We revisit the long-studied radial velocity (RV) target HD 26965 using recent observations from the NASA-NSF "NEID" precision Doppler facility. Leveraging a suite of classical activity indicators, combined with line-by-line RV analyses, we demonstrate that the claimed 45-day signal previously identified as a planet candidate is most likely an activity-induced signal. Correlating the bulk (spectrally averaged) RV with canonical line activity indicators confirms a multiday "lag" between the observed activity indicator time series and the measured RV. When accounting for this lag, we show that much of the observed RV signal can be removed by a linear detrending of the data. Investigating activity at the line-by-line level, we find a depth-dependent correlation between individual line RVs and the bulk RVs, further indicative of periodic suppression of convective blueshift causing the observed RV variability, rather than an orbiting planet. We conclude that the combined evidence of the activity correlations and depth dependence is consistent with an RV signature dominated by a rotationally modulated activity signal at a period of ∼42 days. We hypothesize that this activity signature is due to a combination of spots and convective blueshift suppression. The tools applied in our analysis are broadly applicable to other stars and could help paint a more comprehensive picture of the manifestations of stellar activity in future Doppler RV surveys.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899 and based in Washington, DC, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. Its membership of about 7,000 individuals also includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers, and others whose research and educational interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects comprising contemporary astronomy. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity's scientific understanding of the universe.
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a leading scientific society promoting physics and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all. It has a worldwide membership of around 50 000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research, application and education; and engages with policy makers and the public to develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific communications.
A publishing partnership
The Astronomical Journal is an open access journal publishing original astronomical research, with an emphasis on significant scientific results derived from observations. Publications in AJ include descriptions of data capture, surveys, analysis techniques, astronomical interpretation, instrumentation, and software and computing.
Remembering former AJ editor, Paul W. Hodge (1934–2019)
GOLD OPEN ACCESS FROM 1 JANUARY 2022
Open all abstracts, in this tab
Abigail Burrows et al 2024 AJ 167 243
Nora L. Eisner et al 2024 AJ 167 241
We report on the discovery and validation of a transiting long-period mini-Neptune orbiting a bright (V = 9.0 mag) G dwarf (TOI 4633; R = 1.05 R⊙, M = 1.10 M⊙). The planet was identified in data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite by citizen scientists taking part in the Planet Hunters TESS project. Modelling of the transit events yields an orbital period of 271.9445 ± 0.0040 days and radius of 3.2 ± 0.20 R⊕. The Earth-like orbital period and an incident flux of F⊕ places it in the optimistic habitable zone around the star. Doppler spectroscopy of the system allowed us to place an upper mass limit on the transiting planet and revealed a non-transiting planet candidate in the system with a period of 34.15 ± 0.15 days. Furthermore, the combination of archival data dating back to 1905 with new high angular resolution imaging revealed a stellar companion orbiting the primary star with an orbital period of around 230 yr and an eccentricity of about 0.9. The long period of the transiting planet, combined with the high eccentricity and close approach of the companion star makes this a valuable system for testing the formation and stability of planets in binary systems.
Stephen R. Kane et al 2024 AJ 167 239
The discovery of planetary systems beyond the solar system has revealed a diversity of architectures, most of which differ significantly from our system. The initial detection of an exoplanet is often followed by subsequent discoveries within the same system as observations continue, measurement precision is improved, or additional techniques are employed. The HD 104067 system is known to consist of a bright K-dwarf host star and a giant planet in a ∼55 days period eccentric orbit. Here we report the discovery of an additional planet within the HD 104067 system, detected through the combined analysis of radial velocity (RV) data from the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer and High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher instruments. The new planet has a mass similar to Uranus and is in an eccentric ∼14 days orbit. Our injection-recovery analysis of the RV data exclude Saturn-mass and Jupiter-mass planets out to 3 au and 8 au, respectively. We further present Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite observations that reveal a terrestrial planet candidate (Rp = 1.30 ± 0.12 R⊕) in a ∼2.2 days period orbit. Our dynamical analysis of the three planet model shows that the two outer planets produce significant eccentricity excitation of the inner planet, resulting in tidally induced surface temperatures as high as ∼2600 K for an emissivity of unity. The terrestrial planet candidate may therefore be caught in a tidal storm, potentially resulting in its surface radiating at optical wavelengths.
Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown 2016 AJ 151 22
Recent analyses have shown that distant orbits within the scattered disk population of the Kuiper Belt exhibit an unexpected clustering in their respective arguments of perihelion. While several hypotheses have been put forward to explain this alignment, to date, a theoretical model that can successfully account for the observations remains elusive. In this work we show that the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) cluster not only in argument of perihelion, but also in physical space. We demonstrate that the perihelion positions and orbital planes of the objects are tightly confined and that such a clustering has only a probability of 0.007% to be due to chance, thus requiring a dynamical origin. We find that the observed orbital alignment can be maintained by a distant eccentric planet with mass ≳10 m⊕ whose orbit lies in approximately the same plane as those of the distant KBOs, but whose perihelion is 180° away from the perihelia of the minor bodies. In addition to accounting for the observed orbital alignment, the existence of such a planet naturally explains the presence of high-perihelion Sedna-like objects, as well as the known collection of high semimajor axis objects with inclinations between 60° and 150° whose origin was previously unclear. Continued analysis of both distant and highly inclined outer solar system objects provides the opportunity for testing our hypothesis as well as further constraining the orbital elements and mass of the distant planet.
Beatriz Villarroel et al 2020 AJ 159 8
In this paper we report the current status of a new research program. The primary goal of the "Vanishing and Appearing Sources during a Century of Observations" project is to search for vanishing and appearing sources using existing survey data to find examples of exceptional astrophysical transients. The implications of finding such objects extend from traditional astrophysics fields to the more exotic searches for evidence of technologically advanced civilizations. In this first paper we present new, deeper observations of the tentative candidate discovered by Villarroel et al. in 2016. We then perform the first searches for vanishing objects throughout the sky by comparing 600 million objects from the US Naval Observatory Catalogue (USNO) B1.0 down to a limiting magnitude of ∼20–21 with the recent Pan-STARRS Data Release-1 (DR1) with a limiting magnitude of ∼23.4. We find about 150,000 preliminary candidates that do not have any Pan-STARRS counterpart within a 30'' radius. We show that these objects are redder and have larger proper motions than typical USNO objects. We visually examine the images for a subset of about 24,000 candidates, superseding the 2016 study with a sample 10 times larger. We find about 100 point sources visible in only one epoch in the red band of the USNO, which may be of interest in searches for strong M-dwarf flares, high-redshift supernovae, or other categories of unidentified red transients.
Ryan S. Park et al 2021 AJ 161 105
The planetary and lunar ephemerides called DE440 and DE441 have been generated by fitting numerically integrated orbits to ground-based and space-based observations. Compared to the previous general-purpose ephemerides DE430, seven years of new data have been added to compute DE440 and DE441, with improved dynamical models and data calibration. The orbit of Jupiter has improved substantially by fitting to the Juno radio range and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) data of the Juno spacecraft. The orbit of Saturn has been improved by radio range and VLBA data of the Cassini spacecraft, with improved estimation of the spacecraft orbit. The orbit of Pluto has been improved from use of stellar occultation data reduced against the Gaia star catalog. The ephemerides DE440 and DE441 are fit to the same data set, but DE441 assumes no damping between the lunar liquid core and the solid mantle, which avoids a divergence when integrated backward in time. Therefore, DE441 is less accurate than DE440 for the current century, but covers a much longer duration of years −13,200 to +17,191, compared to DE440 covering years 1550–2650.
Robert H. Gray 2020 AJ 159 228
A scale is described for classifying civilizations according to the amount of power they produce, using the whole numbers 0 through 4 to denote 106, 1016, 1026, 1036, and 1046 W corresponding to the approximate power available at physical scales biological, planetary, stellar, Galactic, and observable universe, extending a Roman numeral scheme introduced by Kardashev and updating it with suggestions from Sagan and Lemarchand including using Arabic numbers to permit decimal subdivisions. Terrestrial civilization circa 2015 would be classified as Type 0.72 on this extended and updated scale. Similar scales can be used to classify information stored, population, and mass of constructions.
Arjun Dey et al 2019 AJ 157 168
The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys (http://legacysurvey.org/) are a combination of three public projects (the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey, the Beijing–Arizona Sky Survey, and the Mayall z-band Legacy Survey) that will jointly image ≈14,000 deg2 of the extragalactic sky visible from the northern hemisphere in three optical bands (g, r, and z) using telescopes at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The combined survey footprint is split into two contiguous areas by the Galactic plane. The optical imaging is conducted using a unique strategy of dynamically adjusting the exposure times and pointing selection during observing that results in a survey of nearly uniform depth. In addition to calibrated images, the project is delivering a catalog, constructed by using a probabilistic inference-based approach to estimate source shapes and brightnesses. The catalog includes photometry from the grz optical bands and from four mid-infrared bands (at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 μm) observed by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite during its full operational lifetime. The project plans two public data releases each year. All the software used to generate the catalogs is also released with the data. This paper provides an overview of the Legacy Surveys project.
Michelle L. Hill et al 2024 AJ 167 151
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) continues to increase dramatically the number of known transiting exoplanets, and is optimal for monitoring bright stars amenable to radial velocity (RV) and atmospheric follow-up observations. TOI-1386 is a solar-type (G5V) star that was detected via TESS photometry to exhibit transit signatures in three sectors with a period of 25.84 days. We conducted follow-up RV observations using Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) as part of the TESS–Keck Survey, collecting 64 RV measurements of TOI-1386 with the HIRES spectrograph over 2.5 yr. Our combined fit of the TOI-1386 photometry and RV data confirm the planetary nature of the detected TESS signal, and provide a mass and radius for planet b of 0.148 ± 0.019 MJ and 0.540 ± 0.017 RJ, respectively, marking TOI-1386 b as a warm sub-Saturn planet. Our RV data further reveal an additional outer companion, TOI-1386 c, with an estimated orbital period of 227.6 days and a minimum mass of 0.309 ± 0.038 MJ. The dynamical modeling of the system shows that the measured system architecture is long-term stable, although there may be substantial eccentricity oscillations of the inner planet due to the dynamical influence of the outer planet.
Adam G. Riess et al 1998 AJ 116 1009
We present spectral and photometric observations of 10 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) in the redshift range 0.16 ≤ z ≤ 0.62. The luminosity distances of these objects are determined by methods that employ relations between SN Ia luminosity and light curve shape. Combined with previous data from our High-z Supernova Search Team and recent results by Riess et al., this expanded set of 16 high-redshift supernovae and a set of 34 nearby supernovae are used to place constraints on the following cosmological parameters: the Hubble constant (H0), the mass density (ΩM), the cosmological constant (i.e., the vacuum energy density, ΩΛ), the deceleration parameter (q0), and the dynamical age of the universe (t0). The distances of the high-redshift SNe Ia are, on average, 10%–15% farther than expected in a low mass density (ΩM = 0.2) universe without a cosmological constant. Different light curve fitting methods, SN Ia subsamples, and prior constraints unanimously favor eternally expanding models with positive cosmological constant (i.e., ΩΛ > 0) and a current acceleration of the expansion (i.e., q0 < 0). With no prior constraint on mass density other than ΩM ≥ 0, the spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia are statistically consistent with q0 < 0 at the 2.8 σ and 3.9 σ confidence levels, and with ΩΛ > 0 at the 3.0 σ and 4.0 σ confidence levels, for two different fitting methods, respectively. Fixing a "minimal" mass density, ΩM = 0.2, results in the weakest detection, ΩΛ > 0 at the 3.0 σ confidence level from one of the two methods. For a flat universe prior (ΩM + ΩΛ = 1), the spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia require ΩΛ > 0 at 7 σ and 9 σ formal statistical significance for the two different fitting methods. A universe closed by ordinary matter (i.e., ΩM = 1) is formally ruled out at the 7 σ to 8 σ confidence level for the two different fitting methods. We estimate the dynamical age of the universe to be 14.2 ± 1.7 Gyr including systematic uncertainties in the current Cepheid distance scale. We estimate the likely effect of several sources of systematic error, including progenitor and metallicity evolution, extinction, sample selection bias, local perturbations in the expansion rate, gravitational lensing, and sample contamination. Presently, none of these effects appear to reconcile the data with ΩΛ = 0 and q0 ≥ 0.
Open all abstracts, in this tab
K. E. Brady et al 2024 AJ 167 291
We present the first fluorine measurements in 12 normal K giants belonging to the Galactic thin and thick disks using spectra obtained with the Phoenix infrared spectrometer on the 2.1 m telescope at Kitt Peak. Abundances are determined from the (1−0) R9 2.3358 μm feature of the molecule HF. Additionally, sodium abundances are derived in 25 giants in the thin disk, thick disk, and halo using the Na i line at 2.3379 μm. We report fluorine abundances for thin and thick disk stars in the metallicity range −0.7 < [Fe/H] < 0. We add two abundance measurements for stars with [Fe/H] < 0.5 dex, which are at a critical metallicity range to constrain models. We find a larger dispersion in fluorine abundances than sodium abundances despite both species having similar overall uncertainties due to atmospheric parameters, suggesting this dispersion is real and not observational. The dispersion is slightly larger in the thick disk than the thin. The thin and thick disk average [F/Fe] for our sample of stars combined with the literature differ by 0.03 dex. The observations are compared to available chemical evolution models.
Oscar Fuentes-Muñoz et al 2024 AJ 167 290
The Gaia mission has provided astrometric observations of unprecedented accuracy for more than 156,000 asteroids. The reported astrometric uncertainties are of the order of milliarcseconds, about 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of traditional ground-based observations. The accuracy of Gaia data requires a high-fidelity orbit determination process, especially in the observation modeling. We present a statistical analysis of Gaia Focused Product Release to test the accuracy of the reported positions and associated uncertainties. We find that center-of-light offsets due to phase variations need to be modeled to properly fit the observational data. Prediction tests show that the uncertainty in the fitted orbits can be optimistic unless the observational uncertainty is inflated to account for errors in finding the center-of-mass of the body. Moreover, errors in the masses of small-body perturbers can cause differences in the orbital solution that exceed formal uncertainties of the best constrained orbits. As an example, we provide an update of the impact hazard analysis of 1950 DA, one of the asteroids observed by Gaia, and find that the impact probability in the year 2880 increases to 3.8 × 10−4.
Yasunori Hori et al 2024 AJ 167 289
Sub-Neptunes with radii of 2–3 R⊕ are intermediate in size between rocky planets and Neptune-sized planets. The orbital properties and bulk compositions of transiting sub-Neptunes provide clues to the formation and evolution of close-in small planets. In this paper, we present the discovery and follow-up of four sub-Neptunes orbiting M dwarfs (TOI-782, TOI-1448, TOI-2120, and TOI-2406), three of which were newly validated by ground-based follow-up observations and statistical analyses. TOI-782 b, TOI-1448 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b have radii of , , 2.120 ± 0.067 R⊕, and and orbital periods of P = 8.02, 8.11, 5.80, and 3.08 days, respectively. Doppler monitoring with the Subaru/InfraRed Doppler instrument led to 2σ upper limits on the masses of <19.1 M⊕, <19.5 M⊕, <6.8 M⊕, and <15.6 M⊕ for TOI-782 b, TOI-1448 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b, respectively. The mass–radius relationship of these four sub-Neptunes testifies to the existence of volatile material in their interiors. These four sub-Neptunes, which are located above the so-called "radius valley," are likely to retain a significant atmosphere and/or an icy mantle on the core, such as a water world. We find that at least three of the four sub-Neptunes (TOI-782 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b), orbiting M dwarfs older than 1 Gyr, are likely to have eccentricities of e ∼ 0.2–0.3. The fact that tidal circularization of their orbits is not achieved over 1 Gyr suggests inefficient tidal dissipation in their interiors.
Anne Dattilo and Natalie M. Batalha 2024 AJ 167 288
The Kepler mission enabled us to look at the intrinsic population of exoplanets within our galaxy. In period-radius space, the distribution of the intrinsic population of planets contains structure that can trace planet formation and evolution history. The most distinctive feature in period-radius space is the radius cliff, a steep drop-off in occurrence between 2.5 and 4R⊕ across all period ranges, separating the sub-Neptune population from the rarer Neptunes orbiting within 1 au. Following our earlier work to measure the occurrence rate of the Kepler population, we characterize the shape of the radius cliff as a function of orbital period (10–300 days) as well as insolation flux (9500S⊕–10S⊕). The shape of the cliff flattens at longer orbital periods, tracking the rising population of Neptune-sized planets. In insolation, however, the radius cliff is both less dramatic and the slope is more uniform. The difference in this feature between period space and insolation space can be linked to the effect of EUV/X-ray versus bolometric flux in the planet's evolution. Models of atmospheric mass loss processes that predict the location and shape of the radius valley also predict the radius cliff. We compare our measured occurrence rate distribution to population synthesis models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss in order to constrain formation and evolution pathways. We find that the models do not statistically agree with our occurrence distributions of the radius cliff in period space or insolation space. Atmospheric mass loss that shapes the radius valley cannot fully explain the shape of the radius cliff.
Bryson Stemock et al 2024 AJ 167 287
Voigt profile (VP) decomposition of quasar absorption lines is key to studying intergalactic gas and the baryon cycle governing the formation and evolution of galaxies. The VP velocities, column densities, and Doppler b parameters inform us of the kinematic, chemical, and ionization conditions of these astrophysical environments. A drawback of traditional VP fitting is that it can be human-time intensive. With the coming next generation of large all-sky survey telescopes with multiobject high-resolution spectrographs, the time demands will significantly outstrip our resources. Deep learning pipelines hold the promise to keep pace and deliver science-digestible data products. We explore the application of deep learning convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for predicting VP-fitted parameters directly from the normalized pixel flux values in quasar absorption line profiles. A CNN was applied to 56 single-component Mg iiλλ2796, 2803 doublet absorption line systems observed with HIRES and UVES (R = 45,000). The CNN predictions were statistically indistinct from those of a traditional VP fitter. The advantage is that, once trained, the CNN processes systems ∼105 times faster than a human expert fitting VP profiles by hand. Our pilot study shows that CNNs hold promise to perform bulk analysis of quasar absorption line systems in the future.
Open all abstracts, in this tab
K. E. Brady et al 2024 AJ 167 291
We present the first fluorine measurements in 12 normal K giants belonging to the Galactic thin and thick disks using spectra obtained with the Phoenix infrared spectrometer on the 2.1 m telescope at Kitt Peak. Abundances are determined from the (1−0) R9 2.3358 μm feature of the molecule HF. Additionally, sodium abundances are derived in 25 giants in the thin disk, thick disk, and halo using the Na i line at 2.3379 μm. We report fluorine abundances for thin and thick disk stars in the metallicity range −0.7 < [Fe/H] < 0. We add two abundance measurements for stars with [Fe/H] < 0.5 dex, which are at a critical metallicity range to constrain models. We find a larger dispersion in fluorine abundances than sodium abundances despite both species having similar overall uncertainties due to atmospheric parameters, suggesting this dispersion is real and not observational. The dispersion is slightly larger in the thick disk than the thin. The thin and thick disk average [F/Fe] for our sample of stars combined with the literature differ by 0.03 dex. The observations are compared to available chemical evolution models.
Oscar Fuentes-Muñoz et al 2024 AJ 167 290
The Gaia mission has provided astrometric observations of unprecedented accuracy for more than 156,000 asteroids. The reported astrometric uncertainties are of the order of milliarcseconds, about 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of traditional ground-based observations. The accuracy of Gaia data requires a high-fidelity orbit determination process, especially in the observation modeling. We present a statistical analysis of Gaia Focused Product Release to test the accuracy of the reported positions and associated uncertainties. We find that center-of-light offsets due to phase variations need to be modeled to properly fit the observational data. Prediction tests show that the uncertainty in the fitted orbits can be optimistic unless the observational uncertainty is inflated to account for errors in finding the center-of-mass of the body. Moreover, errors in the masses of small-body perturbers can cause differences in the orbital solution that exceed formal uncertainties of the best constrained orbits. As an example, we provide an update of the impact hazard analysis of 1950 DA, one of the asteroids observed by Gaia, and find that the impact probability in the year 2880 increases to 3.8 × 10−4.
Yasunori Hori et al 2024 AJ 167 289
Sub-Neptunes with radii of 2–3 R⊕ are intermediate in size between rocky planets and Neptune-sized planets. The orbital properties and bulk compositions of transiting sub-Neptunes provide clues to the formation and evolution of close-in small planets. In this paper, we present the discovery and follow-up of four sub-Neptunes orbiting M dwarfs (TOI-782, TOI-1448, TOI-2120, and TOI-2406), three of which were newly validated by ground-based follow-up observations and statistical analyses. TOI-782 b, TOI-1448 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b have radii of , , 2.120 ± 0.067 R⊕, and and orbital periods of P = 8.02, 8.11, 5.80, and 3.08 days, respectively. Doppler monitoring with the Subaru/InfraRed Doppler instrument led to 2σ upper limits on the masses of <19.1 M⊕, <19.5 M⊕, <6.8 M⊕, and <15.6 M⊕ for TOI-782 b, TOI-1448 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b, respectively. The mass–radius relationship of these four sub-Neptunes testifies to the existence of volatile material in their interiors. These four sub-Neptunes, which are located above the so-called "radius valley," are likely to retain a significant atmosphere and/or an icy mantle on the core, such as a water world. We find that at least three of the four sub-Neptunes (TOI-782 b, TOI-2120 b, and TOI-2406 b), orbiting M dwarfs older than 1 Gyr, are likely to have eccentricities of e ∼ 0.2–0.3. The fact that tidal circularization of their orbits is not achieved over 1 Gyr suggests inefficient tidal dissipation in their interiors.
Anne Dattilo and Natalie M. Batalha 2024 AJ 167 288
The Kepler mission enabled us to look at the intrinsic population of exoplanets within our galaxy. In period-radius space, the distribution of the intrinsic population of planets contains structure that can trace planet formation and evolution history. The most distinctive feature in period-radius space is the radius cliff, a steep drop-off in occurrence between 2.5 and 4R⊕ across all period ranges, separating the sub-Neptune population from the rarer Neptunes orbiting within 1 au. Following our earlier work to measure the occurrence rate of the Kepler population, we characterize the shape of the radius cliff as a function of orbital period (10–300 days) as well as insolation flux (9500S⊕–10S⊕). The shape of the cliff flattens at longer orbital periods, tracking the rising population of Neptune-sized planets. In insolation, however, the radius cliff is both less dramatic and the slope is more uniform. The difference in this feature between period space and insolation space can be linked to the effect of EUV/X-ray versus bolometric flux in the planet's evolution. Models of atmospheric mass loss processes that predict the location and shape of the radius valley also predict the radius cliff. We compare our measured occurrence rate distribution to population synthesis models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss in order to constrain formation and evolution pathways. We find that the models do not statistically agree with our occurrence distributions of the radius cliff in period space or insolation space. Atmospheric mass loss that shapes the radius valley cannot fully explain the shape of the radius cliff.
Bryson Stemock et al 2024 AJ 167 287
Voigt profile (VP) decomposition of quasar absorption lines is key to studying intergalactic gas and the baryon cycle governing the formation and evolution of galaxies. The VP velocities, column densities, and Doppler b parameters inform us of the kinematic, chemical, and ionization conditions of these astrophysical environments. A drawback of traditional VP fitting is that it can be human-time intensive. With the coming next generation of large all-sky survey telescopes with multiobject high-resolution spectrographs, the time demands will significantly outstrip our resources. Deep learning pipelines hold the promise to keep pace and deliver science-digestible data products. We explore the application of deep learning convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for predicting VP-fitted parameters directly from the normalized pixel flux values in quasar absorption line profiles. A CNN was applied to 56 single-component Mg iiλλ2796, 2803 doublet absorption line systems observed with HIRES and UVES (R = 45,000). The CNN predictions were statistically indistinct from those of a traditional VP fitter. The advantage is that, once trained, the CNN processes systems ∼105 times faster than a human expert fitting VP profiles by hand. Our pilot study shows that CNNs hold promise to perform bulk analysis of quasar absorption line systems in the future.
Chunhui Bao et al 2024 AJ 167 286
The Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey (CHES) is dedicated to the astrometric exploration for habitable-zone Earth-like planets orbiting solar-type stars in close proximity, achieving unprecedented microarcsecond precision. Given the elevated precision, meticulous consideration of photocenter jitters induced by stellar activity becomes imperative. This study endeavors to model the stellar activity of solar-type stars, compute astrometric noise, and delineate the detection limits of habitable planets within the astrometric domain. Simulations were conducted for identified primary targets of CHES, involving the generation of simulated observed data for astrometry and photometry, accounting for the impact of stellar activity. Estimation of activity levels in our sample was achieved through chromospheric activity indices, revealing that over 90% of the stars exhibited photocenter jitters below 1 μas. Notably, certain proximate stars, such as α Cen A and B, displayed more discernible noise arising from stellar activity. Subsequent tests were performed to evaluate detection performance, unveiling that stellar activity tends to have a less pronounced impact on planetary detectability for the majority of the stars. Approximately 95% of the targets demonstrated a detection efficiency exceeding 80%. However, for several cold stars, e.g., HD 32450 and HD 21531, with the habitable zones close to the stars, a reduction in detection efficiency was observed. These findings offer invaluable insights into the intricate interplay between stellar activity and astrometric precision, significantly advancing our understanding in the search for habitable planets.
Yani Xu et al 2024 AJ 167 285
Dense outflowing gas, traced by transitions of molecules with large dipole moment, is important for understanding mass loss and feedback of massive star formation. HCN 3-2 and HCO+ 3-2 are good tracers of dense outflowing molecular gas, which are closely related to active star formation. In this study, we present on-the-fly mapping observations of HCN 3-2 and HCO+ 3-2 toward a sample of 33 massive star-forming regions using the 10-m Submillimeter Telescope. With the spatial distribution of line wings of HCO+ 3-2 and HCN 3-2, outflows are detected in 25 sources, resulting in a detection rate of 76%. The optically thin H13CN and H13CO+ 3-2 lines are used to identify line wings as outflows and estimate core mass. The mass Mout, momentum Pout, kinetic energy EK, force Fout, and mass-loss rate of outflow and core mass, are obtained for each source. A sublinear tight correlation is found between the mass of dense molecular outflow and core mass, with an index of ∼0.8 and a correlation coefficient of 0.88.
Lionel J. Garcia et al 2024 AJ 167 284
The detection of planetary transits in the light curves of active stars, featuring correlated noise in the form of stellar variability, remains a challenge. Depending on the noise characteristics, we show that the traditional technique that consists of detrending a light curve before searching for transits alters their signal-to-noise ratio and hinders our capability to discover exoplanets transiting rapidly rotating active stars. We present nuance, an algorithm to search for transits in light curves while simultaneously accounting for the presence of correlated noise, such as stellar variability and instrumental signals. We assess the performance of nuance on simulated light curves as well as on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite light curves of 438 rapidly rotating M dwarfs. For each data set, we compare our method to five commonly used detrending techniques followed by a search with the Box-Least-Squares algorithm. Overall, we demonstrate that nuance is the most performant method in 93% of cases, leading to both the highest number of true positives and the lowest number of false-positive detections. Although simultaneously searching for transits while modeling correlated noise is expected to be computationally expensive, we make our algorithm tractable and available as the JAX-powered Python package nuance, allowing its use on distributed environments and GPU devices. Finally, we explore the prospects offered by the nuance formalism and its use to advance our knowledge of planetary systems around active stars, both using space-based surveys and sparse ground-based observations.
Evan Tey et al 2024 AJ 167 283
We report the discovery of the transiting planet GJ 238 b, with a radius of 0.566 ± 0.014 R⊕ (1.064 ± 0.026 times the radius of Mars) and an orbital period of 1.74 days. The transit signal was detected by the TESS mission and designated TOI-486.01. The star's position close to the southern ecliptic pole allows for almost continuous observations by TESS when it is observing the southern sky. The host star is an M2.5 dwarf with V = 11.57 ± 0.02 mag, K = 7.030 ± 0.023 mag, a distance of 15.2156 ± 0.0030 pc, a mass of M☉, a radius of R☉, and an effective temperature of 3485 ± 140 K. We validate the planet candidate by ruling out or rendering highly unlikely each of the false positive scenarios, based on archival data and ground-based follow-up observations. Validation was facilitated by the host star's small size and high proper motion of 892.633 ± 0.025 mas yr–1.
Sarah Lange et al 2024 AJ 167 282
We confirm a massive sub-Neptune-sized planet on a P = 22.8 days orbit around the star TOI-1824 (Teff = 5200 K, V = 9.7 mag). TESS first identified TOI-1824 b (formerly TOI-1824.01) as an object of interest in 2020 April after two transits in Sector 22 were matched with a single transit in Sector 21. TOI-1824 was subsequently targeted for ground-based Doppler monitoring with Keck-HIRES and APF-Levy. Using a joint model of the TESS photometry, radial velocities, and Ca ii H and K emission measurements as an activity indicator, we find that TOI-1824 b is an unusually dense sub-Neptune. The planet has a radius Rp = 2.63 ± 0.15 R⊕ and mass Mp = 18.5 ± 3.2 M⊕, implying a bulk density of 5.6 ± 1.4 g cm−3. TOI-1824 b's mass and radius situate it near a small group of "superdense sub-Neptunes" (Rp ≲ 3 R⊕ and Mp ≳ 20 M⊕). While the formation mechanism of superdense sub-Neptunes is a mystery, one possible explanation is the constructive collision of primordial icy cores; such giant impacts would drive atmospheric escape and could help explain these planets' apparent lack of massive envelopes. We discuss TOI-1824 b in the context of these overdense planets, whose unique location in the exoplanet mass–radius plane make them a potentially valuable tracer of planet formation.