establish constraints on two key parameters that are relevant for understanding the formation of wide-orbit planets: (1) the relative mass function and (2) the fraction of systems hosting multiple companions. In this study, we focus on systems with directly imaged substellar companions and the detection limits on lower mass bodies within these systems. First, we uniformly derive the mass probability distributions of known companions. We then combine the information contained within the detections and detection limits into a survival analysis statistical framework to estimate the underlying mass function of the parent distribution. Finally, we calculate the probability that each system may host multiple substellar companions. We find that (1) the companion mass distribution is rising steeply toward smaller masses, with a functional form of N ∝ M−1.3±0.03, and consequently, (2) many of these systems likely host additional undetected substellar companions. Combined, these results strongly support the notion that wide-orbit giant planets are formed predominantly via core accretion, similar to the better studied close-in giant planets. Finally, given the steep rise in the relative mass function with decreasing mass, these results suggest that future deep observations should unveil a greater number of directly imaged planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The impact of stellar mass on the properties of giant planets is still not fully understood. Main-sequence (MS) stars more massive than the Sun remain relatively unexplored in radial velocity (RV) surveys, due to their characteristics which hinder classical RV measurements. Aims. Our aim is to characterize the close (up to ~2 au) giant planet (GP) and brown dwarf (BD) population around AF MS stars and compare this population to stars with different masses. Methods. We used the SOPHIE spectrograph located on the 1.93 m telescope at Observatoire de Haute-Provence to observe 125 northern, MS AF dwarfs. We used our dedicated SAFIR software to compute the RV and other spectroscopic observables. We characterized the detected substellar companions and computed the GP and BD occurrence rates combining the present SOPHIE survey and a similar HARPS survey. Results. We present new data on two known planetary systems around the F5-6V dwarfs HD 16232 and HD 113337. For the latter, we report an additional RV variation that might be induced by a second GP on a wider orbit. We also report the detection of 15 binaries or massive substellar companions with high-amplitude RV variations or long-term RV trends. Based on 225 targets observed with SOPHIE and/or HARPS, we constrain the BD frequency within 2–3 au around AF stars to be below 4% (1σ). For Jupiter-mass GPs within 2–3 au (periods ≤103 days), we find the occurrence rate to be 3.7−1+3 $3.7_{-1}^{+3}$ 3.7 − 1 + 3 % around AF stars with masses <1.5 M⊙, and to be ≤6% (1σ) around AF stars with masses >1.5 M⊙. For periods shorter than 10 days, we find the GP occurrence rate to be below 3 and 4.5% (1σ), respectively. Our results are compatible with the GP frequency reported around FGK dwarfs and are compatible with a possible increase in GP orbital periods with stellar mass as predicted by formation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. The aim of this work is to search for planets around intermediate-mass stars in open clusters using data from an extensive survey with more than 15 yr of observations. Methods. We obtain high-precision radial velocities (RV) with the HARPS spectrograph for a sample of 142 giant stars in 17 open clusters. We fit Keplerian orbits when a significant periodic signal is detected. We also study the variation of stellar activity indicators and line-profile variations to discard stellar-induced signals. Results. We present the discovery of a periodic RV signal compatible with the presence of a planet candidate in the 1.15 Gyr open cluster IC 4651 orbiting the 2.06 M⊙ star No. 9122. If confirmed, the planet candidate would have a minimum mass of 7.2 MJ and a period of 747 days. However, we also find that the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the cross-correlation function (CCF) varies with a period close to the RV, casting doubts on the planetary nature of the signal. We also provide refined parameters for the previously discovered planet around NGC 2423 No. 3, but show evidence that the bisector inverse slope (BIS) of the CCF is correlated with the RV during some of the observing periods. We consider this fact as a warning that this might not be a real planet and that the RV variations could be caused by stellar activity and/or pulsations. Finally, we show that the previously reported signal by a brown dwarf around NGC 4349 No. 127 is presumably produced by stellar activity modulation. Conclusions. The long-term monitoring of several red giants in open clusters has allowed us to find periodic RV variations in several stars. However, we also show that the follow-up of this kind of stars should last more than one orbital period to detect long-term signals of stellar origin. This work highlights the fact that although it is possible to detect planets around red giants, large-amplitude, long-period RV modulations do exist in such stars that can mimic the presence of an orbiting planetary body. Therefore, we need to better understand how such RV modulations behave as stars evolve along the red giant branch and perform a detailed study of all the possible stellar-induced signals (e.g., spots, pulsations, granulation) to comprehend the origin of RV variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the differences between four commonly-used exoplanet catalogs (exoplanet.eu; exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu; openexoplanetcatalogue.com; exoplanets.org) using a Kolmogorov--Smirnov (KS) test. We found a relatively good agreement in terms of the planetary parameters (mass, radius, period) and stellar properties (mass, temperature, metallicity), although a more careful analysis of the overlap and unique parts of each catalog revealed some differences. We quantified the statistical impact of these differences and their potential cause. We concluded that although statistical studies are unlikely to be significantly affected by the choice of catalog, it would be desirable to have one consistent catalog accepted by the general exoplanet community as a base for exoplanet statistics and comparison with theoretical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Hundreds of giant planets have been discovered so far and the quest of exo-Earths in giant planet systems has become intriguing. In this work, we aim to address the question of the possible long-term coexistence of a terrestrial companion on an orbit interior to a giant planet, and explore the extent of the stability regions for both non-resonant and resonant configurations. Methods. Our study focuses on the restricted three-body problem, where an inner terrestrial planet (massless body) moves under the gravitational attraction of a star and an outer massive planet on a circular or elliptic orbit. Using the detrended fast Lyapunov indicator as a chaotic indicator, we constructed maps of dynamical stability by varying both the eccentricity of the outer giant planet and the semi-major axis of the inner terrestrial planet, and identify the boundaries of the stability domains. Guided by the computation of families of periodic orbits, the phase space is unravelled by meticulously chosen stable periodic orbits, which buttress the stability domains. Results. We provide all possible stability domains for coplanar symmetric configurations and show that a terrestrial planet, either in mean-motion resonance or not, can coexist with a giant planet, when the latter moves on either a circular or an (even highly) eccentric orbit. New families of symmetric and asymmetric periodic orbits are presented for the 2/1 resonance. It is shown that an inner terrestrial planet can survive long time spans with a giant eccentric outer planet on resonant symmetric orbits, even when both orbits are highly eccentric. For 22 detected single-planet systems consisting of a giant planet with high eccentricity, we discuss the possible existence of a terrestrial planet. This study is particularly suitable for the research of companions among the detected systems with giant planets, and could assist with refining observational data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Our knowledge of the intrinsic parameters of exoplanets is as precise as our determinations of their stellar hosts parameters. In the case of radial velocity searches for planets, stellar masses appear to be crucial. But before estimating stellar masses properly, detailed spectroscopic analysis is essential. With this paper we conclude a general spectroscopic description of the Pennsylvania-Toruń Planet Search (PTPS) sample of stars. Aims. We aim at a detailed description of basic parameters of stars representing the complete PTPS sample. We present atmospheric and physical parameters for dwarf stars observed within the PTPS along with updated physical parameters for the remaining stars from this sample after the first Gaia data release. Methods. We used high resolution (R = 60 000) and high signal-to-noise-ratio (S/N = 150–250) spectra from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and its High Resolution Spectrograph. Stellar atmospheric parameters were determined through a strictly spectroscopic local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis (LTE) of the equivalent widths of Fe I and Fe II lines. Stellar masses, ages, and luminosities were estimated through a Bayesian analysis of theoretical isochrones. Results. We present Teff, log g, [Fe/H], microturbulence velocities, absolute radial velocities, and rotational velocities for 156 stars from the dwarf sample of PTPS. For most of these stars these are the first determinations. We refine the definition of PTPS subsamples of stars (giants, subgiants, and dwarfs) and update the luminosity classes for all PTPS stars. Using available Gaia and HIPPARCOS parallaxes, we redetermine the stellar parameters (masses, radii, luminosities, and ages) for 451 PTPS stars. Conclusions. The complete PTPS sample of 885 stars is composed of 132 dwarfs, 238 subgiants, and 515 giants, of which the vast majority are of roughly solar mass; however, 114 have masses higher than 1.5 M⊙ and 30 of over 2 M⊙. The PTPS extends toward much less metal abundant and much more distant stars than other planet search projects aimed at detecting planets around evolved stars; 29% of our targets belong to the Galactic thick disc and 2% belong to the halo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown that stellar activity features, such as occulted and non-occulted starspots, can affect the measurement of transit parameters biasing studies of transit timing variations and transmission spectra. We present PyTranSpot, which we designed to model multiband transit light curves showing starspot anomalies, inferring both transit and spot parameters. The code follows a pixellation approach to model the star with its corresponding limb darkening, spots, and transiting planet on a two dimensional Cartesian coordinate grid. We combine PyTranSpot with a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework to study and derive exoplanet transmission spectra, which provides statistically robust values for the physical properties and uncertainties of a transiting star-planet system. We validate PyTranSpot’s performance by analyzing eleven synthetic light curves of four different star-planet systems and 20 transit light curves of the well-studied WASP-41b system. We also investigate the impact of starspots on transit parameters and derive wavelength dependent transit depth values for WASP-41b covering a range of 6200−9200 Å, indicating a flat transmission spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rectilinear elliptic restricted three-body problem (TBP) is the limiting case of the elliptic restricted TBP when the motion of the primaries is described by a Keplerian ellipse with eccentricity $$e'=1$$ , but the collision of the primaries is assumed to be a non-singular point. The rectilinear model has been proposed as a starting model for studying the dynamics of motion around highly eccentric binary systems. Broucke (AIAA J 7:1003-1009, 1969) explored the rectilinear problem and obtained isolated periodic orbits for mass parameter $$\mu =0.5$$ (equal masses of the primaries). We found that all orbits obtained by Broucke are linearly unstable. We extend Broucke's computations by using a finer search for symmetric periodic orbits and computing their linear stability. We found a large number of periodic orbits, but only eight of them were found to be linearly stable and are associated with particular mean motion resonances. These stable orbits are used as generating orbits for continuation with respect to $$\mu $$ and $$e'<1$$ . Also, continuation of periodic solutions with respect to the mass of the small body can be applied by using the general TBP. FLI maps of dynamical stability show that stable periodic orbits are surrounded in phase space with regions of regular orbits indicating that systems of very highly eccentric orbits can be found in stable resonant configurations. As an application we present a stability study for the planetary system HD7449. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here in full detail the evolution of the angular momentum deficit (AMD) during collisions as it was described in Laskar (2000, Phys. Rev. Lett., 84, 3240). Since then, the AMD has been revealed to be a key parameter for the understanding of the outcome of planetary formation models.We define here the AMD-stability criterion that can be easily verified on a newly discovered planetary system. We show how AMD-stability can be used to establish a classification of the multiplanet systems in order to exhibit the planetary systems that are long-term stable because they are AMD-stable, and those that are AMD-unstable which then require some additional dynamical studies to conclude on their stability. The AMD-stability classification is applied to the 131 multiplanet systems from The Extrasolar Planet Encyclopaedia database for which the orbital elements are sufficiently well known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoRoT-9b is one of the rare long-period (P = 95.3 days) transiting giant planets with a measured mass known to date. We present a new analysis of the CoRoT-9 system based on five years of radial-velocity (RV) monitoring with HARPS and three new space-based transits observed with CoRoT and Spitzer. Combining our new data with already published measurements we redetermine the CoRoT-9 system parameters and find good agreement with the published values. We uncover a higher significance for the small but non-zero eccentricity of CoRoT-9b (e = 0.133+0.042-0.037) and find no evidence for additional planets in the system. We use simulations of planet-planet scattering to show that the eccentricity of CoRoT-9b may have been generated by an instability in which a ~ 50 M⊕ planet was ejected from the system. This scattering would not have produced a spin-orbit misalignment, so we predict that the CoRoT-9b orbit should lie within a few degrees of the initial plane of the protoplanetary disk. As a consequence, any significant stellar obliquity would indicate that the disk was primordially tilted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new radial velocity measurements for three low-metallicity solar-like stars observed with the SOPHIE spectrograph and its predecessor ELODIE, both installed at the 193 cm telescope of the Haute-Provence Observatory, allowing the detection and characterization of three new giant extrasolar planets in intermediate periods of 1.7 to 3.7 yr. All three stars, HD 17674, HD 42012 and HD 29021 present single giant planetary companions with minimum masses between 0.9 and 2.5 MJup. The range of periods and masses of these companions, along with the distance of their host stars, make them good targets to look for astrometric signals over the lifetime of the new astrometry satellite Gaia. We discuss the preliminary astrometric solutions obtained from the first Gaia data release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2005 we suggested a relation between the optimal locus of gas giant planet formation, prior to migration, and the metallicity of the host star, based on the core accretion model, and radial profiles of dust surface density and gas temperature. At that time, less than 200 extrasolar planets were known, limiting the scope of our analysis. Here, we take into account the expanded statistics allowed by new discoveries, in order to check the validity of some premises. We compare predictions with the present available data and results for different stellar mass ranges. We find that the zero age planetary orbit (ZAPO) hypothesis continues to hold after a two order of magnitude increase in discovered planets, as well as the prediction that planets around metal poor stars would have shorter orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct detection of reflected light from exoplanets is an excellent probe for the characterization of their atmospheres. The greatest challenge for this task is the low planet-to-star flux ratio, which even in the most favourable case is of the order of 10 in the optical. This ratio decreases even more for planets in their host's habitable zone, typically lower than 10. To reach the signal-to-noise level required for such detections, we propose to unleash the power of the Cross Correlation Function in combination with the collecting power of next generation observing facilities. The technique we propose has already yielded positive results by detecting the reflected spectral signature of 51 Pegasi b (see Martins et al. 2015). In this work, we attempted to infer the number of hours required for the detection of several planets in their host's habitable zone using the aforementioned technique from theoretical EELT observations. Our results show that for 5 of the selected planets it should be possible to directly recover their reflected spectral signature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. As a probe of the metallicity of proto-planetary disks, stellar metallicity is an important ingredient for giant planet formation, most likely through its effect on the timescales in which rocky or icy planet cores can form. Giant planets have been found to be more frequent around metal-rich stars, in agreement with predictions based on the core-accretion theory. In the metal-poor regime, however, the frequency of planets, especially low-mass planets, and the way it depends on metallicity are still largely unknown. Aims. As part of a planet search programme focused on metal-poor stars, we study the targets from this survey that were observed with HARPS on more than 75 nights. The main goals are to assess the presence of low-mass planets and provide a first estimate of the frequency of Neptunes and super-Earths around metal-poor stars. Methods. We performed a systematic search for planetary companions, both by analysing the periodograms of the radial-velocities and by comparing, in a statistically meaningful way, models with an increasing number of Keplerians. Results. A first constraint on the frequency of planets in our metal-poor sample is calculated considering the previous detection (in our sample) of a Neptune-sized planet around HD 175607 and one candidate planet (with an orbital period of 68.42 d and minimum mass Mpsini = 11.14 ± 2.47 M⊕) for HD 87838, announced in the present study. This frequency is determined to be close to 13% and is compared with results for solar-metallicity stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Solar twins are increasingly the subject of many studies owing to their wide range of applications from testing stellar evolution models to the calibration of fundamental observables; these stars are also of interest because high precision abundances could be achieved that are key to investigating the chemical anomalies imprinted by planet formation. Furthermore, the advent of photometric surveys with large telescopes motivates the identification of faint solar twins in order to set the zero point of fundamental calibrations. Aims. We intend to perform a detailed line-by-line differential analysis to verify whether 2MASS J23263267-0239363 (designated here as Inti 1) is indeed a solar twin. Methods. We determine the atmospheric parameters and differential abundances using high-resolution (R ≈ 50 000), high signal-to-noise (S/N ≈ 110–240 per pixel) Keck/HIRES spectra for our solar twin candidate, the previously known solar twin HD 45184, and the Sun (using reflected light from the asteroid Vesta). Results. For the bright solar twin HD 45184, we found Teff = 5864 ± 9 K, log g = 4.45 ± 0.03 dex, vt = 1.11 ± 0.02 km s-1, and [Fe/H] = 0.04 ± 0.01 dex, which are in good agreement with previous works. Our abundances are in excellent agreement with a recent high-precision work, with an element-to-element scatter of only 0.01 dex. The star Inti 1 has atmospheric parameters Teff = 5837 ± 11 K, log g = 4.42 ± 0.03 dex, vt = 1.04 ± 0.02 km s-1, and [Fe/H] = 0.07 ± 0.01 dex that are higher than solar. The age and mass of the solar twin HD 45184 (3 Gyr and 1.05 M⊙) and the faint solar twin Inti 1 (4 Gyr and 1.04 M⊙) were estimated using isochrones. The differential analysis shows that HD 45184 presents an abundance pattern that is similar to typical nearby solar twins; this means this star has an enhanced refractory relative to volatile elements, while Inti 1 has an abundance pattern closer to solar, albeit somewhat enhanced in refractories. The abundance pattern of HD 45184 and Inti 1 could be reproduced by adding ≈3.5 M⊕ and ≈1.5 M⊕ of Earth-like material to the convective zone of the Sun. Conclusions. The star Inti 1 is a faint solar twin, therefore, it could be used to calibrate the zero points of different photometric systems. The distant solar twin Inti 1 has an abundance pattern similar to the Sun with only a minor enhancement in the refractory elements. It would be important to analyze other distant solar twins to verify whether they share the Sun’s abundance pattern or if they are enhanced in refractories, as is the case in the majority of nearby solar twins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Tentative correlations between the presence of dusty circumstellar debris discs and low-mass planets have recently been presented. In parallel, detailed chemical abundance studies have reported different trends between samples of planet and non-planet hosts. Whether these chemical differences are indeed related to the presence of planets is still strongly debated. Aims. We aim to test whether solar-type stars with debris discs show any chemical peculiarity that could be related to the planet formation process. Methods. We determine in a homogeneous way the metallicity, [Fe/H], and abundances of individual elements of a sample of 251 stars including stars with known debris discs, stars harbouring simultaneously debris discs and planets, stars hosting exclusively planets, and a comparison sample of stars without known discs or planets. High-resolution échelle spectra (R ∼ 57 000) from 2-3 m class telescopes are used. Our methodology includes the calculation of the fundamental stellar parameters (Teff, logg, microturbulent velocity, and metallicity) by applying the iron ionisation and equilibrium conditions to several isolated Fe I and Fe II lines, as well as individual abundances of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn. Results. No significant differences have been found in metallicity, individual abundances or abundance-condensation temperature trends between stars with debris discs and stars with neither debris nor planets. Stars with debris discs and planets have the same metallicity behaviour as stars hosting planets, and they also show a similar ([X/Fe]) -TC trend. Different behaviour in the ([X/Fe]) -TC trends is found between the samples of stars without planets and the samples of planet hosts. In particular, when considering only refractory elements, negative slopes are shown in cool giant planet hosts, whilst positive ones are shown in stars hosting low-mass planets. The statistical significance of the derived slopes is low, however, probably because of the wide range of stellar parameters of our samples. Stars hosting exclusively close-in giant planets behave in a different way, showing higher metallicities and positive ([X/Fe]) -TC slope. A search for correlations between the ([X/Fe])-TC slopes and the stellar properties reveals a moderate but significant correlation with the stellar radius and a weak correlation with the stellar age, which remain even if Galactic chemical evolution effects are considered. No correlation between the ([X/Fe]) -TC slopes and the disc/planet properties are found. Conclusions. The fact that stars with debris discs and stars with low-mass planets do not show either metal enhancement or a different ([X/Fe])-TC trend might indicate a correlation between the presence of debris discs and the presence of low-mass planets. We extend results from previous works based mainly on solar analogues with reported differences in the ([X/Fe])-TC trends between planet hosts and non-hosts to a wider range of parameters. However, these differences tend to be present only when the star hosts a cool distant planet and not in stars hosting exclusively low-mass planets. The interpretation of these differences as a signature of planetary formation should be considered with caution since moderate correlations between the TC-slopes with the stellar radius and the stellar age are found, suggesting that an evolutionary effect might be at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We extend the results of planetary formation synthesis by computing the long-term evolution of synthetic systems from the clearing of the gas disk into the dynamical evolution phase. Methods. We use the symplectic integrator SyMBA to numerically integrate the orbits of planets for 100 Myr, using populations from previous studies as initial conditions. Results. We show that within the populations studied, mass and semimajor axis distributions experience only minor changes from post-formation evolution.We also show that, depending upon their initial distribution, planetary eccentricities can statistically increase or decrease as a result of gravitational interactions. We find that planetary masses and orbital spacings provided by planet formation models do not result in eccentricity distributions comparable to observed exoplanet eccentricities, requiring other phenomena, such as stellar fly-bys, to account for observed eccentricities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The detection of reflected light from an exoplanet is a difficult technical challenge at optical wavelengths. Even though this signal is expected to replicate the stellar signal, not only is it several orders of magnitude fainter, but it is also hidden among the stellar noise. Aims. We apply a variant of the cross-correlation technique to HARPS observations of 51 Peg to detect the reflected signal from planet 51 Peg b. Methods. Our method makes use of the cross-correlation function (CCF) of a binary mask with high-resolution spectra to amplify the minute planetary signal that is present in the spectra by a factor proportional to the number of spectral lines when performing the cross correlation. The resulting cross-correlation functions are then normalized by a stellar template to remove the stellar signal. Carefully selected sections of the resulting normalized CCFs are stacked to increase the planetary signal further. The recovered signal allows probing several of the planetary properties, including its real mass and albedo. Results. We detect evidence for the reflected signal from planet 51 Peg b at a significance of 3σnoise. The detection of the signal permits us to infer a real mass of 0:46+0:06 >-0:01 MJup (assuming a stellar mass of 1:04 MSun) for the planet and an orbital inclination of 80+10-19 degrees. The analysis of the data also allows us to infer a tentative value for the (radius-dependent) geometric albedo of the planet. The results suggest that 51Peg b may be an inflated hot Jupiter with a high albedo (e.g., an albedo of 0.5 yields a radius of 1:9 ± 0:3 RJup for a signal amplitude of 6:0 ± 0:4 × 10-5). Conclusions. We confirm that the method we perfected can be used to retrieve an exoplanet's reflected signal, even with current observing facilities. The advent of next generation of instruments (e.g. VLT-ESO/ESPRESSO) and observing facilities (e.g. a new generation of ELT telescopes) will yield new opportunities for this type of technique to probe deeper into exoplanets and their atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. We have obtained precise radial velocities for a sample of 373 G and K type giants at Lick Observatory regularly over more than 12 years. Planets have been identified around 15 of these giant stars, and an additional 20 giant stars host planet candidates. Aims. We are interested in the occurrence rate of substellar companions around giant stars as a function of stellar mass and metallicity. We probe the stellar mass range from approximately 1 to beyond 3 M⊙, which is not being explored by main-sequence samples. Methods. We fit the giant planet occurrence rate as a function of stellar mass and metallicity with a Gaussian and an exponential distribution, respectively. Results. We find strong evidence for a planet-metallicity correlation among the secure planet hosts of our giant star sample, in agreement with the one for main-sequence stars. However, the planet-metallicity correlation is absent for our sample of planet candidates, raising the suspicion that a good fraction of them might indeed not be planets despite clear periodicities in the radial velocities. Consistent with the literature results for subgiants, the giant planet occurrence rate increases in the stellar mass interval from 1 to 1.9 M⊙. However, there is a maximum at a stellar mass of 1:9-0.5+0:1 M⊙, and the occurrence rate drops rapidly for masses larger than 2.5-3.0 M⊙. We do not find any planets around stars more massive than 2.7 M⊙, although there are 113 stars with masses between 2.7 and 5 M⊙ in our sample (corresponding to a giant planet occurrence rate smaller than 1.6% at 68.3% confidence in that stellar mass bin). We also show that this result is not a selection effect related to the planet detectability being a function of the stellar mass. Conclusions. We conclude that giant planet formation or inward migration is suppressed around higher mass stars, possibly because of faster disk depletion coupled with a longer migration timescale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The new planet finder for the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE), just had its first light in Paranal. A dedicated instrument for the direct detection of planets, SPHERE, is composed of a polametric camera in visible light, the Zurich IMager POLarimeter (ZIMPOL), and two near-infrared sub-systems: the Infra-Red Dual-beam Imager and Spectrograph (IRDIS), a multi-purpose camera for imaging, polarimetry, and long-slit spectroscopy, and the integral field spectrograph (IFS), an integral field spectrograph. Aims. We present the results obtained from the analysis of data taken during the laboratory integration and validation phase, after the injection of synthetic planets. Since no continuous field rotation could be performed in the laboratory, this analysis presents results obtained using reduction techniques that do not use the angular di erential imaging (ADI) technique. Methods. To perform the simulations, we used the instrumental point spread function (PSF) and model spectra of L and T-type objects scaled in contrast with respect to the host star.We evaluated the expected error in astrometry and photometry as a function of the signal to noise of companions, after spectral di erential imaging (SDI) reduction for IRDIS and spectral deconvolution (SD) or principal component analysis (PCA) data reductions for IFS. Results. We deduced from our analysis, for example, that βPicb, a 12 Myr old planet of ∼10 MJup and semi-major axis of 9-10 AU, would be detected with IRDIS with a photometric error of 0.16 mag and with a relative astrometric position error of 1.1 mas.With IFS, we could retrieve a spectrum with error bars of about 0.15 mag on each channel and astrometric relative position error of 0.6 mas. For a fainter object such as HR8799d, a 13 MJup planet at a distance of 27 AU, IRDIS could obtain a relative astrometric error of 3 mas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report a new transiting warm giant planet: KOI-1257 b. It was first detected in photometry as a planet-candidate by the Kepler space telescope and then validated thanks to a radial velocity follow-up with the SOPHIE spectrograph. It orbits its host star with a period of 86.647661 d ± 3 s and a high eccentricity of 0.772 ± 0.045. The planet transits the main star of a metal-rich, relatively old binary system with stars of mass of 0.99± 0.05 M☉ and 0.70 ± 0.07 M☉ for the primary and secondary, respectively. This binary system is constrained thanks to a self-consistent modelling of the Kepler transit light curve, the SOPHIE radial velocities, line bisector and full-width half maximum (FWHM) variations, and the spectral energy distribution. However, future observations are needed to confirm it. The PASTIS fully-Bayesian software was used to validate the nature of the planet and to determine which star of the binary system is the transit host. By accounting for the dilution from the binary both in photometry and in radial velocity, we find that the planet has a mass of 1.45 ± 0.35 M2+, and a radius of 0.94 ± 0.12 R2+, and thus a bulk density of 2.1 ± 1.2 g cm-3. The planet has an equilibrium temperature of 511± 50 K, making it one of the few known members of the warm-Jupiter population. The HARPS-N spectrograph was also used to observe a transit of KOI-1257 b, simultaneously with a joint amateur and professional photometric follow-up, with the aim of constraining the orbital obliquity of the planet. However, the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect was not clearly detected, resulting in poor constraints on the orbital obliquity of the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. In 2010 a substellar companion to the solar analog pre-main sequence star PZ Tel and member of the approximately 12 Myr old β Pic moving group was found by high-contrast direct imaging independently by two teams. Aims. In order to determine the basic parameters of this companion more precisely and independent of evolutionary models, hence age-independent, we obtained follow-up spectroscopic observations of the primary and companion. Methods. We used the Spectrograph for INtegral Field Observations in the Near Infrared (SINFONI) at the Very Large Telescope Unit 4/Yepun of ESO’s Paranal Observatory in the H + K band and processed the data using the spectral deconvolution technique. The resulting spectrum of the companion was then compared to a grid of Drift-Phoenix synthetic model spectra, a combination of a general-purpose model atmosphere code with a non-equilibrium, stationary cloud and dust model, using a χ2 minimization analysis. Results. We find a best fitting spectral type of G6.5 for PZ Tel A. The extracted spectrum of the substellar companion, at a spatial position compatible with earlier orbit estimates, yields a temperature Teff = 2500−115+138 K, a visual extinction AV = 0.53−0.53+0.84 mag, a surface gravity of log g = 3.50−0.30+0.51 dex, and a metallicity at the edge of the grid of [M/H] = 0.30−0.30 dex. Conclusions. We derive a luminosity of log(Lbol/L⊙) = −2.66−0.08+0.06, a radius of R = 2.42−0.34+0.28 RJup, and a mass of M = 7.5−4.3+16.9 MJup for the PZ Tel companion, which is consistent with most earlier estimates using photometry alone. Combining our results with evolutionary models, we find a best-fitting mass of about 21 Jupiter masses at an age corresponding to the recently determined lithium depletion age of 7−2+4 Myr. Hence, the PZ Tel companion is most likely a wide brown dwarf companion in the 12−4+8 Myr old β Pic moving group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We want to study the effects of the formation of planets and planetary systems on the atmospheric Li abundance of planet host stars. Methods. In this work we present new determinations of lithium abundances for 326 main sequence stars with and without planets in the Teff range 5600-5900 K. The 277 stars come from the HARPS sample, the remaining targets were observed with a variety of high-resolution spectrographs. Results. We confirm significant differences in the Li distribution of solar twins (Teff = T☉ ± 80 K, log g = log g☉ ± 0.2 and [Fe/H] = [Fe/H]☉±0.2): the full sample of planet host stars (22) shows Li average values lower than "single" stars with no detected planets (60). If we focus on subsamples with narrower ranges in metallicity and age, we observe indications of a similar result though it is not so clear for some of the subsamples. Furthermore, we compare the observed spectra of several couples of stars with very similar parameters that show differences in Li abundances up to 1.6 dex. Therefore we show that neither age, mass, nor metallicity of a parent star is the only cause for enhanced Li depletion in solar analogues. Conclusions. We conclude that another variable must account for that difference and suggest that this could be the presence of planets that causes additional rotationally induced mixing in the external layers of planet host stars. Moreover, we find indications that the amount of depletion of Li in planet-host solar-type stars is higher when the planets are more massive than Jupiter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several exoplanets have recently been imaged at wide separations of >10 AU from their parent stars. These span a limited range of ages (<50 Myr) and atmospheric properties, with temperatures of 800-1800 K and very red colors (J -H > 0.5 mag), implying thick cloud covers. Furthermore, substantial model uncertainties exist at these young ages due to the unknown initial conditions at formation, which can lead to an order of magnitude of uncertainty in the modeled planet mass. Here, we report the direct-imaging discovery of a Jovian exoplanet around the Sun-like star GJ 504, detected as part of the SEEDS survey. The system is older than all other known directly imaged planets; as a result, its estimated mass remains in the planetary regime independent of uncertainties related to choices of initial conditions in the exoplanet modeling. Using the most common exoplanet cooling model, and given the system age of 160+350 Myr, GJ 504b has an estimated mass of 4+4.5 -1.0 Jupiter masses, among the lowest of directly imaged planets. Its projected separation of 43.5 AU exceeds the typical outer boundary of ~30 AU predicted for the core accretion mechanism. GJ 504b is also significantly cooler (510+30 -20 K) and has a bluer color (J - H = -0.23 mag) than previously imaged exoplanets, suggesting a largely cloud-free atmosphere accessible to spectroscopic characterization. Thus, it has the potential of providing novel insights into the origins of giant planets as well as their atmospheric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of KELT-3b, a moderately inflated transiting hot Jupiter with a mass of 1.477+0.066 -0.067MJ, radius of 1.345 ± 0.072RJ, and an orbital period of 2.7033904 ± 0.000010 days. The host star, KELT-3, is a V = 9.8 late F star with M" = 1.278+0.063 -0.061M☉, R" = 1.472+0.065 - 0.067 R☉, Teff = 6306+50 -49 K, log(g) = 4.209+0.033 -0.031, and [Fe/H] = 0.044+0.080 -0.082, and has a likely proper motion companion. KELT-3b is the third transiting exoplanet discovered by the KELT survey, and is orbiting one of the 20 brightest known transiting planet host stars, making it a promising candidate for detailed characterization studies. Although we infer that KELT-3 is significantly evolved, a preliminary analysis of the stellar and orbital evolution of the system suggests that the planet has likely always received a level of incident flux above the empirically identified threshold for radius inflation suggested by Demory & Seager. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Thanks to the importance that the star-planet relation has to our understanding of the planet formation process, the precise determination of stellar parameters for the ever increasing number of discovered extra-solar planets is of great relevance. Furthermore, precise stellar parameters are needed to fully characterize the planet properties. It is thus important to continue the efforts to determine, in the most uniform way possible, the parameters for stars with planets as new discoveries are announced. Aims. In this paper we present new precise atmospheric parameters for a sample of 48 stars with planets.We then take the opportunity to present a new catalogue of stellar parameters for FGK and M stars with planets detected by radial velocity, transit, and astrometry programs. Methods. Stellar atmospheric parameters and masses for the 48 stars were derived assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and using high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra. The methodology used is based on the measurement of equivalent widths for a list of iron lines and making use of iron ionization and excitation equilibrium principles. For the catalogue, and whenever possible, we used parameters derived in previous works published by our team, using well-defined methodologies for the derivation of stellar atmospheric parameters. This set of parameters amounts to over 65% of all planet host stars known, including more than 90% of all stars with planets discovered through radial velocity surveys. For the remaining targets, stellar parameters were collected from the literature. Results. The stellar parameters for the 48 stars are presented and compared with previously determined literature values. For the catalogue, we compile values for the effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, and stellar mass for almost all the planet host stars listed in the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia. This data will be updated on a continuous basis. The compiled catalogue is available online. The data can be used for statistical studies of the star-planet correlation, as well as for the derivation of consistent properties for known planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been many proposed explanations for the larger-than-expected radii of some transiting hot Jupiters, including either stellar or orbital energy deposition deep in the atmosphere or deep in the interior. In this paper, we explore the important influences on hot-Jupiter radius evolution of (1) additional heat sources in the high atmosphere, the deep atmosphere, and deep in the convective interior; (2) consistent cooling of the deep interior through the planetary dayside, nightside, and poles; (3) the degree of heat redistribution to the nightside; and (4) the presence of an upper atmosphere absorber inferred to produce anomalously hot upper atmospheres and inversions in some close-in giant planets. In particular, we compare the radius expansion effects of atmospheric and deep-interior heating at the same power levels and derive the power required to achieve a given radius increase when night-side cooling is incorporated. We find that models that include consistent day/night cooling are more similar to isotropically irradiated models when there is more heat redistributed from the dayside to the nightside. In addition, we consider the efficacy of ohmic heating in the atmosphere and/or convective interior in inflating hot Jupiters. Among our conclusions are that (1) the most highly irradiated planets cannot stably have uB ≳ 10 km s-1 G over a large fraction of their daysides, where u is the zonal wind speed and B is the dipolar magnetic field strength in the atmosphere, and (2) that ohmic heating cannot in and of itself lead to a runaway in planet radius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of exoplanet statistics suggest a trend of giant planet occurrence with host star mass, a clue to how planets like Jupiter form. One missing piece of the puzzle is the occurrence around late K dwarf stars (masses of 0.5-0.75M☉ and effective temperatures of 3900-4800 K).We analyzed four years of Doppler radial velocity (RVs) data for 110 late K dwarfs, one of which hosts two previously reported giant planets.We estimate that 4.0%±2.3% of these stars have Saturn-mass or larger planets with orbital periods <245 days, depending on the planet mass distribution and RV variability of stars without giant planets. We also estimate that 0.7% ± 0.5% of similar stars observed by Kepler have giant planets. This Kepler rate is significantly (99% confidence) lower than that derived from our Doppler survey, but the difference vanishes if only the single Doppler system (HIP 57274) with completely resolved orbits is considered. The difference could also be explained by the exclusion of close binaries (without giant planets) from the Doppler but not Kepler surveys, the effect of long-period companions and stellar noise on the Doppler data, or an intrinsic difference between the two populations. Our estimates for late K dwarfs bridge those for solar-type stars and M dwarfs, and support a positive trend with stellar mass. Small sample size precludes statements about finer structure, e.g., a "shoulder" in the distribution of giant planets with stellar mass. Future surveys such as the Next Generation Transit Survey and the Transiting Exoplanet Satellite Survey will ameliorate this deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of planetary-mass companions to two red giants by the ongoing Penn State-Toruń Planet Search (PTPS) conducted with the 9.2mHobby-Eberly Telescope. The 1.1M⊙ K0-giant, BD+15 2940, has a 1.1MJ minimum mass companion orbiting the star at a 137.5 day period in a 0.54 AU orbit what makes it the closest-in planet around a giant and possible subject of engulfment as the consequence of stellar evolution. HD 233604, a 1.5M⊙ K5-giant, is orbited by a 6.6MJ minimum mass planet which has a period of 192 days and a semi-major axis of only 0.75 AU making it one of the least distant planets to a giant star. The chemical composition analysis of HD 233604 reveals a relatively high 7Li abundance which may be a sign of its early evolutionary stage or recent engulfment of another planet in the system.We also present independent detections of planetary-mass companions to HD 209458 and HD 88133, and stellar activity-induced radial velocity variations in HD 166435, as part of the discussion of the observing and data analysis methods used in the PTPS project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The sample of hot Jupiters that have been studied in great detail is still growing. In particular, when the planet transits its host star, it is possible to measure the planetary radius and the planet mass (with radial velocity data). For the study of planetary atmospheres, it is essential to obtain transit and occultation measurements at multiple wavelengths. Aims. We aim to characterize the transiting hot Jupiter WASP-19b by deriving accurate and precise planetary parameters from a dedicated observing campaign of transits and occultations. Methods. We have obtained a total of 14 transit lightcurves in the r'-Gunn, I-Cousins, z'-Gunn, and I + z' filters and 1' occultation lightcurves in z'-Gunn using EulerCam on the Euler-Swiss telescope and TRAPPIST. We also obtained one lightcurve through the narrow-band NB119' filter of HAWK-I on the VLT measuring an occultation at 1.19 ±m. We performed a global MCMC analysis of all new data, together with some archive data in order to refine the planetary parameters and to measure the occultation depths in z'-band and at 1.19 ±m. Results. We measure a planetary radius of Rp = 1:376 ± 0.46 RJ, a planetary mass of Mp = 1:165 ± 0.068 MJ, and find a very low eccentricity of e = :0.0077+0.0068 -0.0032, compatible with a circular orbit. We have detected the z'-band occultation at 3σ significance and measure it to be ±Foccz' = 352 ± 116 ppm, more than a factor of 2 smaller than previously published. The occultation at 1.19 ±m is only marginally constrained at ±Focc, NB119' = 1711+745726 ppm. Conclusions. We show that the detection of occultations in the visible range is within reach, even for 1 m class telescopes if a considerable number of individual events are observed. Our results suggest an oxygen-dominated atmosphere of WASP-19b, making the planet an interesting test case for oxygen-rich planets without temperature inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Since 1998, a planet-search program around main sequence stars within 50 pc in the southern hemisphere has been carried out with the CORALIE echelle spectrograph at La Silla Observatory. Aims. With an observing time span of more than 14 years, the CORALIE survey is now able to unveil Jovian planets on Jupiter's period domain. This growing period-interval coverage is important for building formation and migration models since observational constraints are still weak for periods beyond the ice line. Methods. Long-term precise Doppler measurements with the CORALIE echelle spectrograph, together with a few additional observations made with the HARPS spectrograph on the ESO 3.6m telescope, reveal radial velocity signatures of massive planetary companions on long-period orbits. Results. In this paper we present seven new planets orbiting HD27631, HD98649, HD106515A, HD166724, HD196067, HD219077, and HD220689, together with the CORALIE orbital parameters for three already known planets around HD10647, HD30562, and HD86226. The period range of the new planetary companions goes from 2200 to 5500 days and covers a mass domain between 1 and 10.5 MJup. Surprisingly, five of them present very high eccentricities above e > 0:57. A pumping scenario by Kozai mechanism may be invoked for HD106515Ab and HD196067b, which are both orbiting stars in multiple systems. Since the presence of a third massive body cannot be inferred from the data of HD98649b, HD166724b, and HD219077b, the origin of the eccentricity of these systems remains unknown. Except for HD10647b, no constraint on the upper mass of the planets is provided by Hipparcos astrometric data. Finally, the hosts of these long period planets show no metallicity excess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Apparent period variations detected in several eclipsing, close-compact binaries are frequently interpreted as being caused by circumbinary giant planets. This interpretation raises the question of the origin of the potential planets that must have either formed in the primordial circumbinary disk, together with the host binary star, and survived its evolution into a close-compact binary or formed in a post-common-envelope circumbinary disk that remained bound to the post-common-envelope binary (PCEB). Aims. Here we combine current knowledge of planet formation and the statistics of giant planets around primordial and evolved binary stars with the theory of close-compact binary star evolution aiming to derive new constraints on possible formation scenarios. Methods. We compiled a comprehensive list of observed eclipsing PCEBs, estimated the fraction of systems showing apparent period variations, reconstructed the evolutionary history of the PCEBs, and performed binary population models of PCEBs to characterize their main sequence binary progenitors. We reviewed the currently available constraints on the fraction of PCEB progenitors that host circumbinary giant planets. Results. We find that the progenitors of PCEBs are very unlikely to be frequent hosts of giant planets (≲10 per cent), while the frequency of PCEBs with observed apparent period variations is very high (≲90 per cent). Conclusions. The variations in eclipse timings measured in eclipsing PCEBs are probably not caused by first-generation planets that survived common-envelope evolution. The remaining options for explaining the observed period variations are second-generation planet formation or perhaps variations in the shape of a magnetically active secondary star. We suggest observational tests for both options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed radial velocity (RV) monitoring of the components of the binary system HD 106515 over almost 11 years using the high-resolution spectrograph SARG at Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG). The primary shows long-period radial velocity variations that indicate the presence of a low-mass companion whose projected mass is in the planetary regime (msin i = 9.33 MJ). The 9.8 year orbit is quite eccentric (e = 0.57), as is typical for massive giant planets. Our results confirm the previously made preliminary announcement of the planet by Mayor et al. (2011, A&A, submitted [arXiv:1109.2497]). The secondary instead does not show significant RV variations. The two components do not differ significantly in chemical composition, as was also found for other pairs of which one component hosts giant planets. Adaptive optics images obtained with TNG/AdOpt do not reveal additional stellar companions. From the analysis of the relative astrometry of the components of the wide pair we compute an upper limit on the mass of the newly detected companion of about 0.25 Mʘ. State-of-the-art or near-future instrumentation can provide true mass determination, thanks to the availability of the wide companion HD106515B as reference. Therefore, HD 106515Ab will allow a deeper insight into the transition region between planets and brown dwarfs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Analyzing exoplanets detected by radial velocity (RV) or transit observations, we determine the multiplicity of exoplanet host stars in order to study the influence of a stellar companion on the properties of planet candidates. Methods. Matching the host stars of exoplanet candidates detected by radial velocity or transit observations with online multiplicity catalogs in addition to a literature search, 57 exoplanet host stars are identified having a stellar companion. Results. The resulting multiplicity rate of at least 12% for exoplanet host stars is about four times smaller than the multiplicity of solar like stars in general. The mass and the number of planets in stellar multiple systems depend on the separation between their host star and its nearest stellar companion, e.g. the planetary mass decreases with an increasing stellar separation. We present an updated overview of exoplanet candidates in stellar multiple systems, including 15 new systems (compared to the latest summary from 2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new method for confirming transiting planets based on the combination of transit timing variations (TTVs) and dynamical stability. Correlated TTVs provide evidence that the pair of bodies is in the same physical system. Orbital stability provides upper limits for the masses of the transiting companions that are in the planetary regime. This paper describes a non-parametric technique for quantifying the statistical significance of TTVs based on the correlation of two TTV data sets. We apply this method to an analysis of the TTVs of two stars with multiple transiting planet candidates identified by Kepler. We confirm four transiting planets in two multiple-planet systems based on their TTVs and the constraints imposed by dynamical stability. An additional three candidates in these same systems are not confirmed as planets, but are likely to be validated as real planets once further observations and analyses are possible. If all were confirmed, these systems would be near 4:6:9 and 2:4:6:9 period commensurabilities. Our results demonstrate that TTVs provide a powerful tool for confirming transiting planets, including low-mass planets and planets around faint stars for which Doppler follow-up is not practical with existing facilities. Continued Kepler observations will dramatically improve the constraints on the planet masses and orbits and provide sensitivity for detecting additional non-transiting planets. If Kepler observations were extended to eight years, then a similar analysis could likely confirm systems with multiple closely spaced, small transiting planets in or near the habitable zone of solar-type stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. High-contrast imaging is currently the only available technique for the study of the thermodynamical and compositional properties of exoplanets in long-period orbits, comparable to the range from Venus to Jupiter. The SPICES (Spectro-Polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems) project is a coronagraphic space telescope dedicated to the spectropolarimetric analysis of gaseous and icy giant planets as well as super-Earths at visible wavelengths. So far, studies for high-contrast imaging instruments have mainly focused on technical feasibility because of the challenging planet/star flux ratio of 10-8-10-10 required at short separations (200 mas or so) to image cold exoplanets. However, the main interest of such instruments, namely the analysis of planet atmospheric/surface properties, has remained largely unexplored. Aims. The aim of this paper is to determine which planetary properties SPICES or an equivalent direct imaging mission can measure, considering realistic reflected planet spectra and instrument limitation. Methods. We use numerical simulations of the SPICES instrument concept and theoretical planet spectra to carry out this performance study. We also define a criterion on the signal-to-noise ratio of the measured spectrum to determine under which conditions SPICES can retrieve planetary physical properties. Results. We find that the characterization of the main planetary properties (identification of molecules, effect of metallicity, presence of clouds and type of surfaces) would require a median signal-to-noise ratio of at least 30. In the case of a solar-type star ≤10 pc, SPICES will be able to study Jupiters and Neptunes up to ∼5 and ∼2 AU respectively, because of the drastic flux decrease with separation. It would also analyze cloud and surface coverage of super-Earths of radius 2.5 Earth radii at 1 AU. Finally, we determine the potential targets in terms of planet separation, radius and distance for several stellar types. For a Sun analog, we show that SPICES could characterize Jupiters (M ≥ 30 Earth masses) as small as 0.5 Jupiter radii at ≲2 AUup to 10 pc, and super-Earths at 1-2 AUfor the handful of stars that exist within 4-5 pc. Potentially, SPICES could perform analysis of a hypothetical Earth-size planet around α Cen A and B. However, these results depend on the planetary spectra we use, which are derived for a few planet parameters assuming a solar-type host star. Grids of model spectra are needed for a further performance analysis. Our results obtained for SPICES are also applicable to other small (1-2 m) coronagraphic space telescopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two planetary formation scenarios: core accretion and gravitational disk instability. Based on the fact that gaseous objects are preferentially observed around metal-rich host stars, most extrasolar gaseous objects discovered to date are thought to have been formed by core accretion. Here, we present 569 samples of gaseous planets and brown dwarfs found in 485 planetary systems that span three mass regimes with boundary values at 4 and 25 Jupiter-mass masses through performing cluster analyses of these samples regarding the host-star metallicity, after minimizing the impact of the selection effect of radial-velocity measurement on the cluster analysis. The larger mass is thought to be the upper mass limit of the objects that were formed during the planetary formation processes. In contrast, the lower mass limit appears to reflect the difference between planetary formation processes around early-type and G-type stars; disk instability plays a greater role in the planetary formation process around early-type stars than that around G-type stars. Populations with masses between 4 and 25 Jupiter masses that orbit early-type stars comprise planets formed not only via the core-accretion process but also via gravitational disk instability because the population preferentially orbits metal-poor stars or is independent of the host-star metallicity. Therefore, it is essential to have a hybrid scenario for the planetary formation of the diverse systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of only a handful of exoplanets required establishing a correlation between giant planet occurrence and metallicity of their host stars. More than 20 years have already passed from that discovery, however, many questions are still under lively debate: (1) What is the origin of that relation?; (2) What is the exact functional form of the giant planet–metallicity relation (in the metal-poor regime)?; and (3) Does such a relation exist for terrestrial planets? All of these questions are very important for our understanding of the formation and evolution of (exo)planets of different types around different types of stars and are the subject of the present manuscript. Besides making a comprehensive literature review about the role of metallicity on the formation of exoplanets, I also revisited most of the planet–metallicity related correlations reported in the literature using a large and homogeneous data provided by the SWEET-Cat catalog. This study led to several new results and conclusions, two of which I believe deserve to be highlighted in the abstract: (i) the hosts of sub-Jupiter mass planets (∼0.6–0.9 M♃) are systematically less metallic than the hosts of Jupiter-mass planets. This result might be related to the longer disk lifetime and the higher amount of planet building materials available at high metallicities, which allow a formation of more massive Jupiter-like planets; (ii) contrary to the previous claims, our data and results do not support the existence of a breakpoint planetary mass at 4 M♃ above and below which planet formation channels are different. However, the results also suggest that planets of the same (high) mass can be formed through different channels depending on the (disk) stellar mass i.e., environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate 1D exoplanetary distributions using a novel analysis algorithm based on the continuous wavelet transform. The analysis pipeline includes an estimation of the wavelet transform of the probability density function (p.d.f.) without pre-binning, use of optimized wavelets, a rigorous significance testing of the patterns revealed in the p.d.f., and an optimized minimum-noise reconstruction of the p.d.f. via matching pursuit iterations.In the distribution of orbital periods, P, our analysis revealed a narrow subfamily of exoplanets within the broad family of “warm Jupiters”, or massive giants with P≳300d, which are often deemed to be related with the iceline accumulation in a protoplanetary disk. We detected a p.d.f. pattern that represents an upturn followed by an overshooting peak spanning P∼300-600d, right beyond the “period valley”. It is separated from the other planets by p.d.f. concavities from both sides. It has at least 2-sigma significance.In the distribution of planet radii, R, and using the California Kepler Survey sample properly cleaned, we confirm the hints of a bimodality with two peaks about R=1.3R⊕ and R=2.4R⊕, and the “evaporation valley” between them. However, we obtain just a modest significance for this pattern, 2-sigma only at the best. Besides, our follow-up application of the Hartigan and Hartigan dip test for unimodality returns 3 per cent false alarm probability (merely 2.2-sigma significance), contrary to 0.14 per cent (or 3.2-sigma), as claimed by Fulton et al. (2017). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal phase curves of short-period planets on circular orbits provide joint constraints on the fraction of incoming energy that is reflected (Bond albedo) and the fraction of absorbed energy radiated by the night hemisphere (heat recirculation efficiency). Many empirical studies of hot Jupiters have implicitly assumed that the dayside is the hottest hemisphere and the nightside is the coldest hemisphere. For a given eclipse depth and phase amplitude, an orbital lag between a planet’s peak brightness and its eclipse—a phase offset—implies that planet’s nightside emits greater flux. To quantify how phase offsets impact the energy budgets of short-period planets, we compile all infrared observations of the nine planets with multi-band eclipse depths and phase curves. Accounting for phase offsets shifts planets to lower Bond albedo and greater day–night heat transport, usually by ≲1σ. For WASP-12b, the published phase variations have been analyzed in two different ways, and the inferred energy budget depends sensitively on which analysis one adopts. Our fiducial scenario supports a Bond albedo of , significantly higher than the published optical geometric albedo, and a recirculation efficiency of , following the trend of larger day–night temperature contrast with greater stellar irradiation. If instead we adopt the alternative analysis, then WASP-12b has a Bond albedo consistent with zero and a much higher recirculation efficiency. To definitively determine the energy budget of WASP-12b, new observational analyses will be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]