Joseph H. Catanzarite

PLANETARY CANDIDATES OBSERVED BYKEPLER. VI. PLANET SAMPLE FROM Q1–Q16 (47 MONTHS)

We provide updates to the Kepler planet candidate sample based upon nearly two years of high-precision photometry (i.e., Q1-Q8). From an initial list of nearly 13,400 threshold crossing events, 480 new host stars are identified from their flux time series as consistent with hosting transiting planets. Potential transit signals are subjected to further analysis using the pixel-level data, which allows background eclipsing binaries to be identified through small image position shifts during transit. We also re-evaluate Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs) 1-1609, which were identified early in the mission, using substantially more data to test for background false positives and to find additional multiple systems. Combining the new and previous KOI samples, we provide updated parameters for 2738 Kepler planet candidates distributed across 2017 host stars. From the combined Kepler planet candidates, 472 are new from the Q1-Q8 data examined in this study. The new Kepler planet candidates represent ~40% of the sample with R P ~ 1 R ? and represent ~40% of the low equilibrium temperature (T eq < 300?K) sample. We review the known biases in the current sample of Kepler planet candidates relevant to evaluating planet population statistics with the current Kepler planet candidate sample.

Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler. V. Planet Sample from Q1?Q12 (36 Months)

We provide updates to the Kepler planet candidate sample based upon nearly two years of high-precision photometry (i.e., Q1-Q8). From an initial list of nearly 13,400 Threshold Crossing Events (TCEs), 480 new host stars are identified from their flux time series as consistent with hosting transiting planets. Potential transit signals are subjected to further analysis using the pixel-level data, which allows background eclipsing binaries to be identified through small image position shifts during transit. We also re-evaluate Kepler Objects of Interest (KOI) 1-1609, which were identified early in the mission, using substantially more data to test for background false positives and to find additional multiple systems. Combining the new and previous KOI samples, we provide updated parameters for 2,738 Kepler planet candidates distributed across 2,017 host stars. From the combined Kepler planet candidates, 472 are new from the Q1-Q8 data examined in this study. The new Kepler planet candidates represent ~40% of the sample with Rp~1 Rearth and represent ~40% of the low equilibrium temperature (Teq<300 K) sample. We review the known biases in the current sample of Kepler planet candidates relevant to evaluating planet population statistics with the current Kepler planet candidate sample.

Discovery and Validation of Kepler-452b: A 1.6 R? Super Earth Exoplanet in the Habitable Zone of a G2 Star

We report on the discovery and validation of Kepler-452b, a transiting planet identified by a search through the 4 years of data collected by NASAs Kepler Mission. This possibly rocky 1.63_(-0.20)^(+0.23) R⨁ planet orbits its G2 host star every 384.843_(-0.012)^(+0.007) days, the longest orbital period for a small (R_p < 2 R⨁) transiting exoplanet to date. The likelihood that this planet has a rocky composition lies between 49% and 62%. The star has an effective temperature of 5757 ± 85 K and a log g of 4.32 ± 0.09. At a mean orbital separation of 1.046_(-0.015)^(+0.019) AU, this small planet is well within the optimistic habitable zone of its star (recent Venus/early Mars), experiencing only 10% more flux than Earth receives from the Sun today, and slightly outside the conservative habitable zone (runaway greenhouse/maximum greenhouse). The star is slightly larger and older than the Sun, with a present radius of 1.11_(-0.09)^(+0.15) R⨁ and an estimated age of ~6 Gyr. Thus, Kepler-452b has likely always been in the habitable zone and should remain there for another ~3 Gyr.

Starspot Jitter in Photometry, Astrometry, and Radial Velocity Measurements

Analytical relations are derived for the amplitude of astrometric, photometric, and radial velocity (RV) perturbations caused by a single rotating spot. The relative power of the starspot jitter is estimated and compared with the available data for κ^1 Ceti and HD 166435, as well as with numerical simulations for κ^1 Ceti and the Sun. A Sun-like star inclined at i = 90° at 10 pc is predicted to have an rms jitter of 0.087 μas in its astrometric position along the equator, and 0.38 m s^(–1) in radial velocities. If the presence of spots due to stellar activity is the ultimate limiting factor for planet detection, the sensitivity of SIM Lite to Earth-like planets in habitable zones is about an order of magnitude higher than the sensitivity of prospective ultra-precise RV observations of nearby stars.

Astrometric Detection of Terrestrial Planets in the Habitable Zones of Nearby Stars with SIM PlanetQuest

ABSTRACT SIM PlanetQuest (formerly the Space Interferometry Mission) is a space‐borne Michelson interferometer for precision stellar astrometry, with a 9 m baseline, currently slated for launch in 2016. One of the principal science goals is the astrometric detection and orbital characterization of terrestrial planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars. Differential astrometry of the target star against a set of reference stars lying within 1° will allow measurement of the target star’s reflex motion with astrometric accuracy of 1 μas in a single measurement. The purpose of the present paper is to quantitatively assess SIM’s capability for detection (as opposed to characterization by orbital determination) of terrestrial planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars. Note that the orbital periods of these planets are generally shorter than the 5 year SIM mission. We formulate a “joint periodogram” as a tool for planet detection from astrometric data. For adequately sampled orbits (i.e., five or more o...

Multiscale Systematic Error Correction via Wavelet-Based Bandsplitting in Kepler Data

The previous presearch data conditioning algorithm, PDC-MAP, for the Kepler data processing pipeline performs very well for the majority of targets in the Kepler field of view. However, for an appreciable minority, PDC-MAP has its limitations. To further minimize the number of targets for which PDC-MAP fails to perform admirably, we have developed a new method, called multiscale MAP, or msMAP. Utilizing an overcomplete discrete wavelet transform, the new method divides each light curve into multiple channels, or bands. The light curves in each band are then corrected separately, thereby allowing for a better separation of characteristic signals and improved removal of the systematics.

Detectability of Earth-like Planets in Multi-Planet Systems: Preliminary Report

We ask if Earth-like planets (terrestrial mass and habitable-zone orbit) can be detected in multi-planet systems, using astrometric and radial velocity observations. We report here the preliminary results of double-blind calculations designed to answer this question.

The Synergy of Direct Imaging and Astrometry for Orbit Determination of Exo-Earths

The holy grail of exoplanet searches is an exo-Earth, an Earth mass planet in the habitable zone (HZ) around a nearby star. Mass is one of the most important characteristics of a planet and can only be measured by observing the motion of the star around the planet-star center of gravity. The planets orbit can be measured either by imaging the planet at multiple epochs or by measuring the position of the star at multiple epochs by space-based astrometry. The measurement of an exoplanets orbit by direct imaging is complicated by a number of factors. One is the inner working angle (IWA). A space coronagraph or interferometer imaging an exo-Earth can separate the light from the planet from the light from the star only when the star-planet separation is larger than the IWA. Second, the apparent brightness of a planet depends on the orbital phase. A single image of a planet cannot tell us whether the planet is in the HZ or distinguish whether it is an exo-Earth or a Neptune-mass planet. Third is the confusion that may arise from the presence of multiple planets. With two images of a multiple planet system, it is not possible to assign a dot to a planet based only on the photometry and color of the planet. Finally, the planet-star contrast must exceed a certain minimum value in order for the planet to be detected. The planet may be unobservable even when it is outside the IWA, such as when the bright side of the planet is facing away from us in a crescent phase. In this paper we address the question: Can a prior astrometric mission that can identify which stars have Earth-like planets significantly improve the science yield of a mission to image exo-Earths? In the case of the Occulting Ozone Observatory, a small external occulter mission that cannot measure spectra, we find that the occulter mission could confirm the orbits of ~4 to ~5 times as many exo-Earths if an astrometric mission preceded it to identify which stars had such planets. In the case of an internal coronagraph we find that a survey of the nearest ~60 stars could be done with a telescope half the size if an astrometric mission had first identified the presence of Earth-like planets in the HZ and measured their orbital parameters.

Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler. VIII. A Fully Automated Catalog with Measured Completeness and Reliability Based on Data Release 25

We present the Kepler Object of Interest (KOI) catalog of transiting exoplanets based on searching four years of Kepler time series photometry (Data Release 25, Q1-Q17). The catalog contains 8054 KOIs of which 4034 are planet candidates with periods between 0.25 and 632 days. Of these candidates, 219 are new in this catalog and include two new candidates in multi-planet systems (KOI-82.06 and KOI-2926.05), and ten new high-reliability, terrestrial-size, habitable zone candidates. This catalog was created using a tool called the Robovetter which automatically vets the DR25 Threshold Crossing Events (TCEs) found by the Kepler Pipeline (Twicken et al. 2016). Because of this automation, we were also able to vet simulated data sets and therefore measure how well the Robovetter separates those TCEs caused by noise from those caused by low signal-to-noise transits. Because of these measurements we fully expect that this catalog can be used to accurately calculate the frequency of planets out to Keplers detection limit, which includes temperate, super-Earth size planets around GK dwarf stars in our Galaxy. This paper discusses the Robovetter and the metrics it uses to decide which TCEs are called planet candidates in the DR25 KOI catalog. We also discuss the simulated transits, simulated systematic noise, and simulated astrophysical false positives created in order to characterize the properties of the final catalog. For orbital periods less than 100 d the Robovetter completeness (the fraction of simulated transits that are determined to be planet candidates) across all observed stars is greater than 85%. For the same period range, the catalog reliability (the fraction of candidates that are not due to instrumental or stellar noise) is greater than 98%. However, for low signal-to-noise candidates found between 200 and 500 days, our measurements indicate that the Robovetter is 73.5% complete and 37.2% reliable across all searched stars (or 76.7% complete and 50.5% reliable when considering just the FGK dwarf stars). We describe how the measured completeness and reliability varies with period, signal-to-noise, number of transits, and stellar type. Also, we discuss a value called the disposition score which provides an easy way to select a more reliable, albeit less complete, sample of candidates. The entire KOI catalog, the transit fits using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, and all of the simulated data used to characterize this catalog are available at the NASA Exoplanet Archive.

Micro-arcsecond metrology (MAM) testbed overview

One of the most critical technology requirements for the Space Interferometry Mission is that the difference in pathlength traveled by the starlight through each arm of the instrument be known with picometers of precision. SIM accomplishes this by using an internal laser metrology system to measure the optical path traveled by the starlight. The SIM technology program has previously demonstrated laser gauges with measurement accuracy below 10 picometers. The next challenge is to integrate one of these gauges into a full interferometer system and demonstrate that the system still operates at the required level. For SIM, the ultimate requirement is that the internal metrology system be able to give an accurate measure of the starlight internal path difference to about 150 picometers over its narrow-angle field, with a goal of 50 picometer accuracy. This accuracy must be maintained even as SIMs various active systems articulate the SIM optics and vary the SIM internal pathlengths. The Microarcsecond Metrology Testbed (MAM) is a full single-baseline interferometer coupled with a precision pseudostar, intended to demonstrate the level of agreement between starlight and metrology phase measurements needed to make microarcsecond-level measurements of stellar positions. MAM has been under development for several years and is now producing picometers-level consistency that translates into microarcseconds-level performance. This paper will present an overview of the MAM Testbed, together with recent results targeting the 150 picometer performance level required by SIM.