Search Publications
Visible-light Phase Curves from the Second Year of the TESS Primary Mission
Kane, Stephen R.; Fetherolf, Tara; Vanderspek, Roland +10 more
We carried out a systematic study of full-orbit phase curves for known transiting systems in the northern ecliptic sky that were observed during Year 2 of the TESS primary mission. We applied the same methodology for target selection, data processing, and light-curve fitting as we did in our Year 1 study. Out of the 15 transiting systems selected …
Precise Dynamical Masses and Orbital Fits for β Pic b and β Pic c
Dupuy, Trent J.; Brandt, Timothy D.; Li, Yiting +2 more
We present a comprehensive orbital analysis to the exoplanets β Pictoris b and c that resolves previously reported tensions between the dynamical and evolutionary mass constraints on β Pic b. We use the Markov Chain Monte Carlo orbit code orvara to fit 15 years of radial velocities and relative astrometry (including recent GRAVITY measurements), a…
Hubble Space Telescope UV and Hα Measurements of the Accretion Excess Emission from the Young Giant Planet PDS 70 b
Fang, Min; Herczeg, Gregory J.; Schneider, Glenn +6 more
Recent discoveries of young exoplanets within their natal disks offer exciting opportunities to study ongoing planet formation. In particular, a planet's mass accretion rate can be constrained by observing the accretion-induced excess emission. So far, planetary accretion is only probed by the Hα line, which is then converted to a total accretion …
Two Young Planetary Systems around Field Stars with Ages between 20 and 320 Myr from TESS
Torres, Guillermo; Hellier, Coel; Bieryla, Allyson +46 more
Planets around young stars trace the early evolution of planetary systems. We report the discovery and validation of two planetary systems with ages ≲300 Myr from observations by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The $40\mbox{--}320$ Myr old G star TOI-251 hosts a ${2.74}_{-0.18}^{+0.18}\,{R}_{\oplus }$ mini-Neptune with a $4.94$ d…
ACCESS and LRG-BEASTS: A Precise New Optical Transmission Spectrum of the Ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b
Nikolov, Nikolay; Gibson, Neale P.; Wilson, Jamie +17 more
We present a new ground-based optical transmission spectrum of the ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b ( ${T}_{\mathrm{eq}}=2484$ K). Our transmission spectrum is the result of combining five new transits from the ACCESS survey and two new transits from the LRG-BEASTS survey with a reanalysis of three archival Gemini/GMOS transits and one VLT/FORS2 transit…
TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). V. A Sub-Neptune Transiting a Young Star in a Newly Discovered 250 Myr Association
Vanderburg, Andrew; Latham, David W.; Quinn, Samuel N. +27 more
The detection and characterization of young planetary systems offer a direct path to study the processes that shape planet evolution. We report on the discovery of a sub-Neptune-sized planet orbiting the young star HD 110082 (TOI-1098). Transit events we initially detected during TESS Cycle 1 are validated with time-series photometry from Spitzer.…
Understanding the Impacts of Stellar Companions on Planet Formation and Evolution: A Survey of Stellar and Planetary Companions within 25 pc
Macintosh, Bruce; Fulton, Benjamin J.; Hirsch, Lea A. +10 more
We explore the impact of outer stellar companions on the occurrence rate of giant planets detected with radial velocities. We searched for stellar and planetary companions to a volume-limited sample of solar-type stars within 25 pc. Using adaptive optics imaging observations from the Lick 3 m and Palomar 200″ Telescopes, we characterized the multi…
The Hubble PanCET Program: Transit and Eclipse Spectroscopy of the Strongly Irradiated Giant Exoplanet WASP-76b
Deming, Drake; Nikolov, Nikolay; Sing, David K. +22 more
Ultra-hot Jupiters with equilibrium temperatures greater than 2000 K are uniquely interesting targets as they provide us crucial insights into how atmospheres behave under extreme conditions. This class of giant planets receives intense radiation from their host star and usually has strongly irradiated and highly inflated atmospheres. At such a hi…
Calibration of the Hα Age-Activity Relation for M Dwarfs
Angus, Ruth; Kiman, Rocio; Mann, Andrew W. +6 more
In this work, we calibrate the relationship between Hα emission and M dwarf ages. We compile a sample of 892 M dwarfs with Hα equivalent width (Hα EW) measurements from the literature that are either comoving with a white dwarf of known age (21 stars) or in a known young association (871 stars). In this sample we identify 7 M dwarfs that are new c…
TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). IV. Three Small Planets Orbiting a 120 Myr Old Star in the Pisces-Eridanus Stream
Torres, Guillermo; Vanderburg, Andrew; Gorjian, Varoujan +50 more
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 kinemati…