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At least 19 records

Variance Preserving Spectral Subsampling

Generating statistically faithful short-duration gamma-ray spectra from a single long measurement is essential in nuclear safeguards, supporting tasks such as algorithm development and machine-learning applications, especially when list-mode data are unavailable. Existing subsampling methods often distort the statistical characteristics of genuine short-duration measurements, leading to biased or unreliable analytical outcomes and thereby undermining downstream tasks. In this work, we compare five subsampling approaches using a benchmark set of 156 genuine replicate spectra collected with a high-purity germanium detector. We evaluate each method with respect to run-to-run variance, channel-to-channel variance, and preservation of total counts (losslessness). Across a wide range of subsampling ratios, only binomial subsampling without replacement consistently reproduces the statistical properties of genuine short-duration spectra, maintaining proper dispersion even in sparse spectral regions and perfectly preserving total counts. These results provide a mathematically principled and practically validated framework for generating synthetically shortened spectra when true short-duration measurements are unavailable.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

The redshift evolution of the mean temperature, pressure, and entropy profiles in 80 SPT-selected galaxy clusters

We present the results of an X-ray analysis of 80 galaxy clusters selected in the 2500 deg{sup 2} South Pole Telescope survey and observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We divide the full sample into subsamples of ∼20 clusters based on redshift and central density, performing a joint X-ray spectral fit to all clusters in a subsample simultaneously, assuming self-similarity of the temperature profile. This approach allows us to constrain the shape of the temperature profile over 0 < r < 1.5R {sub 500}, which would be impossible on a per-cluster basis, since the observations of individual clusters have, on average, 2000 X-ray counts. The results presented here represent the first constraints on the evolution of the average temperature profile from z = 0 to z = 1.2. We find that high-z (0.6 < z < 1.2) clusters are slightly (∼30%) cooler both in the inner (r < 0.1R {sub 500}) and outer (r > R {sub 500}) regions than their low-z (0.3 < z < 0.6) counterparts. Combining the average temperature profile with measured gas density profiles from our earlier work, we infer the average pressure and entropy profiles for each subsample. Confirming earlier results from this data set, we find an absence of strong cool cores at high z, manifested in this analysis as a significantly lower observed pressure in the central 0.1R {sub 500} of the high-z cool-core subset of clusters compared to the low-z cool-core subset. Overall, our observed pressure profiles agree well with earlier lower-redshift measurements, suggesting minimal redshift evolution in the pressure profile outside of the core. We find no measurable redshift evolution in the entropy profile at r ≲ 0.7R {sub 500}—this may reflect a long-standing balance between cooling and feedback over long timescales and large physical scales. We observe a slight flattening of the entropy profile at r ≳ R {sub 500} in our high-z subsample. This flattening is consistent with a temperature bias due to the enhanced (∼3×) rate at which group-mass (∼2 keV) halos, which would go undetected at our survey depth, are accreting onto the cluster at z ∼ 1. This work demonstrates a powerful method for inferring spatially resolved cluster properties in the case where individual cluster signal-to-noise is low, but the number of observed clusters is high.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A NEW Hα EMISSION-LINE SURVEY IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

We present results from an Hα emission line survey in a 1 deg{sup 2} area centered on the Orion Nebula Cluster, obtained with the Wide Field Grism Spectrograph 2 on the 2.2 m telescope of the University of Hawaii. We identified 587 stars with Hα emission, 99 of which, located mainly in the outer regions of the observed area, have not appeared in previous Hα surveys. We determined the equivalent width (EW) of the line and, based on this, classified 372 stars as classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) and 187 as weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). Simultaneous r', i' photometry indicates a limiting magnitude of r' ∼ 20 mag, but the sample is incomplete at r' > 17 mag. The surface distribution of the Hα emission stars reveals a clustered population and a dispersed population, the former consisting of younger and more massive young stars than the latter. Comparison of the derived EWs with those found in the literature indicates variability of the Hα line. We found that the typical amplitudes of the variability are not greater than a factor of two to three in most cases. We identified a subgroup of low-EW stars with infrared signatures indicative of optically thick accretion disks. We studied the correlations between the EW and other properties of the stars. Based on literature data, we examined several properties of our CTTS and WTTS subsamples and found significant differences in mid-infrared color indices, average rotational periods, and spectral energy distribution characteristics of the subsamples.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A spectrophotometric analysis of cool white dwarfs in the Gaia and pan-STARRS footprint

We present a spectrophotometric analysis of 2880 cool white dwarfs within 100 pc of the Sun and cooler than T eff ∼ 10 000 K, with grizy Pan-STARRS photometry and Gaia trigonometric parallaxes available. We also supplement our data sets with near-infrared JHK photometry, when available, which is shown to be essential for interpreting the coolest white dwarfs in our sample. We perform a detailed analysis of each individual object using state-of-the-art model atmospheres appropriate for each spectral type, including DA, DC, DQ, DZ, He-rich DA, and the so-called IR-faint white dwarfs. We discuss the temperature and mass distributions of each subsample, as well as revisit the spectral evolution of cool white dwarfs. We find little evidence in our sample for the transformation of a significant fraction of DA stars into He-atmosphere white dwarfs through the process of convective mixing between T eff = 10 000 and ∼6500 K, although the situation changes drastically in the range T eff = 6500–5500 K where the fraction of He-atmosphere white dwarfs reaches ∼45 per cent. However, we also provide strong evidence that at even cooler temperatures (T eff ≲ 5200 K), most DC white dwarfs have H atmospheres. We discuss a possible mechanism to account for this sudden transformation from He- to H-atmosphere white dwarfs involving the onset of crystallization and the occurrence of magnetism. Finally, we also argue that DQ, DZ, and DC white dwarfs may form a more homogeneous population than previously believed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Wide cool and ultracool companions to nearby stars from Pan-STARRS 1

We present the discovery of 57 wide (>5'') separation, low-mass (stellar and substellar) companions to stars in the solar neighborhood identified from Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1) data and the spectral classification of 31 previously known companions. Our companions represent a selective subsample of promising candidates and span a range in spectral type of K7-L9 with the addition of one DA white dwarf. These were identified primarily from a dedicated common proper motion search around nearby stars, along with a few as serendipitous discoveries from our Pan-STARRS 1 brown dwarf search. Our discoveries include 23 new L dwarf companions and one known L dwarf not previously identified as a companion. The primary stars around which we searched for companions come from a list of bright stars with well-measured parallaxes and large proper motions from the Hipparcos catalog (8583 stars, mostly A-K dwarfs) and fainter stars from other proper motion catalogs (79170 stars, mostly M dwarfs). We examine the likelihood that our companions are chance alignments between unrelated stars and conclude that this is unlikely for the majority of the objects that we have followed-up spectroscopically. We also examine the entire population of ultracool (>M7) dwarf companions and conclude that while some are loosely bound, most are unlikely to be disrupted over the course of ∼10 Gyr. Our search increases the number of ultracool M dwarf companions wider than 300 AU by 88% and increases the number of L dwarf companions in the same separation range by 82%. Finally, we resolve our new L dwarf companion to HIP 6407 into a tight (0.''13, 7.4 AU) L1+T3 binary, making the system a hierarchical triple. Our search for these key benchmarks against which brown dwarf and exoplanet atmosphere models are tested has yielded the largest number of discoveries to date.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

X-ray insights into the nature of PHL 1811 analogs and weak emission-line quasars: Unification with a geometrically thick accretion disk?

We present an X-ray and multiwavelength study of 33 weak emission-line quasars (WLQs) and 18 quasars that are analogs of the extreme WLQ, PHL 1811, at z≈0.5–2.9. New Chandra 1.5–9.5 ks exploratory observations were obtained for 32 objects while the others have archival X-ray observations. Significant fractions of these luminous type 1 quasars are distinctly X-ray weak compared to typical quasars, including 16 (48%) of the WLQs and 17 (94%) of the PHL 1811 analogs with average X-ray weakness factors of 17 and 39, respectively. We measure a relatively hard (Γ=1.16{sub −0.32}{sup +0.37}) effective power-law photon index for a stack of the X-ray weak subsample, suggesting X-ray absorption, and spectral analysis of one PHL 1811 analog, J1521+5202, also indicates significant intrinsic X-ray absorption. We compare composite Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra for the X-ray weak and X-ray normal populations and find several optical–UV tracers of X-ray weakness, e.g., Fe ii rest-frame equivalent width (REW) and relative color. We describe how orientation effects under our previously proposed “shielding-gas” scenario can likely unify the X-ray weak and X-ray normal populations. We suggest that the shielding gas may naturally be understood as a geometrically thick inner accretion disk that shields the broad line region from the ionizing continuum. If WLQs and PHL 1811 analogs have very high Eddington ratios, the inner disk could be significantly puffed up (e.g., a slim disk). Shielding of the broad emission-line region by a geometrically thick disk may have a significant role in setting the broad distributions of C iv REW and blueshift for quasars more generally.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Searching for the 3.5 keV line in the stacked Suzaku observations of galaxy clusters

We perform a detailed study of the stacked Suzaku observations of 47 galaxy clusters, spanning a redshift range of 0.01–0.45, to search for the unidentified 3.5 keV line. This sample provides an independent test for the previously detected line. We detect a 2σ-significant spectral feature at 3.5 keV in the spectrum of the full sample. When the sample is divided into two subsamples (cool-core and non-cool core clusters), the cool-core subsample shows no statistically significant positive residuals at the line energy. A very weak (∼2σ confidence) spectral feature at 3.5 keV is permitted by the data from the non-cool-core clusters sample. The upper limit on a neutrino decay mixing angle of sin{sup 2}(2θ)=6.1×10{sup −11} from the full Suzaku sample is consistent with the previous detections in the stacked XMM-Newton sample of galaxy clusters (which had a higher statistical sensitivity to faint lines), M31, and Galactic center, at a 90% confidence level. However, the constraint from the present sample, which does not include the Perseus cluster, is in tension with previously reported line flux observed in the core of the Perseus cluster with XMM-Newton and Suzaku.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

COMPACT E+A GALAXIES AS A PROGENITOR OF MASSIVE COMPACT QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT 0.2 < z < 0.8

We search the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Baryon Oscillation Sky Survey to identify ∼5500 massive compact quiescent galaxy candidates at 0.2 < z < 0.8. We robustly classify a subsample of 438 E+A galaxies based on their spectral properties and make this catalog publicly available. We examine sizes, stellar population ages, and kinematics of galaxies in the sample and show that the physical properties of compact E+A galaxies suggest that they are a progenitor of massive compact quiescent galaxies. Thus, two classes of objects—compact E+A and compact quiescent galaxies—may be linked by a common formation scenario. The typical stellar population age of compact E+A galaxies is <1 Gyr. The existence of compact E+A galaxies with young stellar populations at 0.2 < z < 0.8 means that some compact quiescent galaxies first appear at intermediate redshifts. We derive a lower limit for the number density of compact E+A galaxies. Assuming passive evolution, we convert this number density into an appearance rate of new compact quiescent galaxies at 0.2 < z < 0.8. The lower limit number density of compact quiescent galaxies that may appear at z < 0.8 is comparable to the lower limit of the total number density of compact quiescent galaxies at these intermediate redshifts. Thus, a substantial fraction of the z < 0.8 massive compact quiescent galaxy population may descend from compact E+A galaxies at intermediate redshifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

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↗

Determining velocity of detonation using high-resolution time domain reflectometry

Two methods are presented to make measurements of the length of a coaxial cable with submillimeter and submicrosecond accuracy. If the cable is destroyed by the passage of a strong shock, for instance, from the detonation of an explosive, a measure of the phase velocity of the detonation (VOD) can be obtained with high accuracy (≈0.25%). The first method introduces a series of short Gaussian electrical pulses (<300 ps) into the cable that reflect off the cable end and are compared to the time of the original outgoing pulse by using a fast digitizer (100 gigasamples per second). By curve fitting a Gaussian form to the outgoing and reflected pulses, a measurement of the cable length can be made with subsample accuracy. So, as long as the pulses do not overlap, a large number may be present in the cable at any time allowing pulse repetition rates of 40–135 MHz depending on the cable length. Averaging allows accurate VOD measurements to be made that are comparable with the best traditional techniques. The second method replaces the pulser with a wide-spectrum (0.1–10 GHz) amplified random noise source. A similar setup and digitizer are used before autocorrelating short (80–160 ns) subsamples of the total waveform to measure the reflected delay time. That is, a smaller amplitude version of the original waveform appears time shifted by twice the transit time in the cable and this time is estimated via autocorrelation. The advantage of this method is that a new subsample needs only to be selected from a time increment in which new spectral information is present for a new measure of the length to be made. In this manner, many more length estimates can be averaged to establish the VOD than with the Gaussian approach. As a result, a detailed description of the implementation of both methods is presented together with an example of the type of data collected and limitations found.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Temporal Subsampling Diminishes Small Spatial Scales in Recurrent Neural Network Emulators of Geophysical Turbulence

The immense computational cost of traditional numerical weather and climate models has sparked the development of machine learning (ML) based emulators. Because ML methods benefit from long records of training data, it is common to use data sets that are temporally subsampled relative to the time steps required for the numerical integration of differential equations. Here, we investigate how this often overlooked processing step affects the quality of an emulator's predictions. We implement two ML architectures from a class of methods called reservoir computing: (a) a form of Nonlinear Vector Autoregression (NVAR), and (b) an Echo State Network (ESN). Despite their simplicity, it is well documented that these architectures excel at predicting low dimensional chaotic dynamics. We are therefore motivated to test these architectures in an idealized setting of predicting high dimensional geophysical turbulence as represented by Surface Quasi-Geostrophic dynamics. In all cases, subsampling the training data consistently leads to an increased bias at small spatial scales that resembles numerical diffusion. Interestingly, the NVAR architecture becomes unstable when the temporal resolution is increased, indicating that the polynomial based interactions are insufficient at capturing the detailed nonlinearities of the turbulent flow. The ESN architecture is found to be more robust, suggesting a benefit to the more expensive but more general structure. Spectral errors are reduced by including a penalty on the kinetic energy density spectrum during training, although the subsampling related errors persist. Future work is warranted to understand how the temporal resolution of training data affects other ML architectures.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Variable Active Galactic Nuclei in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Time Domain Survey

We searched the northern hemisphere fields of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Time Domain Survey for galaxies with UV variability indicative of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We identified 48 high-probability candidate AGNs from a parent sample of 1819 galaxies in the NASA Sloan Atlas catalog. We further characterized these systems using optical spectroscopic diagnostics, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer IR color selection criteria, and spectral energy distribution modeling. Of the 48 candidates, eight were identified as AGNs from optical emission lines, two were identified by their IR colors, and 28 were identified through spectral energy decomposition. Observational biases of each selection method are discussed in connecting these AGN subsamples to another. By selecting AGNs based on UV variability, we also identified six low-mass AGN candidates, all of which would have been missed by spectroscopic selection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A comparison of compact, presumably young with extended, evolved radio active galactic nuclei

Context.The triggering and evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and the interaction of the AGN with its host galaxy is an important topic in extragalactic astrophysics. Radio sources with peaked spectra (peaked spectrum sources, PSS) and compact symmetric objects (CSO) are powerful, compact, and presumably young AGNs and therefore particularly suitable to study aspects of the AGN-host connection. Aims.We use a statistical approach to investigate properties of a PSS-CSO sample that are related to host galaxies and could potentially shed light on the link between host galaxies and AGNs. The main goal is to compare the PSS-CSO sample with a matching comparison sample of extended sources (ECS) to see if the two have significant differences. Methods.We analysed composite spectra, diagnostic line diagrams, multi-band spectral energy distributions (MBSEDs), star formation (SF) indicators, morphologies, and cluster environments for a sample of 121 PSSs and CSOs for which spectra are available from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The statistical results were compared with those of the ECS sample, where we generally considered the two subsamples of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) and radio galaxies separately. The analysis is based on a large set of archival data in the spectral range from the ultraviolet to mid-infrared. Results.We find significant differences between the PSS-CSO and the ECS sample. In particular, we find that the ECS sample has a higher proportion of passive galaxies with a lower star formation activity. This applies to both sub-samples (QSOs or radio galaxies) as well as to the entire sample. The star formation rates of the PSS-CSO host galaxies with available data are typically in the range ∼0 to 5 ℳ ⊙ yr −1 , and the stellar masses are in the range 3 × 10 11 to 10 12 ℳ ⊙ . Secondly, in agreement with previous results, we find a remarkably high proportion of PSS-CSO host galaxies with merger signatures. The merger fraction of the PSS-CSO sample is 0.61 ± 0.07, which is significantly higher than that of the comparison sample (0.15 ± 0.06). We suggest that this difference can be explained by assuming that the majority of the PSSs and CSOs cannot evolve to extended radio sources and are therefore not represented in our comparison sample.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Faraday rotation from magnesium II absorbers toward polarized background radio sources

Strong singly ionized magnesium (Mg II) absorption lines in quasar spectra typically serve as a proxy for intervening galaxies along the line of sight. Previous studies have found a correlation between the number of these Mg II absorbers and the Faraday rotation measure (RM) at ≈5 GHz. We cross-match a sample of 35,752 optically identified non-intrinsic Mg II absorption systems with 25,649 polarized background radio sources for which we have measurements of both the spectral index and RM at 1.4 GHz. We use the spectral index to split the resulting sample of 599 sources into flat-spectrum and steep-spectrum subsamples. We find that our flat-spectrum sample shows significant (∼3.5σ) evidence for a correlation between Mg II absorption and RM at 1.4 GHz, while our steep-spectrum sample shows no such correlation. We argue that such an effect cannot be explained by either luminosity or other observational effects, by evolution in another confounding variable, by wavelength-dependent polarization structure in an active galactic nucleus, by the Galactic foreground, by cosmological expansion, or by partial coverage models. We conclude that our data are most consistent with intervenors directly contributing to the Faraday rotation along the line of sight, and that the intervening systems must therefore have coherent magnetic fields of substantial strength ( B-bar =1.8±0.4 μG). Nevertheless, the weak nature of the correlation will require future high-resolution and broadband radio observations in order to place it on a much firmer statistical footing.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

PERIODOGRAMS FOR MULTIBAND ASTRONOMICAL TIME SERIES

This paper introduces the multiband periodogram, a general extension of the well-known Lomb–Scargle approach for detecting periodic signals in time-domain data. In addition to advantages of the Lomb–Scargle method such as treatment of non-uniform sampling and heteroscedastic errors, the multiband periodogram significantly improves period finding for randomly sampled multiband light curves (e.g., Pan-STARRS, DES, and LSST). The light curves in each band are modeled as arbitrary truncated Fourier series, with the period and phase shared across all bands. The key aspect is the use of Tikhonov regularization which drives most of the variability into the so-called base model common to all bands, while fits for individual bands describe residuals relative to the base model and typically require lower-order Fourier series. This decrease in the effective model complexity is the main reason for improved performance. After a pedagogical development of the formalism of least-squares spectral analysis, which motivates the essential features of the multiband model, we use simulated light curves and randomly subsampled SDSS Stripe 82 data to demonstrate the superiority of this method compared to other methods from the literature and find that this method will be able to efficiently determine the correct period in the majority of LSST’s bright RR Lyrae stars with as little as six months of LSST data, a vast improvement over the years of data reported to be required by previous studies. A Python implementation of this method, along with code to fully reproduce the results reported here, is available on GitHub.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

ULTRALUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES IN THE WISE AND SDSS SURVEYS

In this paper, we present a large catalog of 419 Ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), carefully selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-infrared data and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey eighth data release, and classify them into three subsamples, based on their emission line properties: H II-like ULIRGs, Seyfert 2 ULIRGs, and composite ULIRGs. We apply our new efficient spectral synthesis technique, which is based on mean field approach to Bayesian independent component analysis (MF-ICA) method, to the galaxy integrated spectra. We also analyze the stellar population properties, including percentage contribution, stellar age, and stellar mass, for these three types of ULIRGs, and explore the evolution among them. We find no significant difference between the properties of stellar populations in ULIRGs with or without active galactic nucleus components. Our results suggest that there is no evolutionary link among these three type ULIRGs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS AND SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS OF YOUNG AND FIELD AGE OBJECTS WITH MASSES SPANNING THE STELLAR TO PLANETARY REGIME

We combine optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared spectra and photometry to construct expanded spectral energy distributions for 145 field age (>500 Myr) and 53 young (lower age estimate <500 Myr) ultracool dwarfs (M6-T9). This range of spectral types includes very low mass stars, brown dwarfs, and planetary mass objects, providing fundamental parameters across both the hydrogen and deuterium burning minimum masses for the largest sample assembled to date. A subsample of 29 objects have well constrained ages as probable members of a nearby young moving group. We use 182 parallaxes and 16 kinematic distances to determine precise bolometric luminosities (L{sub bol}) and radius estimates from evolutionary models give semi-empirical effective temperatures (T{sub eff}) for the full range of young and field age late-M, L, and T dwarfs. We construct age-sensitive relationships of luminosity, temperature, and absolute magnitude as functions of spectral type and absolute magnitude to disentangle the effects of degenerate physical parameters such as T{sub eff}, surface gravity, and clouds on spectral morphology. We report bolometric corrections in J for both field age and young objects and find differences of up to a magnitude for late-L dwarfs. Our correction in Ks shows a larger dispersion but not necessarily a different relationship for young and field age sequences. We also characterize the NIR–MIR reddening of low gravity L dwarfs and identify a systematically cooler T{sub eff} of up to 300 K from field age objects of the same spectral type and 400 K cooler from field age objects of the same M{sub H} magnitude.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Host Star Metallicity of Directly Imaged Wide-orbit Planets: Implications for Planet Formation

Directly imaged planets (DIPs) are self-luminous companions of pre-main-sequence and young main-sequence stars. They reside in wider orbits (∼tens to thousands of astronomical units) and generally are more massive compared to the close-in (≲10 au) planets. Determining the host star properties of these outstretched planetary systems is important to understand and discern various planet formation and evolution scenarios. We present the stellar parameters and metallicity ([Fe/H]) for a subsample of 18 stars known to host planets discovered by the direct imaging technique. We retrieved the high-resolution spectra for these stars from public archives and used the synthetic spectral fitting technique and Bayesian analysis to determine the stellar properties in a uniform and consistent way. For eight sources, the metallicities are reported for the first time, while the results are consistent with the previous estimates for the other sources. Our analysis shows that metallicities of stars hosting DIPs are close to solar with a mean [Fe/H] = −0.04 ± 0.27 dex. The large scatter in metallicity suggests that a metal-rich environment may not be necessary to form massive planets at large orbital distances. We also find that the planet mass–host star metallicity relation for the directly imaged massive planets in wide orbits is very similar to that found for the well-studied population of short-period (≲1 yr) super-Jupiters and brown dwarfs around main-sequence stars.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗