J. Koppenhoefer

The Young Exoplanet Transit Initiative (YETI)

We present the Young Exoplanet Transit Initiative (YETI), in which we use several 0.2 to 2.6-m telescopes around the world to monitor continuously young (≤100 Myr), nearby (≤1 kpc) stellar clusters mainly to detect young transiting planets (and to study other variability phenomena on time-scales from minutes to years). The telescope network enables us to observe the targets continuously for several days in order not to miss any transit. The runs are typically one to two weeks long, about three runs per year per cluster in two or three subsequent years for about ten clusters. There are thousands of stars detectable in each field with several hundred known cluster members, e.g. in the first cluster observed, Tr-37, a typical cluster for the YETI survey, there are at least 469 known young stars detected in YETI data down to R = 16.5 mag with sufficient precision of 50 millimag rms (5 mmag rms down to R = 14.5 mag) to detect transits, so that we can expect at least about one young transiting object in this cluster. If we observe ∼10 similar clusters, we can expect to detect ∼10 young transiting planets with radius determinations. The precision given above is for a typical telescope of the YETI network, namely the 60/90-cm Jena telescope (similar brightness limit, namely within ±1 mag, for the others) so that planetary transits can be detected. For targets with a periodic transit-like light curve, we obtain spectroscopy to ensure that the star is young and that the transiting object can be sub-stellar; then, we obtain Adaptive Optics infrared images and spectra, to exclude other bright eclipsing stars in the (larger) optical PSF; we carry out other observations as needed to rule out other false positive scenarios; finally, we also perform spectroscopy to determine the mass of the transiting companion. For planets with mass and radius determinations, we can calculate the mean density and probe the internal structure. We aim to constrain planet formation models and their time-scales by discovering planets younger than ∼100 Myr and determining not only their orbital parameters, but also measuring their true masses and radii, which is possible so far only by the transit method. Here, we present an overview and first results (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Planetary transit observations at the University Observatory Jena: TrES-2

We report on observations of several transit events of the transiting planet TrES-2 obtained with the Cassegrain-Teleskop-Kamera at the University Observatory Jena. Between March 2007 and November 2008 ten different transits and almost a complete orbital period were observed. Overall, in 40 nights of observation 4291 exposures (in total 71.52 h of observation) of the TrES-2 parent star were taken. With the transit timings for TrES-2 from the 34 events published by the TrES-network, the Transit Light Curve project and the Exoplanet Transit Database plus our own ten transits, we find that the orbital period is P = (2.470614 ± 0.000001) d, a slight change by ∼0.6 s compared to the previously published period. We present new ephemeris for this transiting planet. Furthermore, we found a second dip after the transit which could either be due to a blended variable star or occultation of a second star or even an additional object in the system. Our observations will be useful for future investigations of timing variations caused by additional perturbing planets and/or stellar spots and/or moons (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Planetary transit observations at the University Observatory Jena: XO-1b and TrES-1

We report on observations of transit events of the transiting planets XO-1b and TrES-1 with a 25 cm telescope of the University Observatory Jena. With the transit timings for XO-1b from all 50 available XO, SuperWASP, Transit Light Curve (TLC)-Project- and Exoplanet Transit Database (ETD)-data, including our own I -band photometry obtained in March 2007, we find that the orbital period is P = (3.941501 ± 0.000001) d, a slight change by ∼3 s compared to the previously published period. We present new ephemeris for this transiting planet. Furthermore, we present new R -band photometry of two transits of TrES-1. With the help of all available transit times from literature this allows us to refine the estimate of the orbital period: P = (3.0300722 ± 0.0000002) d. Our observations will be useful for future investigations of timing variations caused by additional perturbing planets and/or stellar spots and/or moons (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

BIAS-FREE SHEAR ESTIMATION USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

Bias due to imperfect shear calibration is the biggest obstacle when constraints on cosmological parameters are to be extracted from large area weak lensing surveys such as Pan-STARRS-3{pi}, DES, or future satellite missions like EUCLID. We demonstrate that bias present in existing shear measurement pipelines (e.g., KSB) can be almost entirely removed by means of neural networks. In this way, bias correction can depend on the properties of the individual galaxy instead of being a single global value. We present a procedure to train neural networks for shear estimation and apply this to subsets of simulated GREAT08 RealNoise data. We also show that circularization of the point-spread function (PSF) before measuring the shear reduces the scatter related to the PSF anisotropy correction and thus leads to improved measurements, particularly on low and medium signal-to-noise data. Our results are competitive with the best performers in the GREAT08 competition, especially for the medium and higher signal-to-noise sets. Expressed in terms of the quality parameter defined by GREAT08, we achieve a Q{approx} 40, 140, and 1300 without and 50, 200, and 1300 with circularization for low, medium, and high signal-to-noise data sets, respectively.

VLT multi-epoch radial velocity survey toward NGC 6253 - Analysis of three transiting planetary candidates

Context. One of the most metal-rich open cluster of the Galaxy, NGC 6253 is a target of special interest in the search for extrasolar planets, the study of stellar populations, and the chemical/dynamical evolution of the Galactic disk. Aims. We present the results of two photometric campaigns and a VLT multi-epoch radial velocity survey toward the open cluster NGC 6253. We complement our analysis with photometric, proper motion, and radial velocity data available from previous studies of this cluster, and analyze three planetary candidates found in the field of NGC 6253. Methods. We derived homogeneous radial velocity measurements for stars located at the turn-off, sub-giant, red-giant branch, redclump, and blue straggler regions of the cluster. We also analyzed a comparison sample of surrounding field stars. Spectra were obtained with the UVES and GIRAFFE spectrographs at the VLT during three epochs in August 2008. Results. The three UVES measurements acquired for our brightest transiting candidate (V = 15.26) are all consistent within their errors (200 m/s), but were acquired at very similar orbital phases. The mean radial velocity of this object is not consistent with the cluster recession velocity, which rules out cluster membership except in the case of a binary system. This star is worth further analysis with high-precision spectroscopy. For our faintest candidate (V = 18.247), we were able to exclude the observed transits being caused by a close-by stellar companion, but more precise measurements will be needed to derive an orbital fit and to study other possible scenarios. For the remaining candidate, no measurements were acquired probably because of bad fiber positioning. The mean radial velocity of the cluster is (RVcl ± σcl) = (−29.11 ± 0.85) km s −1 . Using both radial velocities and proper motions, we identified 35 cluster members. Our results are in good agreement with past radial velocity and photometric measurements. Furthermore, using our photometry, astrometry, and spectroscopy we identified a new eclipsing binary system member of the cluster. Conclusions. We discussed the possibility of detecting substellar companions (brown dwarfs and planets) with the radial velocity technique (both with UVES/GIRAFFE and HARPS) around turn-off stars of old open cluster. We isolated 5 stars that are optimal targets for searching for planetary mass companions with HARPS. Our optimized strategy minimizes the observing time requested to isolate and followup on the best planetary candidates in cluster with high-precision spectrographs, an important aspect given the faint target stars.

Investigating the potential of the Pan-Planets project using Monte Carlo simulations

Using Monte Carlo simulations we analyze the potential of the upcoming transit survey Pan-Planets. The analysis covers the simulation of realistic light curves (including the effects of ingress/egress and limb-darkening) with both correlated and uncorrelated noise as well as the application of a box-fitting-least-squares detection algorithm. In this work we show how simulations can be a powerful tool in defining and optimizing the survey strategy of a transiting planet survey. We find the Pan-Planets project to be competitive with all other existing and planned transit surveys with the main power being the large 7 square degree field of view. In the first year we expect to find up to 25 Jupiter-sized planets with periods below 5 days around stars brighter than V = 16.5 mag. The survey will also be sensitive to planets with longer periods and planets with smaller radii. After the second year of the survey, we expect to find up to 9 Warm Jupiters with periods between 5 and 9 days and 7 Very Hot Saturns around stars brighter than V = 16.5 mag as well as 9 Very Hot Neptunes with periods from 1 to 3 days around stars brighter than i � = 18. 0m ag.

New parameters and transit timing studies for OGLE2-TR-L9 b

Context. Repeated observations of exoplanet transits allow us to refine the planetary parameters and probe them for any time dependent variations. In particular deviations of the period from a strictly linear ephemeris, transit timing variations (TTVs), can indicate the presence of additional bodies in the planetary system. Aims. Our goal was to reexamine the largely unstudied OGLE2-TR-L9 system with high cadence, multi-color photometry in order to refine the planetary parameters and probe the system for TTVs. Methods. We observed five full transits of OGLE2-TR-L9 with the GROND instrument at the ESO/MPG 2.2 m telescope at La Silla