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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,333 records · Page 74
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Interesting features in the combined Galex and Sloan color diagrams of solar-like galactic populations

We report on intriguing photometric properties of Galactic stars observed in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite's far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV) bandpasses, as well as from the ground-based Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Kepler Input Catalog. The first property is that the (FUV – NUV) color distribution of stars in the Kepler field consists of two well-separated peaks. A second and more perplexing property is that for stars with spectral types G or later the mean (FUV – NUV) color becomes much bluer, contrary to expectation. Investigating this tendency further, we found in two samples of mid-F through K type stars that 17%-22% of them exhibit FUV excesses relative to their NUV fluxes and spectral types. A correction for FUV incompleteness of the FUV magnitude-limited star sample brings this ratio to 14%-18%. Nearly the same fractions are also discovered among members of the Kepler Eclipsing Binary Catalog and in the published list of Kepler Objects of Interest. These UV-excess ('UVe') colors are confirmed by the negative UV continuum slopes in GALEX spectra of members of the population. The SDSS spectra of some UVe stars exhibit metallic line weakening, especially in the blue. This suggests an enhanced contribution of UV flux relative to photospheric flux of a solar-type single star. We consider the possibility that the UV excesses originate from various types of hot stars, including white dwarf DA and sdB stars, binaries, and strong chromosphere stars that are young or in active binaries. The space density of compact stars is too low to explain the observed frequency of the UVe stars. Our model atmosphere-derived simulations of colors for binaries with main-sequence pairs with a hot secondary demonstrate that the color loci conflict with the observed sequence. As a preferred alternative we are left with the active chromospheres explanation, whether in active close binaries or young single stars, despite the expected paucity of young, chromospherically active stars in the field. We also address a third perplexing color property, namely, the presence of a prominent island of 'UV red' stars surrounded by 'UV blue' stars in the diagnostic (NUV–g), (g – i) color diagram. We find that the subpopulation composing this island is mainly horizontal branch stars. These objects do not exhibit UV excesses and therefore have UV colors typical for their spectral types. This subpopulation appears 'red' in the UV only because the stars' colors are not pulled to the blue by the inclusion of UVe stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

An optimized method to identify RR Lyrae stars in the SDSS×Pan-STARRS1 overlapping area using a bayesian generative technique

We present a method for selecting RR Lyrae (RRL) stars (or other types of variable stars) in the absence of a large number of multi-epoch data and light curve analyses. Our method uses color and variability selection cuts that are defined by applying a Gaussian Mixture Bayesian Generative Method (GMM) on 636 pre-identified RRL stars instead of applying the commonly used rectangular cuts. Specifically, our method selects 8115 RRL candidates (heliocentric distances < 70 kpc) using GMM color cuts from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and GMM variability cuts from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 3π survey (PS1). Comparing our method with the Stripe 82 catalog of RRL stars shows that the efficiency and completeness levels of our method are ∼77% and ∼52%, respectively. Most contaminants are either non-variable main-sequence stars or stars in eclipsing systems. The method described here efficiently recovers known stellar halo substructures. It is expected that the current completeness and efficiency levels will further improve with the additional PS1 epochs (∼3 epochs per filter) that will be observed before the conclusion of the survey. A comparison between our efficiency and completeness levels using the GMM method to the efficiency and completeness levels using rectangular cuts that are commonly used yielded a significant increase in the efficiency level from ∼13% to ∼77% and an insignificant change in the completeness levels. Hence, we favor using the GMM technique in future studies. Although we develop it over the SDSS×PS1 footprint, the technique presented here would work well on any multi-band, multi-epoch survey for which the number of epochs is limited.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

WIYN open cluster study. LX. Spectroscopic binary orbits in NGC 6819

We present the current state of the WOCS radial-velocity (RV) survey for the rich open cluster NGC 6819 (2.5 Gyr) including 93 spectroscopic binary orbits with periods ranging from 1.5 to 8000 days. These results are the product of our ongoing RV survey of NGC 6819 using the Hydra Multi-Object Spectrograph on the WIYN 3.5 m telescope. We also include a detailed analysis of multiple prior sets of optical photometry for NGC 6819. Within a 1° field of view, our stellar sample includes the giant branch, the red clump, and blue straggler candidates, and extends to almost 2 mag below the main sequence (MS) turnoff. For each star observed in our survey we present all RV measurements, the average RV, and velocity variability information. Additionally, we discuss notable binaries from our sample, including eclipsing binaries (WOCS 23009, WOCS 24009, and WOCS 40007), stars noted in Kepler asteroseismology studies (WOCS 4008, WOCS 7009, and WOCS 8007), and potential descendants of past blue stragglers (WOCS 1006 and WOCS 6002). We find the incompleteness-corrected binary fraction for all MS binaries with periods less than 10{sup 4} days to be 22% ± 3% and a tidal circularization period of 6.2{sub −1.1}{sup +1.1} days for NGC 6819.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The HD 5980 multiple system: Masses and evolutionary status

New spectroscopic observations of the LBV/WR multiple system HD 5980 in the Small Magellanic Cloud are used to address the question of the masses and evolutionary status of the two very luminous stars in the 19.3 day eclipsing binary system. Two distinct components of the N V 4944 Å line are detected in emission and their radial velocity variations are used to derive masses of 61 and 66 M {sub ☉}, under the assumption that binary interaction effects on this atomic transition are negligible. We propose that this binary system is the product of quasi-chemically homogeneous evolution with little or no mass transfer. Thus, both of these binary stars may be candidates for gamma-ray burst progenitors or even pair instability supernovae. Analysis of the photospheric absorption lines belonging to the third-light object in the system confirm that it consists of an O-type star in a 96.56 day eccentric orbit (e = 0.82) around an unseen companion. The 5:1 period ratio and high eccentricities of the two binaries suggest that they may constitute a hierarchical quadruple system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

RX GEMINORUM: PHOTOMETRIC SOLUTIONS, (NEARLY UNIFORM) GAINER ROTATION, DONOR RADIAL VELOCITY SOLUTION, NON-LTE ACCRETION DISK MODELS OF Hα EMISSION PROFILES, AND SECULAR LIGHT CURVE CHANGES IN THE 20TH CENTURY

We obtained full-orbit Iybvu intermediate-band photometry and CCD spectroscopy of the long-period Algol eclipsing binary RX Geminorum. Photometric solutions using the Wilson–Devinney code give a gainer rotation (hotter, mass-accreting component) about 15 times the synchronous rate. We describe a simple technique to detect departures from uniform rotation of the hotter component. These binaries radiate double-peaked Hα emission from a low-mass accretion disk around the gainer. We used an approximate non-LTE disk code to predict models in fair agreement with observations, except in the far wings of the emission profile, where the star–inner disk boundary layer emits extra radiation. Variations in Hα emission derive from modulations in the transfer rate. A study of times of minima during the 20th century suggests that a perturbing third body is present near RX Gem.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SPECTROSCOPIC ORBITAL PERIODS FOR 29 CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

We report follow-up spectroscopy of 29 cataclysmic variables from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), 22 of which were discovered by SDSS and seven of which are previously known systems that were recovered in SDSS. The periods for 16 of these objects were included in the tabulation by Gänsicke et al. While most of the systems have periods less than 2 hr, only one has a period in the 80–86 minutes “spike” found by Gänsicke et al., and 11 have periods longer than 3 hr, indicating that the present sample is skewed toward longer-period, higher-luminosity objects. Seven of the objects have spectra resembling dwarf novae, but have apparently never been observed in outburst, suggesting that many cataclysmics with relatively low variability amplitude remain to be discovered. Some of the objects are notable. SDSS J07568+0858 and SDSS J08129+1911 were previously known to have deep eclipses; in addition to spectroscopy, we use archival data from the Catalina Real Time Transient Survey to refine their periods. We give a parallax-based distance of 195 (+54, −39) pc for LV Cnc (SDSS J09197+0857), which at P{sub orb} = 81 m has the shortest orbital period in our sample. SDSS J08091+3814 shows both the spectroscopic phase offset and phase-dependent absorption found in SW Sextantis stars. The average spectra of SDSS J08055+0720 and SDSS J16191+1351 show contributions from K-type secondaries, and SDSS J080440+0239 shows a contribution from an early M star. We use these to constrain the distances. SDSS J09459+2922 has characteristics typical of a magnetic system. SDSS11324+6249 may be a novalike variable, and if so, its orbital period (99 minutes) is unusually short for that subclass.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

FIRST PRECISION LIGHT CURVE ANALYSIS OF THE NEGLECTED EXTREME MASS RATIO SOLAR-TYPE BINARY HR BOOTIS

HR Bootis is a neglected binary that is found to be a solar-type (G2V) extreme mass ratio binary (EMRB). It was discovered by Hanley and Shapley in 1940. Surprisingly, little has been published in the intervening years. In 1999 it was characterized by a 0.31587 day orbital period. Since that time it has been observed by various observers who have determined ∼20 timings of minimum light over the past ∼15,000 orbits. Our observations in 2012 represent the first precision curves in the BVR{sub c}I{sub c} Johnson–Cousins wavelength bands. The light curves have rather low amplitudes, averaging some 0.5 magnitudes, yet they exhibit total eclipses, which is typical of the rare group of solar-type EMRBs. An improved linear ephemeris was computed along with a quadratic ephemeris showing a decaying orbit, which indicates magnetic breaking may be occurring. The light curve solution reveals that HR Boo is a contact system with a somewhat low 21% Roche-lobe fill-out but a mass ratio of q = 4.09 (0.2444), which defines it as an EMRB. Two spots, both hot, were allowed to iterate to fit the light curve asymmetries. Their radii are 32° and 16°. Both are high-latitude polar spots indicative of strong magnetic activity. The shallow contact yet nearly equal component temperatures makes it an unusual addition to this group.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

HATS-6b: A WARM SATURN TRANSITING AN EARLY M DWARF STAR, AND A SET OF EMPIRICAL RELATIONS FOR CHARACTERIZING K AND M DWARF PLANET HOSTS

We report the discovery by the HATSouth survey of HATS-6b, an extrasolar planet transiting a V = 15.2 mag, i = 13.7 mag M1V star with a mass of 0.57 M{sub ⊙} and a radius of 0.57 R{sub ⊙}. HATS-6b has a period of P = 3.3253 d, mass of M{sub p} = 0.32 M{sub J}, radius of R{sub p} = 1.00 R{sub J}, and zero-albedo equilibrium temperature of T{sub eq} = 712.8 ± 5.1 K. HATS-6 is one of the lowest mass stars known to host a close-in gas giant planet, and its transits are among the deepest of any known transiting planet system. We discuss the follow-up opportunities afforded by this system, noting that despite the faintness of the host star, it is expected to have the highest K-band S/N transmission spectrum among known gas giant planets with T{sub eq}<750 K. In order to characterize the star we present a new set of empirical relations between the density, radius, mass, bolometric magnitude, and V-, J-, H- and K-band bolometric corrections for main sequence stars with M<0.80 M{sub ⊙}, or spectral types later than K5. These relations are calibrated using eclipsing binary components as well as members of resolved binary systems. We account for intrinsic scatter in the relations in a self-consistent manner. We show that from the transit-based stellar density alone it is possible to measure the mass and radius of a ∼0.6 M{sub ⊙} star to ∼7 and ∼2% precision, respectively. Incorporating additional information, such as the V−K color, or an absolute magnitude, allows the precision to be improved by up to a factor of two.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF SYMBIOTIC STARS. X. ORBITS FOR THREE S-TYPE SYSTEMS: V1044 CENTAURI, HEN 3-1213, AND SS 73-96

Employing new infrared radial velocities, we have computed orbits of the cool giants in three southern S-type symbiotic systems. The orbit for V1044 Cen, an M5.5 giant, has a period of 985 days and a modest eccentricity of 0.16. Hen 3-1213 is a K4 giant, yellow symbiotic with an orbital period of 533 days and a similar eccentricity of 0.18. For the M2 giant SS 73-96 the orbital period is 828 days, and this system has a somewhat larger eccentricity of 0.26. Measurement of the H i Paschen δ emission lines, which may at least partially reflect the motion of the secondary in SS 73-96, results in a mass ratio of 2.4 for the M giant relative to the presumed white dwarf. The estimated orbital inclinations of V1044 Cen and Hen 3-1213 are low, about 40°. However, for SS 73-96 the predicted inclination is 90°, and so an ephemeris for eclipses of the secondary or the hot nebula surrounding it is provided. A search of the orbital velocity residuals of V1044 Cen and SS 73-96 for pulsation periods produced no realistic or convincing period for either star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SuperWASP J015100.23-100524.2: A SPOTTED SHALLOW-CONTACT BINARY BELOW THE PERIOD LIMIT

SuperWASP J015100.23-100524.2 (hereafter J015100) is an eclipsing binary with an orbital period of 0.d2145 that is below the short-period limit of contact binary stars. Complete light curves of J015100 in B, V, R, and I bands are presented and are analyzed with the Wilson–Devinney method. It has been discovered that J015100 is a shallow-contact binary (f = 14.6(±2.7)%) with a mass ratio of 3.128. It is a W-type contact binary where the less massive component is about 130 K hotter than the more massive one. The asymmetries of light curves are explained as one dark spot on the more massive component. The detection of J015100 as a contact binary below the period limit suggests that contact binaries below this limit are not rapidly destroyed. This shallow-contact system may be formed from a detached short-period binary similar to DV Psc (Sp. = K4/K5; P = 0.d30855) via orbital shrinkage due to angular momentum loss through magnetic stellar wind.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Near-infrared variability in the Orion nebula cluster

Using UKIRT on Mauna Kea, we have carried out a new near-infrared J, H, K monitoring survey of almost a square degree of the star-forming Orion Nebula Cluster with observations on 120 nights over three observing seasons, spanning a total of 894 days. We monitored ∼15,000 stars down to J≈20 using the WFCAM instrument, and have extracted 1203 significantly variable stars from our data. By studying variability in young stellar objects (YSOs) in the H – K, K color–magnitude diagram, we are able to distinguish between physical mechanisms of variability. Many variables show color behavior indicating either dust-extinction or disk/accretion activity, but we find that when monitored for longer periods of time, a number of stars shift between these two variability mechanisms. Further, we show that the intrinsic timescale of disk/accretion variability in young stars is longer than that of dust-extinction variability. We confirm that variability amplitude is statistically correlated with evolutionary class in all bands and colors. Our investigations of these 1203 variables have revealed 73 periodic AA Tau type variables, many large-amplitude and long-period (P>15 days) YSOs, including three stars showing widely spaced periodic brightening events consistent with circumbinary disk activity, and four new eclipsing binaries. These phenomena and others indicate the activity of long-term disk/accretion variability processes taking place in young stars. We have made the light curves and associated data for these 1203 variables available online.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

LUT reveals a new mass-transferring semi-detached binary

GQ Dra is a short-period eclipsing binary in a double stellar system that was discovered by Hipparcos. Complete light curves in the UV band were obtained with the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope in 2014 November and December. Photometric solutions are determined using the W–D (Wilson and Devinney) method. It is discovered that GQ Dra is a classical Algol-type semi-detached binary where the secondary component is filling the critical Roche lobe. An analysis of all available times of minimum light suggests that the orbital period is increasing continuously at a rate of P-dot =+3.48(±0.23)×10{sup −7} days yr{sup −1}. This could be explained by mass transfer from the secondary to the primary, which is in agreement with the semi-detached configuration with a lobe-filling secondary. By assuming a conservation of mass and angular momentum, the mass transfer rate is estimated as m-dot =9.57(±0.63)×10{sup −8} M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. All of these results reveal that GQ Dra is a mass-transferring semi-detached binary in a double system that was formed from an initially detached binary star. After the massive primary evolves to fill the critical Roche lobe, the mass transfer will be reversed and the binary will evolve into a contact configuration with two sub-giant or giant component stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Discovery of the optical counterparts to four energetic Fermi millisecond pulsars

In the last few years, over 43 millisecond radio pulsars have been discovered by targeted searches of unidentified γ-ray sources found by the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. A large fraction of these millisecond pulsars are in compact binaries with low-mass companions. These systems often show eclipses of the pulsar signal and are commonly known as black widows and redbacks because the pulsar is gradually destroying its companion. In this paper, we report on the optical discovery of four strongly irradiated millisecond pulsar companions. All four sources show modulations of their color and luminosity at the known orbital periods from radio timing. Light curve modeling of our exploratory data shows that the equilibrium temperature reached on the companion's dayside with respect to their nightside is consistent with about 10%-30% of the available spin-down energy from the pulsar being reprocessed to increase the companion's dayside temperature. This value compares well with the range observed in other irradiated pulsar binaries and offers insights about the energetics of the pulsar wind and the production of γ-ray emission. In addition, this provides a simple way of estimating the brightness of irradiated pulsar companions given the pulsar spin-down luminosity. Our analysis also suggests that two of the four new irradiated pulsar companions are only partially filling their Roche lobe. Some of these sources are relatively bright and represent good targets for spectroscopic follow-up. These measurements could enable, among other things, mass determination of the neutron stars in these systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

OPTICAL PHASE CURVES OF KEPLER EXOPLANETS

We conducted a comprehensive search for optical phase variations of all close-in (a/R{sub *} < 10) planet candidates in 15 quarters of Kepler space telescope data. After correcting for systematics, we found eight systems that show secondary eclipses as well as phase variations. Of these, five (Kepler-5, Kepler-6, Kepler-8, KOI-64, and KOI-2133) are new and three (TrES-2, HAT-P-7, and KOI-13) have published phase curves, albeit with many fewer observations. We model the full phase curve of each planet candidate, including the primary and secondary transits, and derive their albedos, dayside and nightside temperatures, ellipsoidal variations, and Doppler beaming. We find that KOI-64 and KOI-2133 have nightside temperatures well above their equilibrium values (while KOI-2133 also has an albedo, >1), so we conclude that they are likely to be self-luminous objects rather than planets. The other six candidates have characteristics consistent with their being planets with low geometric albedos (<0.3). For TrES-2 and KOI-13, the Kepler bandpass appears to probe atmospheric layers hotter than the planet's equilibrium temperature. For KOI-13, we detect a never-before-seen third cosine harmonic with an amplitude of 6.7 {+-} 0.3 ppm and a phase shift of -1.1 {+-} 0.1 rad in the phase curve residual, possibly due to its spin-orbit misalignment. We report derived planetary parameters for all six planets, including masses from ellipsoidal variations and Doppler beaming, and compare our results to published values when available. Our results nearly double the number of Kepler exoplanets with measured phase curve variations, thus providing valuable constraints on the properties of hot Jupiters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE STELLAR OBLIQUITY AND THE LONG-PERIOD PLANET IN THE HAT-P-17 EXOPLANETARY SYSTEM

We present the measured projected obliquity-the sky-projected angle between the stellar spin axis and orbital angular momentum-of the inner planet of the HAT-P-17 multi-planet system. We measure the sky-projected obliquity of the star to be {lambda}=19{sup +14}{sub -16} deg by modeling the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in Keck/HIRES radial velocities (RVs). The anomalous RV time series shows an asymmetry relative to the midtransit time, ordinarily suggesting a nonzero obliquity-but in this case at least part of the asymmetry may be due to the convective blueshift, increasing the uncertainty in the determination of {lambda}. We employ the semi-analytical approach of Hirano et al. that includes the effects of macroturbulence, instrumental broadening, and convective blueshift to accurately model the anomaly in the net RV caused by the planet eclipsing part of the rotating star. Obliquity measurements are an important tool for testing theories of planet formation and migration. To date, the measured obliquities of {approx}50 Jovian planets span the full range, from prograde to retrograde, with planets orbiting cool stars preferentially showing alignment of stellar spins and planetary orbits. Our results are consistent with this pattern emerging from tidal interactions in the convective envelopes of cool stars and close-in planets. In addition, our 1.8 yr of new RVs for this system show that the orbit of the outer planet is more poorly constrained than previously thought, with an orbital period now in the range of 10-36 yr.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE ARAUCARIA PROJECT. A DISTANCE DETERMINATION TO THE LOCAL GROUP SPIRAL M33 FROM NEAR-INFRARED PHOTOMETRY OF CEPHEID VARIABLES

Motivated by an amazing range of reported distances to the nearby Local Group spiral galaxy M33, we have obtained deep near-infrared photometry for 26 long-period Cepheids in this galaxy with the ESO Very Large Telescope. From the data, we constructed period-luminosity relations in the J and K bands which together with previous optical VI photometry for the Cepheids by Macri et al. were used to determine the true distance modulus of M33, and the mean reddening affecting the Cepheid sample with the multiwavelength fit method developed in the Araucaria Project. We find a true distance modulus of 24.62 for M33, with a total uncertainty of {+-}0.07 mag which is dominated by the uncertainty on the photometric zero points in our photometry. The reddening is determined as E(B - V) = 0.19 {+-} 0.02, in agreement with the value used by the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project of Freedman et al. but in some discrepancy with other recent determinations based on blue supergiant spectroscopy and an O-type eclipsing binary which yielded lower reddening values. Our derived M33 distance modulus is extremely insensitive to the adopted reddening law. We show that the possible effects of metallicity and crowding on our present distance determination are both at the 1%-2% level and therefore minor contributors to the total uncertainty of our distance result for M33.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

NEAR-INFRARED VARIABILITY AMONG YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN THE STAR FORMATION REGION CYGNUS OB7

We present an analysis of near-infrared time-series photometry in J, H, and K bands for about 100 epochs of a 1 Degree-Sign Multiplication-Sign 1 Degree-Sign region of the Lynds 1003/1004 dark cloud in the Cygnus OB7 region. Augmented by data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we identify 96 candidate disk bearing young stellar objects (YSOs) in the region. Of these, 30 are clearly Class I or earlier. Using the Wide-Field Imaging Camera on the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, we were able to obtain photometry over three observing seasons, with photometric uncertainty better than 0.05 mag down to J Almost-Equal-To 17. We study detailed light curves and color trajectories of {approx}50 of the YSOs in the monitored field. We investigate the variability and periodicity of the YSOs and find the data are consistent with all YSOs being variable in these wavelengths on timescales of a few years. We divide the variability into four observational classes: (1) stars with periodic variability stable over long timescales, (2) variables which exhibit short-lived cyclic behavior, (3) long-duration variables, and (4) stochastic variables. Some YSO variability defies simple classification. We can explain much of the observed variability as being due to dynamic and rotational changes in the disk, including an asymmetric or changing blocking fraction, changes to the inner disk hole size, as well as changes to the accretion rate. Overall, we find that the Class I:Class II ratio of the cluster is consistent with an age of <1 Myr, with at least one individual, wildly varying source {approx}100, 000 yr old. We have also discovered a Class II eclipsing binary system with a period of 17.87 days.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

TRANSITS AND OCCULTATIONS OF AN EARTH-SIZED PLANET IN AN 8.5 hr ORBIT

We report the discovery of an Earth-sized planet (1.16 {+-} 0.19 R{sub Circled-Plus }) in an 8.5 hr orbit around a late G-type star (KIC 8435766, Kepler-xx). The object was identified in a search for short-period planets in the Kepler database and confirmed to be a transiting planet (as opposed to an eclipsing stellar system) through the absence of ellipsoidal light variations or substantial radial-velocity variations. The unusually short orbital period and the relative brightness of the host star (m{sub Kep} = 11.5) enable robust detections of the changing illumination of the visible hemisphere of the planet, as well as the occultations of the planet by the star. We interpret these signals as representing a combination of reflected and reprocessed light, with the highest planet dayside temperature in the range of 2300 K-3100 K. Follow-up spectroscopy combined with finer sampling photometric observations will further pin down the system parameters and may even yield the mass of the planet.

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