Sebastiano Calchi Novati

Criteria for Sample Selection to Maximize Planet Sensitivity and Yield from Space-Based Microlens Parallax Surveys

Space-based microlens parallax measurements are a powerful tool for understanding planet populations, especially their distribution throughout the Galaxy. However, if space-based observations of the microlensing events must be specifically targeted, it is crucial that microlensing events enter the parallax sample without reference to the known presence or absence of planets. Hence, it is vital to define objective criteria for selecting events where possible and to carefully consider and minimize the selection biases where not possible so that the final sample represents a controlled experiment. We present objective criteria for initiating observations and determining their cadence for a subset of events, and we define procedures for isolating subjective decision making from information about detected planets for the remainder of events. We also define procedures to resolve conflicts between subjective and objective selections. These procedures maximize planet sensitivity of the sample as a whole by allowing for planet detections even if they occur before satellite observations for objectively-selected events and by helping to trigger fruitful follow-up observations for subjectively-chosen events. This paper represents our public commitment to these procedures, which is a necessary component of enforcing objectivity on the experimental protocol.

A giant planet undergoing extreme-ultraviolet irradiation by its hot massive-star host

The amount of ultraviolet irradiation and ablation experienced by a planet depends strongly on the temperature of its host star. Of the thousands of extrasolar planets now known, only six have been found that transit hot, A-type stars (with temperatures of 7,300–10,000 kelvin), and no planets are known to transit the even hotter B-type stars. For example, WASP-33 is an A-type star with a temperature of about 7,430 kelvin, which hosts the hottest known transiting planet, WASP-33b (ref. 1); the planet is itself as hot as a red dwarf star of type M (ref. 2). WASP-33b displays a large heat differential between its dayside and nightside, and is highly inflated–traits that have been linked to high insolation. However, even at the temperature of its dayside, its atmosphere probably resembles the molecule-dominated atmospheres of other planets and, given the level of ultraviolet irradiation it experiences, its atmosphere is unlikely to be substantially ablated over the lifetime of its star. Here we report observations of the bright star HD 195689 (also known as KELT-9), which reveal a close-in (orbital period of about 1.48 days) transiting giant planet, KELT-9b. At approximately 10,170 kelvin, the host star is at the dividing line between stars of type A and B, and we measure the dayside temperature of KELT-9b to be about 4,600 kelvin. This is as hot as stars of stellar type K4 (ref. 5). The molecules in K stars are entirely dissociated, and so the primary sources of opacity in the dayside atmosphere of KELT-9b are probably atomic metals. Furthermore, KELT-9b receives 700 times more extreme-ultraviolet radiation (that is, with wavelengths shorter than 91.2 nanometres) than WASP-33b, leading to a predicted range of mass-loss rates that could leave the planet largely stripped of its envelope during the main-sequence lifetime of the host star.

PLANET SENSITIVITY FROM COMBINED GROUND- AND SPACE-BASED MICROLENSING OBSERVATIONS

To move one step forward toward a Galactic distribution of planets, we present the first planet sensitivity analysis for microlensing events with simultaneous observations from space and the ground. We present this analysis for two such events, OGLE-2014-BLG-0939 and OGLE-2014-BLG-0124, which both show substantial planet sensitivity even though neither of them reached high magnification. This suggests that an ensemble of low to moderate magnification events can also yield significant planet sensitivity, and therefore probability, for detecting planets. The implications of our results to the ongoing and future space-based microlensing experiments to measure the Galactic distribution of planets are discussed.

KELT-20b: A Giant Planet with a Period of P ∼ 3.5 days Transiting the V ∼ 7.6 Early A Star HD 185603

We report the discovery of KELT-20b, a hot Jupiter transiting a V ~ 7.6 early A star, HD 185603, with an orbital period of P ≃ 3.47 days. Archival and follow-up photometry, Gaia parallax, radial velocities, Doppler tomography, and AO imaging were used to confirm the planetary nature of KELT-20b and characterize the system. From global modeling we infer that KELT-20 is a rapidly rotating (ν sin I* ≃ 120 km s^(-1)) A2V star with an effective temperature of T_(eff) = 8730^(+250)_(-260) K, mass of, M* = ^(+0.14)_(-0.20) M⊙ radius of, R* = 1.561^(+0.058)_(-0.064) R⊙ surface gravity of, log g* = 4.292^(+0.017)_(-0.020), and age of ≾600 Myr. The planetary companion has a radius of R_P = 1.735^(+0.070)_(-0.075) R_J, a semimajor axis of a = 0.0542^(+0.0014)_(-0.0021) au, and a linear ephemeris of BJD_(TDB) = 2457503.120049 ± 0.000190 + E(3.4741070 ± 0.0000019). We place a 3σ upper limit of ~3.5 M_J on the mass of the planet. Doppler tomographic measurements indicate that the planetary orbit normal is well aligned with the projected spin axis of the star (λ = 3.°4± 2.°1). The inclination of the star is constrained to 24.°4 < I* < 155.°6, implying a three-dimensional spin–orbit alignment of 1.°3 < ψ < 69.°8. KELT-20b receives an insolation flux of ~8 x 10^9 erg s^(-1) cm^(-2), implying an equilibrium temperature of of ~2250 K, assuming zero albedo and complete heat redistribution. Due to the high stellar T_(eff), KELT-20b also receives an ultraviolet (wavelength d ⩽ 91.2 nm) insolation flux of ~9.1 x 10^4 erg s^(-1) cm^(-2), possibly indicating significant atmospheric ablation. Together with WASP-33, Kepler-13 A, HAT-P-57, KELT-17, and KELT-9, KELT-20 is the sixth A star host of a transiting giant planet, and the third-brightest host (in V) of a transiting planet.

THE SPITZER MICROLENSING PROGRAM AS A PROBE for GLOBULAR CLUSTER PLANETS: ANALYSIS of OGLE-2015-BLG-0448

The microlensing event OGLE-2015-BLG-0448 was observed by Spitzer and lay within the tidal radius of the globular cluster NGC 6558. The event had moderate magnification and was intensively observed, hence it had the potential to probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters. We measure the proper motion of NGC 6558 µ_(cl)(N,E)=(+0.36 ± 0.10,+1.42 ± 0.10, + yr^(-1)) as well as the source and show that the lens is not a cluster member. Even though this particular event does not probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters, other potential cluster lens events can be verified using our methodology. Additionally, we find that microlens parallax measured using Optical Gravitational Lens Experiment (OGLE) photometry is consistent with the value found based on the light curve displacement between the Earth and Spitzer.

Erratum : "Qatar-2: A K dwarf orbited by a transiting hot Jupiter and a more massive companion in an outer orbit" (2012, ApJ, 750, 84)

We report the discovery and initial characterization of Qatar-2b, a hot Jupiter transiting a V = 13.3 mag K dwarf in a circular orbit with a short period, Pb = 1.34 days. The mass and radius of Qatar-2b are MP = 2.49 MJ and RP = 1.14 RJ, respectively. Radial-velocity monitoring of Qatar-2 over a span of 153 days revealed the presence of a second companion in an outer orbit. The Systemic Console yielded plausible orbits for the outer companion, with periods on the order of a year and a companion mass of at least several MJ. Thus, Qatar-2 joins the short but growing list of systems with a transiting hot Jupiter and an outer companion with a much longer period. This system architecture is in sharp contrast to that found by Kepler for multi-transiting systems, which are dominated by objects smaller than Neptune, usually with tightly spaced orbits that must be nearly coplanar.

KELT-12b: A P ~ 5 day, Highly Inflated Hot Jupiter Transiting a Mildly Evolved Hot Star

We announce the discovery of KELT-12b, a highly inflated Jupiter-mass planet transiting the mildly evolved, V = 10.64 host star TYC 2619-1057-1. We followed up the initial transit signal in the KELT-North survey data with precise ground-based photometry, high-resolution spectroscopy, precise radial velocity measurements, and high-resolution adaptive optics imaging. Our preferred best-fit model indicates that the host star has T_(eff) = 6279 ± 51 K, log g⋆ = 3.89 ± 0.05, [Fe/H] = 0.19^(+0.08)_(-0.09), M* = 1.59^(+0.07)_(-0.09)M⊙, and R* = 2.37 ± 0.17 R⊙. The planetary companion has M_P = 0.95 ± 0.14 M_J, R_P = 1.78^(+0.17)_(-0.16)R_J, log g_P = 2.87^(+0.09)_(-0.10), and density ρ_P = 0.21^(+0.07)_(-0.05) g cm^(−3), making it one of the most inflated giant planets known. Furthermore, for future follow-up, we report a high-precision time of inferior conjunction in BJD_(TDB) of 2,457,083.660459 ± 0.000894 and period of P = 5.0316216 ± 0.000032 days. Despite the relatively large separation of ~0.07 au implied by its ~5.03-day orbital period, KELT-12b receives significant flux of 2.38^(+0.32)_(-0.29) x 10^9 erg s^(−1) cm^(−2) from its host. We compare the radii and insolations of transiting gas giant planets around hot (T_(eff) ⩾ 6250 K) and cool stars, noting that the observed paucity of known transiting giants around hot stars with low insolation is likely due to selection effects. We underscore the significance of long-term ground-based monitoring of hot stars and space-based targeting of hot stars with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to search for inflated gas giants in longer-period orbits.

OGLE-2016-BLG-1266: A Probable Brown-Dwarf/Planet Binary at the Deuterium Fusion Limit

We report the discovery, via the microlensing method, of a new very-low-mass binary system. By combining measurements from Earth and from the Spitzer telescope in Earth-trailing orbit, we are able to measure the microlensing parallax of the event, and find that the lens likely consists of an

OGLE-2017-BLG-1130: The First Binary Gravitational Microlens Detected From Spitzer Only

(12.0 \pm 0.6) M_{\rm J}

KMT-2016-BLG-2052L: Microlensing Binary Composed of M Dwarfs Revealed from a Very Long Timescale Event

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