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The Epoch of Giant Planet Migration Planet Search Program. I. Near-infrared Radial Velocity Jitter of Young Sun-like Stars

We present early results from the Epoch of Giant Planet Migration program, a precise radial velocity (RV) survey of more than 100 intermediate-age (∼20–200 Myr) G and K dwarfs with the Habitable Zone Planet Finder spectrograph (HPF) at McDonald Observatory’s Hobby–Eberly Telescope. The goals of this program are to determine the timescale and dominant physical mechanism of giant planet migration interior to the water ice line of Sun-like stars. Here, we summarize results from the first 14 months of this program, with a focus on our custom RV pipeline for HPF, a measurement of the intrinsic near-infrared RV activity of young Solar analogs, and modeling the underlying population-level distribution of stellar jitter. We demonstrate on-sky stability at the sub-2 m s{sup −1} level for the K2 standard HD 3765 using a least-squares matching method to extract precise RVs. Based on a subsample of 29 stars with at least three RV measurements from our program, we find a median rms level of 34 m s{sup −1}. This is nearly a factor of 2 lower than the median rms level in the optical of 60 m s{sup −1} for a comparison sample with similar ages and spectral types as our targets. The observed near-infrared jitter measurements for this subsample are well reproduced with a log-normal parent distribution with μ = 4.15 and σ = 1.02. Finally, by compiling rms values from previous planet search programs, we show that near-infrared jitter for G and K dwarfs generally decays with age in a similar fashion to optical wavelengths, albeit with a shallower slope and lower overall values for ages ≲1 Gyr.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Gemini/GMOS Transmission Spectroscopy of the Grazing Planet Candidate WD 1856+534 b

WD 1856+534 b is a Jupiter-sized, cool giant planet candidate transiting the white dwarf WD 1856+534. Here, we report an optical transmission spectrum of WD 1856+534 b obtained from ten transits using the Gemini Multi Object Spectrograph. This system is challenging to observe due to the faintness of the host star and the short transit duration. Nevertheless, our phase-folded white light curve reached a precision of 0.12%. WD 1856+534 b provides a unique transit configuration compared to other known exoplanets: the planet is 8x larger than its star and occults over half of the stellar disk during mid-transit. Consequently, many standard modeling assumptions do not hold. We introduce the concept of a “limb darkening corrected, time-averaged transmission spectrum” and propose that this is more suitable than (R pλ /R s ) 2 for comparisons to atmospheric models for planets with grazing transits. We also present a modified radiative transfer prescription. Though the transmission spectrum shows no prominent absorption features, it is sufficiently precise to constrain the mass of WD 1856+534 b to be >0.84 M J (to 2σ confidence), assuming a clear atmosphere and a Jovian composition. High-altitude cloud decks can allow lower masses. WD 1856+534 b could have formed either as a result of common envelope evolution or migration under the Kozai–Lidov mechanism. Further studies of WD 1856+534 b, alongside new dedicated searches for substellar objects around white dwarfs, will shed further light on the mysteries of post-main-sequence planetary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Electronic density response of warm dense matter

Matter at extreme temperatures and pressures—commonly known as warm dense matter (WDM)—is ubiquitous throughout our Universe and occurs in astrophysical objects such as giant planet interiors and brown dwarfs. Moreover, WDM is very important for technological applications such as inertial confinement fusion and is realized in the laboratory using different techniques. A particularly important property for the understanding of WDM is given by its electronic density response to an external perturbation. Such response properties are probed in x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) experiments and are central for the theoretical description of WDM. In this work, we give an overview of a number of recent developments in this field. To this end, we summarize the relevant theoretical background, covering the regime of linear response theory and nonlinear effects, the fully dynamic response and its static, time-independent limit, and the connection between density response properties and imaginary-time correlation functions (ITCF). In addition, we introduce the most important numerical simulation techniques, including path-integral Monte Carlo simulations and different thermal density functional theory (DFT) approaches. From a practical perspective, we present a variety of simulation results for different density response properties, covering the archetypal model of the uniform electron gas and realistic WDM systems such as hydrogen. Moreover, we show how the concept of ITCFs can be used to infer the temperature from XRTS measurements of arbitrary complex systems without the need for any models or approximations. Finally, we outline a strategy for future developments based on the close interplay between simulations and experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

An Astrometric Planetary Companion Candidate to the M9 Dwarf TVLM 513–46546

Astrometric observations of the M9 dwarf TVLM 513–46546 taken with the VLBA reveal an astrometric signature consistent with a period of 221 ± 5 days. The orbital fit implies that the companion has a mass m {sub p} = 0.35−0.42 M {sub J}, a circular orbit (e ≃ 0), a semimajor axis a = 0.28−0.31 au, and an inclination angle i = 71°−88°. The detected companion, TVLM 513b, is one of the few giant-mass planets found associated with ultracool dwarfs. The presence of a Saturn-like planet on a circular orbit 0.3 au from a 0.06−0.08 M {sub ⊙} star represents a challenge to planet formation theory. This is the first astrometric detection of a planet at radio wavelengths.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

EXPRES. I. HD 3651 as an Ideal RV Benchmark

The next generation of exoplanet-hunting spectrographs should deliver up to an order of magnitude improvement in radial velocity (RV) precision over the standard 1 m s{sup −1} state-of-the-art spectrographs. This advance is critical for enabling the detection of Earth-mass planets around Sun-like stars. New calibration techniques such as laser frequency combs and stabilized etalons ensure that the instrumental stability is well characterized. However, additional sources of error include stellar noise, undetected short-period planets, and telluric contamination. To understand and ultimately mitigate error sources, the contributing terms in the error budget must be isolated to the greatest extent possible. Here, we introduce a new high-cadence RV program, the Extreme Precision Spectrograph (EXPRES) 100 Earths Survey, which aims to identify rocky planets around bright, nearby G and K dwarfs. We also present a benchmark case: the 62 day orbit of a Saturn-mass planet orbiting the chromospherically quiet star, HD 3651. The combination of high eccentricity (0.6) and a moderately long orbital period ensures significant dynamical clearing of any inner planets. Our Keplerian model for this planetary orbit has a residual rms of 58 cm s{sup −1} over a ∼6 month time baseline. By eliminating significant contributors to the RV error budget, HD 3651 serves as a standard for evaluating the long-term precision of extreme precision RV programs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Sonora Brown Dwarf Atmosphere and Evolution Models. I. Model Description and Application to Cloudless Atmospheres in Rainout Chemical Equilibrium

Here we present a new generation of substellar atmosphere and evolution models, appropriate for application to studies of L-, T-, and Y-type brown dwarfs and self-luminous extrasolar planets. The models describe the expected temperature-pressure profiles and emergent spectra of atmospheres in radiative-convective equilibrium with effective temperatures and gravities within the ranges 200 ≤ T eff ≤ 2400 K and $2.5\leqslant \mathrm{log}g\leqslant 5.5$. These ranges encompass masses from about 0.5 to 85 Jupiter masses for a set of metallicities ([M/H] = – 0.5 to + 0.5), C/O ratios (from 0.5 to 1.5 times that of solar), and ages. These models expand the diversity of model atmospheres currently available, notably to cooler effective temperatures and greater ranges in C/O. Notable improvements from past such models include updated opacities and atmospheric chemistry. Here we describe our modeling approach and present our initial tranche of models for cloudless, chemical equilibrium atmospheres. We compare the modeled spectra, photometry, and evolution to various data sets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). IV. Three Small Planets Orbiting a 120 Myr Old Star in the Pisces–Eridanus Stream

Young exoplanets can offer insight into the evolution of planetary atmospheres, compositions, and architectures. We present the discovery of the young planetary system TOI 451 (TIC 257605131, Gaia DR2 4844691297067063424). TOI 451 is a member of the 120 Myr old Pisces–Eridanus stream (Psc–Eri). We confirm membership in the stream with its kinematics, its lithium abundance, and the rotation and UV excesses of both TOI 451 and its wide-binary companion, TOI 451 B (itself likely an M-dwarf binary). We identified three candidate planets transiting in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data and followed up the signals with photometry from Spitzer and ground-based telescopes. The system comprises three validated planets at periods of 1.9, 9.2, and 16 days, with radii of 1.9, 3.1, and 4.1 R {sub ⨂}, respectively. The host star is near-solar mass with V = 11.0 and H = 9.3 and displays an infrared excess indicative of a debris disk. The planets offer excellent prospects for transmission spectroscopy with the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, providing the opportunity to study planetary atmospheres that may still be in the process of evolving.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

KMT-2016-BLG-1836Lb: A Super-Jovian Planet from a High-cadence Microlensing Field

We report the discovery of a super-Jovian planet in the microlensing event KMT-2016-BLG-1836, which was found by the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) high-cadence observations (Γ~4 hr -1 ). The planet–host mass ratio q ~ 0.004. A Bayesian analysis indicates that the planetary system is composed of a super-Jovian M{ planet =2.2 -1.1 +1.9 M J planet orbiting an M or K dwarf, M{ host =0.49 -0.25 0.38 M ⊙ , at a distance of D L =7.1 -2.4} +0.8 kpc. The projected planet–host separation is 3.5 -0.9 +1.1 au, implying that the planet is located beyond the snow line of the host star. Future high-resolution images can potentially strongly constrain the lens brightness and thus the mass and distance of the planetary system. Without considering detailed detection efficiency, selection, or publication biases, we find a potential mass-ratio desert at -3.7 ≲ log q ≲ -3.0 for the 31 published KMTNet planets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Youngest Planet to Have a Spin-Orbit Alignment Measurement AU Mic b

We report measurements of the sky-projected spin–orbit angle for AU Mic b, a Neptune-size planet orbiting a very young (∼20 Myr) nearby pre-main-sequence M-dwarf star, which also hosts a bright, edge-on, debris disk. The planet was recently discovered from preliminary analysis of radial-velocity observations and confirmed to be transiting its host star from photometric data from the NASA’s TESS mission. We obtained radial-velocity measurements of AU Mic over the course of two partially observable transits and one full transit of planet b from high-resolution spectroscopic observations made with the Minerva-Australis telescope array. Only a marginal detection of the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect signal was obtained from the radial velocities, in part due to AU Mic being an extremely active star and the lack of full transit coverage plus sufficient out-of-transit baseline. As such, a precise determination of the obliquity for AU Mic b is not possible in this study and we find a sky-projected spin–orbit angle of λ=47{sub −54}{sup +26°}. This result is consistent with both the planet’s orbit being aligned or highly misaligned with the spin axis of its host star. Our measurement independently agrees with, but is far less precise than observations carried out on other instruments around the same time that measure a low-obliquity orbit for the planet. AU Mic is the youngest exoplanetary system for which the projected spin–orbit angle has been measured, making it a key data point in the study of the formation and migration of exoplanets—particularly given that the system is also host to a bright debris disk.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Astraea: Predicting Long Rotation Periods with 27 Day Light Curves

The rotation periods of planet-hosting stars can be used for modeling and mitigating the impact of magnetic activity in radial velocity measurements and can help constrain the high-energy flux environment and space weather of planetary systems. Millions of stars and thousands of planet hosts are observed with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). However, most will only be observed for 27 contiguous days in a year, making it difficult to measure rotation periods with traditional methods. This is especially problematic for field M dwarfs, which are ideal candidates for exoplanet searches, but which tend to have periods in excess of the 27 day observing baseline. We present a new tool, Astraea, for predicting long rotation periods from short-duration light curves combined with stellar parameters from Gaia DR2. Using Astraea, we can predict the rotation periods from Kepler 4 yr light curves with 13% uncertainty overall (and a 9% uncertainty for periods >30 days). By training on 27 day Kepler light-curve segments, Astraea can predict rotation periods up to 150 days with 9% uncertainty (5% for periods >30 days). After training this tool on these 27 day Kepler light-curve segments, we applied Astraea to real TESS data. For the 195 stars that were observed by both Kepler and TESS, we were able to predict the rotation periods with 55% uncertainty despite the wild differences in systematics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Sonora Substellar Atmosphere Models. II. Cholla: A Grid of Cloud-free, Solar Metallicity Models in Chemical Disequilibrium for the JWST Era

Exoplanet and brown dwarf atmospheres commonly show signs of disequilibrium chemistry. In the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) era, high-resolution spectra of directly imaged exoplanets will allow the characterization of their atmospheres in more detail, and allow systematic tests for the presence of chemical species that deviate from thermochemical equilibrium in these atmospheres. Constraining the presence of disequilibrium chemistry in these atmospheres as a function of parameters such as their effective temperature and surface gravity will allow us to place better constraints on the physics governing these atmospheres. This paper is part of a series of works presenting the Sonora grid of atmosphere models. In this paper, we present a grid of cloud-free, solar metallicity atmospheres for brown dwarfs and wide-separation giant planets with key molecular species such as CH 4 , H 2 O, CO, and NH 3 in disequilibrium. Our grid covers atmospheres with T eff ∈ [500 K, 1300 K], log g ∈ [3.0, 5.5] (cgs) and an eddy diffusion parameter of logK zz = 2,4 and 7 (cgs). We study the effect of different parameters within the grid on the temperature and composition profiles of our atmospheres. We discuss their effect on the near-infrared colors of our model atmospheres and the detectability of CH 4 , H 2 O, CO, and NH 3 using the JWST. We compare our models against existing MKO and Spitzer observations of brown dwarfs and verify the importance of disequilibrium chemistry for T dwarf atmospheres. Finally, we discuss how our models can help constrain the vertical structure and chemical composition of these atmospheres.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

TOI–1278 B: SPIRou Unveils a Rare Brown Dwarf Companion in Close-in Orbit around an M Dwarf

We present the discovery of an 18.5 ± 0.5 M {sub Jup} brown dwarf (BD) companion to the M0V star TOI–1278. The system was first identified through a percent-deep transit in Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry; further analysis showed it to be a grazing transit of a Jupiter-sized object. Radial velocity (RV) follow-up with the SPIRou near-infrared high-resolution velocimeter and spectropolarimeter in the framework of the 300-night SPIRou Legacy Survey carried out at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope led to the detection of a Keplerian RV signal with a semi-amplitude of 2306 ± 10 m s{sup -1} in phase with the 14.5 day transit period, with a slight but nonzero eccentricity. The intermediate-mass ratio (M {sub ·}/M {sub comp} ~ 31) is unique for having such a short separation (0.095 ± 0.001 au) among known M-dwarf systems. Interestingly, M-dwarf–BD systems with similar mass ratios exist with separations of tens to thousands of astronomical unit.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Dynamical Packing in the Habitable Zone: The Case of Beta CVn

Uncovering the occurrence rate of terrestrial planets within the habitable zone (HZ) of their host stars has been a particular focus of exoplanetary science in recent years. The statistics of these occurrence rates have largely been derived from transiting planet discoveries, and have uncovered numerous HZ planets in compact systems around M-dwarf host stars. Here we explore the width of the HZ as a function of spectral type, and the dynamical constraints on the number of stable orbits within the HZ for a given star. We show that, although the Hill radius for a given planetary mass increases with larger semimajor axis, the width of the HZ for earlier-type stars allows for more terrestrial planets in the HZ than late-type stars. In general, dynamical constraints allow ∼6 HZ Earth-mass planets for stellar masses ≳0.7M {sub ⊙}, depending on the presence of farther out giant planets. As an example, we consider the case of Beta CVn, a nearby bright solar-type star. We present 20 yr of radial velocities (RV) from the Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) and Automated Planet Finder (APF) instruments and conduct an injection-recovery analysis of planetary signatures in the data. Our analysis of these RV data rule out planets more massive than Saturn within 10 au of the star. These system properties are used to calculate the potential dynamical packing of terrestrial planets in the HZ and show that such nearby stellar targets could be particularly lucrative for HZ planet detection by direct imaging exoplanet missions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Magnesium abundances in cool metal-polluted white dwarfs

ABSTRACT The accretion of rocky material is responsible for the presence of heavy elements in the atmospheres of a large fraction of white dwarf stars. Those objects represent a unique opportunity to infer the bulk composition of exoplanetesimals. This chemical characterization requires the use of detailed atmosphere models to determine the elemental abundances at the photospheres of white dwarfs. In this work, we use a state-of-the-art model atmosphere code to reanalyse the first large survey of metal-polluted white dwarfs for which abundances are found for multiple elements. We show that the improved constitutive physics of our models lead to systematically higher Mg abundances than previous analyses. We find an average $\log \, {\rm Mg/Ca}$ number abundance ratio of 1.5. This value is significantly above the reference abundance for chondrites, which is expected as current diffusion models predict that for the cool helium-atmosphere white dwarfs of our sample, Mg should remain in the atmosphere longer than Ca. This helps resolve a recently identified Mg depletion problem, where the planetesimals accreted by white dwarfs were reported to be Mg-deficient compared to the expected composition of their planetary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

HAT-P-68b: A Transiting Hot Jupiter around a K5 Dwarf Star

We report the discovery by the ground-based Hungarian-made Automated Telescope Network (HATNet) survey of the transiting exoplanet HAT-P-68b, which has a mass of 0.724 ± 0.043 M {sub J}, and radius of 1.072 ± 0.012 R {sub J}. The planet is in a circular P = 2.2984 day orbit around a moderately bright V = 13.937 ± 0.030 magnitude K-dwarf star of mass 0.673{sub −0.014}{sup +0.020} M {sub ⊙}, and radius 0.6726 ± 0.0069 R {sub ⊙}. The planetary nature of this system is confirmed through follow-up transit photometry obtained with the Fred L. Whipple Observatory (FLWO) 1.2 m telescope, high-precision radial velocities measured using Keck I/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES), FLWO 1.5 m/Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph (TRES), and Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) 1.9 m/Sophie, and high-spatial-resolution speckle imaging from WIYN 3.5 m/DSSI. HAT-P-68 is at an ecliptic latitude of +3° and outside the field of view of both the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite primary mission and the K2 mission. The large transit depth of 0.036 mag (r band) makes HAT-P-68b a promising target for atmospheric characterization via transmission spectroscopy.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

JWST Noise Floor. II. Systematic Error Sources in JWST NIRCam Time Series

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) holds great promise for characterizing atmospheres of transiting exoplanets, potentially providing insights into Earth-sized planets within the habitable zones of M-dwarf host stars if photon-limited performance can be achieved. Here, we discuss the systematic error sources that are expected to be present in grism time-series observations with the NIRCam instrument. We find that pointing jitter and high-gain antenna moves in addition to the detectors’ subpixel crosshatch patterns will produce relatively small variations (less than 6 parts per million, ppm). The time-dependent aperture losses due to thermal instabilities in the optics can also be kept to below 2 ppm. To achieve these low noise values, it is important to employ a sufficiently large (more than 11) extraction aperture. Persistence due to charge-trapping will have a minor (less than 3 ppm) effect on the time series 20 minutes into an exposure and is expected to play a much smaller role than it does for the Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 detectors. We expect detector temperature fluctuations to contribute less than 3 ppm. In total, our estimated noise floor from known systematic error sources is only 9 ppm per visit. We urge caution, however, because unknown systematic error sources could be present in flight and will only be measurable on astrophysical sources such as quiescent stars. We find that reciprocity failure may introduce a perennial instrument offset at the 40 ppm level, so corrections may be needed when a multi-instrument multi-observatory spectrum is stitched together over wide wavelength ranges.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Nondetection of Helium in the Upper Atmospheres of TRAPPIST-1b, e, and f

We obtained high-resolution spectra of the ultracool M-dwarf TRAPPIST-1 during the transit of its planet “b” using two high-dispersion near-infrared spectrographs, the Infrared Doppler (IRD) instrument on the Subaru 8.2m telescope, and the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF) instrument on the 10 m Hobby–Eberly Telescope. These spectroscopic observations are complemented by a photometric transit observation for planet “b” using the APO/ARCTIC, which assisted us in capturing the correct transit times for our transit spectroscopy. Using the data obtained by the new IRD and HPF observations, as well as the prior transit observations of planets “b,” “e” and “f” from IRD, we attempt to constrain the atmospheric escape of the planet using the He i triplet 10830 Å absorption line. We do not detect evidence for any primordial extended H-He atmospheres in all three planets. To limit any planet-related absorption, we place an upper limit on the equivalent widths of <7.754 mÅ for planet “b,” <10.458 mÅ for planet “e,” <4.143 mÅ for planet “f” at 95% confidence from the IRD data, and <3.467 mÅ for planet “b” at 95% confidence from HPF data. Using these limits along with a solar-like composition isothermal Parker wind model, we attempt to constrain the mass-loss rates for the three planets. For TRAPPIST-1b, our models exclude the highest possible energy-limited rate for a wind temperature <5000 K. This nondetection of extended atmospheres with low mean-molecular weights in all three planets aids in further constraining their atmospheric composition by steering the focus toward the search of high-molecular-weight species in their atmospheres.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Optical Transmission Spectroscopy of the Terrestrial Exoplanet LHS 3844b from 13 Ground-based Transit Observations

Atmospheric studies of spectroscopically accessible terrestrial exoplanets lay the groundwork for comparative planetology between these worlds and the solar system terrestrial planets. LHS 3844b is a highly irradiated terrestrial exoplanet (R = 1.303 ± 0.022R {sub ⊕}) orbiting a mid-M dwarf 15 parsecs away. Work based on near-infrared Spitzer phase curves ruled out atmospheres with surface pressures ≥10 bars on this planet. We present 13 transit observations of LHS 3844b taken with the Magellan Clay telescope and the LDSS3C multi-object spectrograph covering 620–1020 nm. We analyze each of the 13 data sets individually using a Gaussian process regression, and present both white and spectroscopic light curves. In the combined white light curve we achieve an rms precision of 65 ppm when binning to 10 minutes. The mean white light-curve value of (R {sub p}/R {sub s}){sup 2} is 0.4170 ± 0.0046%. To construct the transmission spectrum, we split the white light curves into 20 spectrophotometric bands, each spanning 20 nm, and compute the mean values of (R {sub p}/R {sub s}){sup 2} in each band. We compare the transmission spectrum to two sets of atmospheric models. We disfavor a clear, solar composition atmosphere (μ = 2.34) with surface pressures ≥0.1 bar to 5.2σ confidence. We disfavor a clear, H{sub 2}O steam atmosphere (μ = 18) with surface pressures ≥0.1 bar to low confidence (2.9σ). Our observed transmission spectrum favors a flat line. For solar composition atmospheres with surface pressures ≥1 bar we rule out clouds with cloud-top pressures of 0.1 bar (5.3σ), but we cannot address high-altitude clouds at lower pressures. Our results add further evidence that LHS 3844b is devoid of an atmosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗