- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/723/954
- Title:
- HIRES radial velocities of GJ 581
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/723/954
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present 11 years of HIRES precision radial velocities (RVs) of the nearby M3V star Gliese 581, combining our data set of 122 precision RVs with an existing published 4.3-year set of 119 HARPS precision RVs (Mayor et al., 2009, Cat. J/A+A/507/487). The velocity set now indicates six companions in Keplerian motion around this star. Differential photometry indicates a likely stellar rotation period of ~94 days and reveals no significant periodic variability at any of the Keplerian periods, supporting planetary orbital motion as the cause of all the RV variations. The estimated equilibrium temperature of the sixth planet, GJ 581g, is 228K, placing it squarely in the middle of the habitable zone of the star and offering a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet around a very nearby star. This detection, coupled with statistics of the incompleteness of present-day precision RV surveys for volume-limited samples of stars in the immediate solar neighborhood, suggests that {eta}_{oplus}_, the fraction of stars with potentially habitable planets, could well be on the order of a few tens of percent.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/623/A127
- Title:
- Homogeneous sample of 34000 M7-M9.5 dwarfs
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/623/A127
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The space density of late M dwarfs, sub-types M7 to M9.5, is not well determined. We have applied the photo-type method of Skrzypek et al. to iz photometry from SDSS and YJHK photometry from UKIDSS, over an effective area of 3070deg^2^, to produce a new, bright J(Vega)<17.5, homogeneous sample of 33665 M7 to M9.5 dwarfs. The typical S/N of each source summed over the 6 bands is >100. Classifications are provided to the nearest half spectral sub-type. Through comparison with the classifications in the BUD spectroscopic sample of Schmidt et al. (2010, Cat. J/AJ/139/1808), the typing is shown to be accurately calibrated to the BUD classifications, with a precision better than 0.5 sub-types rms, i.e. is as precise as good spectroscopic classification. Sources with large chisq>20 include several catalogued late-type subdwarfs. The new sample of late M dwarfs is highly complete, but there is a bias in the classification of rare peculiar blue or red objects. For example L subdwarfs are misclassified towards earlier types by approximately two spectral sub-types. We estimate that this bias affects only ~1% of sources. Therefore the sample is well suited for measuring the luminosity function, as well as investigating the softening towards the Galactic plane of the exponential variation of density with height.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/871/63
- Title:
- How to constrain your M dwarf. II. Nearby binaries
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/871/63
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The mass-luminosity relation for late-type stars has long been a critical tool for estimating stellar masses. However, there is growing need for both a higher-precision relation and a better understanding of systematic effects (e.g., metallicity). Here we present an empirical relationship between M_Ks_ and M_*_ spanning 0.075M_{sun}_<M_*_<0.70M_{sun}_. The relation is derived from 62 nearby binaries, whose orbits we determine using a combination of near infra-red (Keck/NIRC2) imaging, archival adaptive optics data, and literature astrometry. From their orbital parameters, we determine the total mass of each system, with a precision better than 1% in the best cases. We use these total masses, in combination with resolved Ks magnitudes and system parallaxes, to calibrate the M_Ks_-M_*_ relation. The resulting posteriors can be used to determine masses of single stars with a precision of 2%-3%, which we confirm by testing the relation on stars with individual dynamical masses from the literature. The precision is limited by scatter around the best-fit relation beyond measured M_*_ uncertainties, perhaps driven by intrinsic variation in the M_Ks_-M_*_ relation or underestimated uncertainties in the input parallaxes. We find that the effect of [Fe/H] on the M_Ks_-M_*_ relation is likely negligible for metallicities in the solar neighborhood (0.0%{+/-}2.2% change in mass per dex change in [Fe/H]). This weak effect is consistent with predictions from the Dartmouth Stellar Evolution Database, but inconsistent with those from modules for experiments in stellar astrophysics (MESA) Isochrones and Stellar Tracks (MIST) (at 5{sigma}). A sample of binaries with a wider range of abundances will be required to discern the importance of metallicity in extreme populations (e.g., in the Galactic halo or thick disk).
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/160/259
- Title:
- HPF RVs and TESS photometry of TOI-1266
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/160/259
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We report on the validation of two planets orbiting the nearby (36pc) M2 dwarf TOI-1266 observed by the TESS mission. This system is one of a few M dwarf multiplanet systems with close-in planets where the inner planet is substantially larger than the outer planet. The inner planet is sub-Neptune-sized (R=2.46{+/-}0.08R{Earth}) with an orbital period of 10.9days, while the outer planet has a radius of 1.67_-0.11_^+0.09^R{Earth} and resides in the exoplanet radius valley-the transition region between rocky and gaseous planets. With an orbital period of 18.8days, the outer planet receives an insolation flux of 2.4 times that of Earth, similar to the insolation of Venus. Using precision near-infrared radial velocities with the Habitable-zone Planet Finder Spectrograph, we place upper mass limits of 15.9 and 6.4M{Earth} at 95% confidence for the inner and outer planet, respectively. A more precise mass constraint of both planets, achievable with current radial velocity instruments given the host star brightness (V=12.9, J=9.7), will yield further insights into the dominant processes sculpting the exoplanet radius valley.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/634/L4
- Title:
- HST/STIS FUV spectra of K2-18
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/634/L4
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- K2-18 b is a transiting mini-Neptune that orbits a nearby (38pc), cool M3 dwarf and is located inside its region of temperate irradiation. We report on the search for hydrogen escape from the atmosphere K2-18 b using Lyman-{alpha} transit spectroscopy with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We analyzed the time-series of fluxes of the stellar Lyman-{alpha} emission of K2-18 in both its blue- and redshifted wings. We found that the average blueshifted emission of K2-18 decreases by 67%+/-18% during the transit of the planet compared to the pre-transit emission, tentatively indicating the presence of H atoms escaping vigorously and being blown away by radiation pressure. This interpretation is not definitive because it relies on one partial transit. Based on the reconstructed Lyman-{alpha} emission of K2-18, we estimate an EUV irradiation in the range 10^1^-10^2^erg/s/cm^2^ and a total escape rate on the order of 10^8^g/s. The inferred escape rate suggests that the planet will lose only a small fraction (<1%) of its mass and retain its volatile-rich atmosphere during its lifetime. More observations are needed to rule out stellar variability effects, confirm the in-transit absorption, and better assess the atmospheric escape and high-energy environment of K2-18 b.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/624/A107
- Title:
- IK Tau & IRC+10011 interferometric observations
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/624/A107
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- AGB stars go through a process of strong mass-loss that involves pulsations of the atmosphere, which extends to a region where the conditions are adequate for dust grains to form. Radiation pressure acts on these grains which, coupled to the gas, drive a massive outflow. The details of this process are not clear, including which molecules are involved in the condensation of dust grains. To study the role of the SiO molecule in the process of dust formation and mass-loss in M-type AGB stars. Using the IRAM NOEMA interferometer we observed the ^28^SiO and ^29^SiO J=3-2, v=0 emission from the inner circumstellar envelope of the evolved stars IK Tau and IRC+10011. We computed azimuthally averaged emission profiles to compare the observations to models using a molecular excitation and ray-tracing code for SiO thermal emission. We observed circular symmetry in the emission distribution. We also found that the source diameter varies only marginally with radial velocity, which is not the expected behavior for envelopes expanding at an almost constant velocity. The adopted density, velocity, and abundance laws, together with the mass-loss rate, which best fit the observations, give us information on the chemical behavior of the SiO molecule and its role in the dust formation process. The results indicate that there is a strong coupling between the depletion of gas phase SiO and gas acceleration in the inner envelope. This could be explained by the condensation of SiO into dust grains.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/811/45
- Title:
- Infrared spectral properties of M giants
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/811/45
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We observed a sample of 20 M giants with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Most show absorption structure at 6.6-6.8um which we identify as water vapor, and in some cases, the absorption extends from 6.4um into the SiO band at 7.5um. Variable stars show stronger H_2_O absorption. While the strength of the SiO fundamental at 8um increases monotonically from spectral class K0 to K5, the dependence on spectral class weakens in the M giants. As with previously studied samples, the M giants show considerable scatter in SiO band strength within a given spectral class. All of the stars in our sample also show OH band absorption, most noticeably in the 14-17um region. The OH bands behave much like the SiO bands, increasing in strength in the K giants but showing weaker dependence on spectral class in the M giants, and with considerable scatter. An examination of the photometric properties reveals that the V-K color may be a better indicator of molecular band strength than the spectral class. The transformation from Tycho colors to Johnson B-V color is double-valued, and neither B-V nor B_T_-V_T_ color increases monotonically with spectral class in the M giants like they do in the K giants.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/162/183
- Title:
- Infrared spectra of V838 Monocerotis with SOFIA
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/162/183
- Date:
- 14 Mar 2022 06:37:38
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Luminous Red Variables are most likely eruptions that are the outcome of stellar mergers. V838Mon is one of the best-studied members of this class, representing an archetype for stellar mergers resulting from B-type stars. As result of the merger event, "nova-like" eruptions occur driving mass loss from the system. As the gas cools considerable circumstellar dust is formed. V838Mon erupted in 2002 and is undergoing very dynamic changes in its dust composition, geometry, and infrared luminosity providing a real-time laboratory to validate mineralogical condensation sequences in stellar mergers and evolutionary scenarios. We discuss recent NASA Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 5-38{mu}m observations combined with archival NASA Spitzer spectra that document the temporal evolution of the freshly formed (within the last <~20yr) circumstellar material in the environs of V838Mon. Changes in the 10{mu}m spectral region are strong evidence that we are witnessing a classical dust condensation sequence expected to occur in oxygen-rich environments where alumina formation is followed by that of silicates at the temperature cools.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/153/35
- Title:
- Infrared spectroscopy of symbiotic stars. XI.
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/153/35
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Employing new infrared radial velocities, we have computed spectroscopic orbits of the cool giants in four southern S-type symbiotic systems. The orbits for two of the systems, Hen 3-461 and Hen 3-828, have been determined for the first time, while orbits of the other two, SY Mus and AR Pav, have previously been determined. For the latter two systems, we compare our results with those in the literature. The low mass of the secondary of SY Mus suggests that it has gone through a common envelope phase. Hen 3-461 has an orbital period of 2271 days, one of the longest currently known for S-type symbiotic systems. That period is very different from the orbital period proposed previously from its photometric variations. The other three binaries have periods between 600 and 700 day, values that are typical for S-type symbiotic orbits. Basic properties of the M giant components and the distance to each system are determined.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/872/43
- Title:
- IR spectroscopy of symbiotic stars. XII. V934 Her
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/872/43
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The X-ray symbiotic (SyXB) V934 Her = 4U1700+24 is an M giant-neutron star (NS) binary system. Employing optical and infrared radial velocities spanning 29yr combined with the extensive velocities in the literature, we compute the spectroscopic orbit of the M giant in that system. We determine an orbital period of 4391d, or 12.0yr, the longest for any SyXB and far longer than the 404 day orbit commonly cited for this system in the literature. In addition to the 12.0yr orbital period, we find a shorter period of 420 days, similar to the one previously found. Instead of orbital motion, we attribute this much shorter period to long secondary pulsation of the M3 III SRb variable. Our new orbit supports earlier work that concluded that the orbit is seen nearly pole-on, which is why X-ray pulsations associated with the NS have not been detected. We estimate an orbital inclination of 11.3{deg}+/-0.4{deg}. Arguments are made that this low inclination supports a pulsation origin for the 420 day secondary period. We also measure the CNO and Fe peak abundances of the M giant and find it to be slightly metal-poor compared to the Sun, with no trace of the NS-forming supernova event. The basic properties of the M giant and NS are derived. We discuss the possible evolutionary paths that this system has taken to get to its current state.
