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We conducted interferometric observations with the CHARA Array of transiting super-Earth host HD 97658 and measured its limb-darkened angular diameter to be $theta_{text{LD}}=0.314pm0.004$ mas. The combination of the angular diameter with the Gaia EDR3 parallax value with zero-point correction ($pi=46.412pm0.022$ mas, $d=21.546pm0.011$ pc) yields a physical radius of $R_star=0.728pm0.008$ $R_odot$. We also measured the bolometric flux of the star to be $F_text{bol}=2.42pm 0.05times 10^{-8}$erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, which, together with angular size, allows a measurement of the effective temperature $T_{text{eff}}=5212pm43$ K. Our directly determined physical stellar properties are in good agreement with previous estimates derived from spectroscopy. We used our measurements in combination with stellar evolutionary models and properties of the transit of HD 97658 b to determine the mass and age of HD 97658 as well as constrain the properties of the planet. Our results and our analysis of the TESS lightcurve on the planet (TOI-1821) corroborate previous studies of this system with tighter uncertainties.
To characterize the mechanisms of planet formation it is crucial to investigate the properties and evolution of protoplanetary disks around young stars, where the initial conditions for the growth of planets are set. Our goal is to study grain growth in the disk of the young, intermediate mass star HD163296 where dust processing has already been observed, and to look for evidence of growth by ice condensation across the CO snowline, already identified in this disk with ALMA. Under the hypothesis of optically thin emission we compare images at different wavelengths from ALMA and VLA to measure the opacity spectral index across the disk and thus the maximum grain size. We also use a Bayesian tool based on a two-layer disk model to fit the observations and constrain the dust surface density. The measurements of the opacity spectral index indicate the presence of large grains and pebbles ($geq$1 cm) in the inner regions of the disk (inside $sim$50 AU) and smaller grains, consistent with ISM sizes, in the outer disk (beyond 150 AU). Re-analysing ALMA Band 7 Science Verification data we find (radially) unresolved excess continuum emission centered near the location of the CO snowline at $sim$90 AU. Our analysis suggests a grain size distribution consistent with an enhanced production of large grains at the CO snowline and consequent transport to the inner regions. Our results combined with the excess in infrared scattered light found by Garufi et al. (2014) suggests the presence of a structure at 90~AU involving the whole vertical extent of the disk. This could be evidence for small scale processing of dust at the CO snowline.
This paper reports Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations of the binary system HD 41004 that are among the deepest images ever obtained at 150~MHz and 400 MHz in the search for radio emission from exoplanets. The HD 41004 binary system consists of a K1 V primary star and an M2 V secondary; both stars are host to a massive planet or brown dwarf. Analogous to planets in our solar system that emit at radio wavelengths due to their strong magnetic fields, one or both of the planet or brown dwarf in the HD 41004 binary system are also thought to be sources of radio emission. Various models predict HD~41004Bb to have one of the largest expected flux densities at 150 MHz. The observations at 150 MHz cover almost the entire orbital period of HD 41004Bb, and about $20%$ of the orbit is covered at 400 MHz. We do not detect radio emission, setting 3$sigma$ limits of 1.8 mJy at 150 MHz and 0.12 mJy at 400 MHz. We also discuss some of the possible reasons why no radio emission was detected from the HD 41004 binary system.
We present a detailed multi-wavelength characterization of the multi-ring disk of HD 169142. We report new ALMA observations at 3 mm and analyze them together with archival 0.89 and 1.3 mm data. Our observations resolve three out of the four rings in the disk previously seen in high-resolution ALMA data. A simple parametric model is used to estimate the radial profile of the dust optical depth, temperature, density, and particle size distribution. We find that the multiple ring features of the disk are produced by annular accumulations of large particles, probably associated with gas pressure bumps. Our model indicates that the maximum dust grain size in the rings is $sim1$ cm, with slightly flatter power-law size distributions than the ISM-like size distribution ($psim3.5$) found in the gaps. In particular, the inner ring ($sim26$ au) is associated with a strong and narrow buildup of dust particles that could harbor the necessary conditions to trigger the streaming instability. According to our analysis, the snowlines of the most important volatiles do not coincide with the observed substructures. We explore different ring formation mechanisms and find that planet-disk interactions are the most likely scenario to explain the main features of HD 169142. Overall, our multi-wavelength analysis provides some of the first unambiguous evidence of the presence of radial dust traps in the rings of HD 169142. A similar analysis in a larger sample of disks could provide key insights on the impact that disk substructures have on the dust evolution and planet formation processes.
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is recording short-cadence, high duty-cycle timeseries across most of the sky, which presents the opportunity to detect and study oscillations in interesting stars, in particular planet hosts. We have detected and analysed solar-like oscillations in the bright G4 subgiant HD 38529, which hosts an inner, roughly Jupiter-mass planet on a 14.3 d orbit and an outer, low-mass brown dwarf on a 2136 d orbit. We combine results from multiple stellar modelling teams to produce robust asteroseismic estimates of the stars properties, including its mass $M = 1.48 pm 0.04 mathrm{M}_odot$, radius $R = 2.68 pm 0.03 mathrm{R}_odot$ and age $t = 3.07 pm 0.39 ,mathrm{Gyr}$. Our results confirm that HD 38529 has a mass near the higher end of the range that can be found in the literature and also demonstrate that precise stellar properties can be measured given shorter timeseries than produced by CoRoT, Kepler or K2.
We report here time domain infrared spectroscopy and optical photometry of the HD145263 silica-rich circumstellar disk system taken from 2003 through 2014. We find an F4V host star surrounded by a stable, massive 1e22 - 1e23 kg (M_Moon to M_Mars) dust disk. No disk gas was detected, and the primary star was seen rotating with a rapid ~1.75 day period. After resolving a problem with previously reported observations, we find the silica, Mg-olivine, and Fe-pyroxene mineralogy of the dust disk to be stable throughout, and very unusual compared to the ferromagnesian silicates typically found in primordial and debris disks. By comparison with mid-infrared spectral features of primitive solar system dust, we explore the possibility that HD 145263s circumstellar dust mineralogy occurred with preferential destruction of Fe-bearing olivines, metal sulfides, and water ice in an initially comet-like mineral mix and their replacement by Fe-bearing pyroxenes, amorphous pyroxene, and silica. We reject models based on vaporizing optical stellar megaflares, aqueous alteration, or giant hypervelocity impacts as unable to produce the observed mineralogy. Scenarios involving unusually high Si abundances are at odds with the normal stellar absorption near-infrared feature strengths for Mg, Fe, and Si. Models involving intense space weathering of a thin surface patina via moderate (T < 1300 K) heating and energetic ion sputtering due to a stellar superflare from the F4V primary are consistent with the observations. The space weathered patina should be reddened, contain copious amounts of nanophase Fe, and should be transient on timescales of decades unless replenished.