D. Hidalgo

K2-99: a subgiant hosting a transiting warm Jupiter in an eccentric orbit and a long-period companion

We report the discovery from K2 of a transiting planet in an 18.25-d, eccentric (0.19 +/- 0.04) orbit around K2-99, an 11th magnitude subgiant in Virgo. We confirm the planetary nature of the companion with radial velocities, and determine that the star is a metal-rich ([ Fe/H] = 0.20 +/- 0.05) subgiant, with mass 1.60(+0.14) (-0.10) M (circle dot) and radius 3.1 +/- 0.1 R-circle dot. The planet has a mass of 0.97 +/- 0.09 M-Jup and a radius 1.29 +/- 0.05 R-Jup. A measured systemic radial acceleration of -2.12 +/- 0.04 ms(- 1) d(- 1) offers compelling evidence for the existence of a third body in the system, perhaps a brown dwarf orbiting with a period of several hundred days.

K2-137 b: an Earth-sized planet in a 4.3-h orbit around an M-dwarf

We report the discovery in K2s Campaign 10 of a transiting terrestrial planet in an ultra-short-period orbit around an M3-dwarf. K2-137 b completes an orbit in only 4.3 h, the second shortest orbital period of any known planet, just 4 min longer than that of KOI 1843.03, which also orbits an M-dwarf. Using a combination of archival images, adaptive optics imaging, radial velocity measurements, and light-curve modelling, we show that no plausible eclipsing binary scenario can explain the K2 light curve, and thus confirm the planetary nature of the system. The planet, whose radius we determine to be 0.89 ± 0.09 R⊕, and which must have an iron mass fraction greater than 0.45, orbits a star of mass 0.463 ± 0.052 M⊙ and radius 0.442 ± 0.044 R⊙.

K2-141 b. A 5-M_oplus super-Earth transiting a K7 V star every 6.7 hours

We report on the discovery of K2-141 b (EPIC 246393474 b), an ultra-short-period super-Earth on a 6.7 h orbit transiting an active K7 V star based on data from K2 campaign 12. We confirmed the planets existence and measured its mass with a series of follow-up observations: seeing-limited Muscat imaging, NESSI high-resolution speckle observations, and FIES and HARPS high-precision radial-velocity monitoring. K2-141 b has a mass of 5.31 ± 0.46 M ⊗ and radius of 1.54 -0.09 +0.10 R ⊗ , yielding a mean density of 8.00 -1.45 +1.83 g cm -3 and suggesting a rocky-iron composition. Models indicate that iron cannot exceed ∼70% of the total mass. With an orbital period of only 6.7 h, K2-141 b is the shortest-period planet known to date with a precisely determined mass.

K2-260 b: a hot Jupiter transiting an F star, and K2-261 b: a warm Saturn around a bright G star

We present the discovery and confirmation of two new transiting giant planets from the Kepler extended mission K2. K2-260 b is a hot Jupiter transiting a V = 12.7 F6V star in K2 Field 13, with a mass and radius of M = 1.39-0.06+0.05M⊙and R = 1.69 ± 0.03 R. The planet has an orbital period of P = 2.627 d, and a mass and radius of MP= 1.42-0.32+0.31MJand RP= 1.552-0.057+0.048RJ. This is the first K2 hot Jupiter with a detected secondary eclipse in the Kepler bandpass, with a depth of 71 ± 15 ppm, which we use to estimate a geometric albedo of Ag~ 0.2. We also detected a candidate stellar companion at 0.6 arcsec from K2-260; we find that it is very likely physically associated with the system, in which case it would be an M5-6V star at a projected separation of ~400 au. K2-261 b is a warm Saturn transiting a bright (V = 10.5) G7IV/V star in K2 Field 14. The host star is a metal rich ([Fe/H] = 0.36 ± 0.06), mildly evolved 1.10-0.02+0.01M⊙star with R = 1.65 ± 0.04 R. Thanks to its location near the main-sequence turn-off, we can measure a relatively precise age of 8.8-0.3+0.4Gyr. The planet has P = 11.633 d, MP= 0.223 ± 0.031 MJ, and RP= 0.850-0.022+0.026RJ, and its orbit is eccentric (e = 0.39 ± 0.15). Its brightness and relatively large transit depth make this one of the best-known warm Saturns for follow-up observations to further characterize the planetary system.

Mass determination of the 1:3:5 near-resonant planets transiting GJ 9827 (K2-135)

Context. Multiplanet systems are excellent laboratories to test planet formation models as all planets are formed under the same initial conditions. In this context, systems transiting bright stars can play a key role, since planetary masses, radii, and bulk densities can be measured. Aims. GJ 9827 (K2-135) has recently been found to host a tightly packed system consisting of three transiting small planets whose orbital periods of 1.2, 3.6, and 6.2 days are near the 1:3:5 ratio. GJ 9827 hosts the nearest planetary system (~30 pc) detected by NASAs Kepler or K2 space mission. Its brightness (V = 10.35 mag) makes the star an ideal target for detailed studies of the properties of its planets. Methods. Combining the K2 photometry with high-precision radial-velocity measurements gathered with the FIES, HARPS, and HARPS-N spectrographs we revised the system parameters and derive the masses of the three planets. Results. We find that GJ 9827 b has a mass of Mb = 3.69-0.46+0.48 M and a radius of Rb = 1.58-0.13+0.14 R, yielding a mean density of ρb = 5.11-1.27+1.74 g cm-3. GJ 9827 c has a mass of Mc = 1.45-0.57+0.58 M, radius of Rc = 1.24-0.11+0.11 R, and a mean density of ρc = 4.13-1.77+2.31 g cm-3. For GJ 9827 d, we derive Md = 1.45-0.57+0.58 M, Rd = 1.24-0.11+0.11 R, and ρd = 1.51-0.53+0.71 g cm-3. Conclusions. GJ 9827 is one of the few known transiting planetary systems for which the masses of all planets have been determined with a precision better than 30%. This system is particularly interesting because all three planets are close to the limit between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes. The planetary bulk compositions are compatible with a scenario where all three planets formed with similar core and atmosphere compositions, and we speculate that while GJ 9827 b and GJ 9827 c lost their atmospheric envelopes, GJ 9827 d maintained its primordial atmosphere, owing to the much lower stellarirradiation. This makes GJ 9827 one of the very few systems where the dynamical evolution and the atmosphericescape can be studied in detail for all planets, helping us to understand how compact systems form and evolve.

Super-Earth of 8 M⊕ in a 2.2-day orbit around the K5V star K2-216

Although thousands of exoplanets have been discovered to date, far fewer have been fully characterised, in particular super- Earths. The KESPRINT consortium identified K2-216 as a planetary candidate host star in the K2 space mission Campaign 8 field with a transiting super-Earth. The planet has recently been validated as well. Our aim was to confirm the detection and derive the main physical characteristics of K2-216b, including the mass. We performed a series of follow-up observations: high resolution imaging with the FastCam camera at the TCS, the Infrared Camera and Spectrograph at Subaru, and high resolution spectroscopy with HARPS (ESO, La Silla), HARPS-N (TNG), and FIES (NOT). The stellar spectra were analyzed with the SpecMatch-Emp and SME codes to derive the stellar fundamental properties. We analyzed the K2 light curve with the Pyaneti software. The radial-velocity measurements were modelled with both a Gaussian process (GP) regression and the floating chunk offset (FCO) technique to simultaneously model the planetary signal and correlated noise associated with stellar activity. Imaging confirms that K2-216 is a single star. Our analysis discloses that the star is a moderately active K5V star of mass 0.70+/-0.03 Msun and radius 0.72+/-0.03 Rsun. Planet b is found to have a radius of 1.75+0.17-0.10 Rearth and a 2.17-day orbit in agreement with previous results. We find consistent results for the planet mass from both models: 7.4+/-2.2 Mearth from the GP regression, and 8.0+/-1.6 Mearth from the FCO technique, which implies that this planet is a super-Earth. The planet parameters put planet b in the middle of, or just below, the gap of the radius distribution of small planets. The density is consistent with a rocky composition of primarily iron and magnesium silicate. In agreement with theoretical predictions, we find that the planet is a remnant core, stripped of its atmosphere, and is one of the largest planets found that has lost its atmosphere.