R. F. Diaz

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates - VII. A false-positive rate of 35% for Kepler close-in giant candidates

The false-positive probability (FPP) of Kepler transiting candidates is a key value for statistical studies of candidate properties. A previous investigation of the stellar population in the Kepler field has provided an estimate for the FPP of less than 5% for most of the candidates. We report here the results of our radial velocity observations on a sample of 46 Kepler candidates with a transit depth greater than 0.4%, orbital period less than 25 days and host star brighter than Kepler magnitude 14.7. We used the SOPHIE spectrograph mounted on the 1.93-m telescope at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence to establish the nature of the transiting candidates. In this sample, we found five undiluted eclipsing binaries, two brown dwarfs, six diluted eclipsing binaries, and nine new transiting planets that complement the 11 already published planets. The remaining 13 candidates were not followed-up or remain unsolved due to photon noise limitation or lack of observations. From these results we computed the FPP for Kepler close-in giant candidates to be 34.8% +/- 6.5%. We aimed to investigate the variation of the FPP for giant candidates with the longer orbital periods and found that it should be constant for orbital periods between 10 and 200 days. This significantly disagrees with the previous estimates. We discuss the reasons for this discrepancy and the possible extension of this work toward smaller planet candidates. Finally, taking the false-positive rate into account, we refined the occurrence rate of hot Jupiters from the Kepler data.

Kepler-413b: A Slightly Misaligned, Neptune-size Transiting Circumbinary Planet

We report the discovery of a transiting, Rp = 4.347 ± 0.099R ⊕, circumbinary planet (CBP) orbiting the Kepler K+M eclipsing binary (EB) system KIC 12351927 (Kepler-413) every ~66 days on an eccentric orbit with ap = 0.355 ± 0.002 AU, ep = 0.118 ± 0.002. The two stars, with MA = 0.820 ± 0.015 M ☉, RA = 0.776 ± 0.009 R ☉ and MB = 0.542 ± 0.008 M ☉, RB = 0.484 ± 0.024 R ☉, respectively, revolve around each other every 10.11615 ± 0.00001 days on a nearly circular (e EB = 0.037 ± 0.002) orbit. The orbital plane of the EB is slightly inclined to the line of sight (i EB = 8733 ± 006), while that of the planet is inclined by ~25 to the binary plane at the reference epoch. Orbital precession with a period of ~11 yr causes the inclination of the latter to the sky plane to continuously change. As a result, the planet often fails to transit the primary star at inferior conjunction, causing stretches of hundreds of days with no transits (corresponding to multiple planetary orbital periods). We predict that the next transit will not occur until 2020. The orbital configuration of the system places the planet slightly closer to its host stars than the inner edge of the extended habitable zone. Additionally, the orbital configuration of the system is such that the CBP may experience Cassini State dynamics under the influence of the EB, in which the planets obliquity precesses with a rate comparable to its orbital precession. Depending on the angular precession frequency of the CBP, it could potentially undergo obliquity fluctuations of dozens of degrees (and complex seasonal cycles) on precession timescales.

A GAS GIANT CIRCUMBINARY PLANET TRANSITING THE F STAR PRIMARY OF THE ECLIPSING BINARY STAR KIC 4862625 AND THE INDEPENDENT DISCOVERY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TWO TRANSITING PLANETS IN THE KEPLER-47 SYSTEM

We report the discovery of a transiting, gas giant circumbinary planet orbiting the eclipsing binary KIC 4862625 and describe our independent discovery of the two transiting planets orbiting Kepler-47. We describe a simple and semi-automated procedure for identifying individual transits in light curves and present our follow-up measurements of the two circumbinary systems. For the KIC 4862625 system, the 0.52 {+-} 0.018 R{sub Jupiter} radius planet revolves every {approx}138 days and occults the 1.47 {+-} 0.08 M{sub Sun }, 1.7 {+-} 0.06 R{sub Sun} F8 IV primary star producing aperiodic transits of variable durations commensurate with the configuration of the eclipsing binary star. Our best-fit model indicates the orbit has a semi-major axis of 0.64 AU and is slightly eccentric, e = 0.1. For the Kepler-47 system, we confirm the results of Orosz et al. Modulations in the radial velocity of KIC 4862625A are measured both spectroscopically and photometrically, i.e., via Doppler boosting, and produce similar results.

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates III. KOI-423b: an 18 Mjup transiting companion around an F7IV star

We report the strategy and results of our radial velocity fol low-up campaign with the SOPHIE spectrograph (1.93-m OHP) of four transiting planetary candidates discovered by the Kepler space mission. We discuss the selection of the candidates KOI-428, KOI-410, KOI-552, and KOI-423. KOI-428 was established as a hot Jupiter transiting the largest and the most evolved star discover ed so far and is described by Santerne et al. (2011a). KOI-410 does not present radial velocity change greater than 120 m s −1 , which allows us to exclude at 3σ a transiting companion heavier than 3.4 MJup. KOI-552b appears to be a transiting low-mass star with a mass ratio of 0.15. KOI-423b is a new transiting companion in the overlapping region between massive planets and brown dwarfs. With a radius of 1.22± 0.11 RJup and a mass of 18.0± 0.92 MJup, KOI-423b is orbiting an F7IV star with a period of 21.0874± 0.0002 days and an eccentricity of 0.12±0.02. From the four selected Kepler candidates, at least three of them have a Jupiter-size trans iting companion, but two of them are not in the mass domain of Jupiter-like planets. KOI-423b and KOI-522b are members of a growing population of known massive companions orbiting close to an F-type star. This population currently appears to be absent around G-type stars, possibly due to their rapid braking and the engulfment of their companions by tidal decay.

SOPHIE+: First results of an octagonal-section fiber for high-precision radial velocity measurements

High-precision spectrographs play a key role in exoplanet searches and Doppler asteroseismology using the radial velocity technique. The 1 ms(-1) level of precision requires very high stability and uniformity of the illumination of the spectrograph. In fiber-fed spectrographs such as SOPHIE, the fiber-link scrambling properties are one of the main conditions for high precision. To significantly improve the radial velocity precision of the SOPHIE spectrograph, which was limited to 5-6 ms(-1), we implemented a piece of octagonal-section fiber in the fiber link. We present here the scientific validation of the upgrade of this instrument, demonstrating a real improvement. The upgraded instrument, renamed SOPHIE+, reaches radial velocity precision in the range of 1-2 ms(-1). It is now fully efficient for the detection of low-mass exoplanets down to 5-10 M-circle plus and for the identification of acoustic modes down to a few tens of cm s(-1).

The retrograde orbit of the HAT-P-6b exoplanet

We observed with the SOPHIE spectrograph (OHP, France) the transit of the HAT-P-6b exoplanet across its host star. The resulting stellar radial velocities display the Rossiter-McLaughlin anomaly and reveal a retrograde orbit: the planetary orbital spin and the stellar rotational spin point towards approximately opposite directions. A fit to the anomaly measures a sky-projected angle lambda = 166 +/- 10 degrees between these two spin axes. All seven known retrograde planets are hot jupiters with masses M_p 4 M_Jup) are prograde but misaligned. Different mechanisms may therefore be responsible for planetary obliquities above and below ~3.5 M_Jup.

Spin-orbit inclinations of the exoplanetary systems HAT-P-8b, HAT-P-9b, HAT-P-16b, and HAT-P-23b

We report the measurement of the spin-orbit angle of the extra-solar planets HAT-P-8 b, HAT-P-9 b, HAT-P-16 b, and HAT-P-23 b, based on spectroscopic observations performed at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence with the SOPHIE spectrograph on the 1.93-m telescope. Radial velocity measurements of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect show the detection of an apparent prograde, aligned orbit for all systems. The projected spin-orbit angles are found to be lambda = -17 degrees(+9.2)(-11.5), -16 degrees +/- 8 degrees, -10 degrees +/- 16 degrees, and +15 degrees +/- 22 degrees for HAT-P-8, HAT-P-9, HAT-P-16, and HAT-P-23, respectively, with corresponding projected rotational velocities of 14.5 +/- 0.8, 12.5 +/- 1.8, 3.9 +/- 0.8, and 7.8 +/- 1.6 km s(-1). These new results increase to 37 the number of accurately measured spin-orbit angles in transiting extrasolar systems. We conclude by drawing a tentative picture of the global behaviour of orbital alignement, involving the complexity and diversity of possible mechanisms.

WASP-52b, WASP-58b, WASP-59b, and WASP-60b: Four new transiting close-in giant planets

We present the discovery of four new transiting hot Jupiters, detected mainly from SuperWASP-North and SOPHIE observations. These new planets, WASP-52b, WASP-58b, WASP-59b, and WASP-60b, have orbital periods ranging from 1.7 to 7.9 days, masses between 0.46 and 0.94 MJup, and radii between 0.73 and 1.49RJup. Their G1 to K5 dwarf host stars have V magnitudes in the range 11.7−13.0. The depths of the transits are between 0.6 and 2.7%, depending on the target. With their large radii, WASP-52b and WASP-58b are new cases of low-density, inflated planets, whereas WASP-59b is likely to have a large, dense core. WASP-60 shows shallow transits. In the case of WASP-52 we also detected the Rossiter-McLaughlin anomaly via time-resolved spectroscopy of a transit. We measured the sky-projected obliquity λ = 24 ◦ +17 −9 , indicating that WASP-52b orbits in the same direction as its host star is rotating and that this prograde orbit is slightly misaligned with the stellar equator. These four new planetary systems increase our statistics on hot Jupiters and provide new targets for follow-up studies.

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates - IV. KOI-196b: a non-inflated hot Jupiter with a high albedo

We report the discovery of a new hot-Jupiter, KOI-196b, transiting a solar-type star with an orbital period of 1.855558 days\pm0.6s thanks to public photometric data from the Kepler space mission and new radial velocity observations obtained by the SOPHIE spectrograph mounted on the 1.93-m telescope at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France. The planet KOI-196b, with a radius of 0.841\pm0.032 Rjup and a mass of 0.49\pm0.09 Mjup, orbits a G2V star with R* = 0.996\pm0.032 Rsun, M*= 0.94\pm0.09 Msun, [Fe/H] = -0.10\pm0.16 dex, Teff= 5660\pm100 K and an age of 7.7\pm3.4 Gy. KOI-196b is one the rare close-in hot-Jupiters with a radius smaller than Jupiter suggesting a non-inflated planet. The high precision of the Kepler photometry permits us to detect the secondary transit with a depth of 64 +10/-12 ppm as well as the optical phase variation. We find a geometric albedo of Ag = 0.30\pm0.08 which is higher than most of the transiting hot-Jupiters with a measured Ag. Assuming no heat recirculation, we find a day-side temperature of Tday = 1930\pm80 K. KOI-196b seems to be one of the rare hot-Jupiters located in the short-period hot-Jupiter desert.

SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates - II. KOI-428b: a hot Jupiter transiting a subgiant F-star

We report the discovery of a hot Jupiter transiting a subgiant star with an orbital period of 6.87 days thanks to public photometric data from the Kepler space mission and new radial velocity observations obtained by the SOPHIE spectrograph. The planet KOI-428b with a radius of 1.17 +/- 0.04 RJup and a mass of 2.2 +/- 0.4MJup, orbits around a F5IV star with R* = 2.13 +/- 0.06Rsun, M* = 1.48 +/- 0.06 Msun and Teff = 6510 +/- 100 K. The star KOI-428 is the largest and the most evolved star discovered so far with a transiting planet.