Studies of the atmosphere of ultra-hot Jupiter TOI-1431b/MASCARA-5b

<p>Ultra-hot Jupiters are defined as giant planets with equilibrium temperatures larger than 2000 K. Most of them are found orbiting bright A-F stars, making them extremely suitable object to study their atmospheres using high-resolution spectroscopy.</p> <p>TOI-1431b, also known as MASCARA-5b, a newly discovered planet with the temperature of 2375 K is a prefect example of ultra-hot Jupiter. We studied this object using three transit observations obtained with high-resolution spectrographs HARPS-N and EXPRES. Analysis of Rossiter-McLaughlin effect shows that the planet is in the polar orbit, which speaks about an interesting dynamical history, and perhaps indicating the presence of more than one planet in the early history of this system. Applying the cross-correlation and transmission spectroscopy method, we find no evidence of atoms and molecules in this planet. There results are at odds with the other studies of similar UHJs orbiting bright stars, where various species have been found.</p>

A 75% Occurrence Rate of Debris Discs around F stars in the β Pic Moving Group

Only 20% of old field stars have detectable debris discs, leaving open the question of what disc, if any, is present around the remaining 80%. Young moving groups allow to probe this population, since discs are expected to have been brighter early on. This paper considers the population of F stars in the 23 Myr-old BPMG where we find that 9/12 targets possess discs. We also analyse archival ALMA data to derive radii for 4 of the discs, presenting the first image of the 63au radius disc of HD 164249. Comparing the BPMG results to disc samples from ∼45 Myr and ∼150 Myr-old moving groups, and to discs found around field stars, we find the disc incidence rate in young moving groups is comparable to that of the BPMG and significantly higher than that of field stars. The BPMG discs tend to be smaller than those around field stars. However, this difference is not statistically significant due to the small number of targets. Yet, by analysing the fractional luminosity vs disc radius parameter space we find that the fractional luminosities in the populations considered drop by two orders of magnitude within the first 100 Myr. This is much faster than expected by collisional evolution, implying a decay equivalent to 1/age2. We attribute this depletion to embedded planets which would be around 170 Mearth to cause a depletion on the appropriate timescale. However, we cannot rule out that different birth environments of nearby young clusters result in brighter debris discs than the progenitors of field stars which likely formed in a more dense environment.

The near-infrared companion to HD 94660 (=KQ Vel)

Context. The Bp star HD 94660 is a single-lined spectroscopic binary. Some authors have suggested that the unseen companion of at least 2 M⊙ may be a compact object. Aims. We intend to study this multiple system in detail, especially to learn more about the thus far unseen companion. Methods. We have collected and analyzed PIONIER (Precision Integrated-Optics Near-infrared Imaging ExpeRiment) H-band data from the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) visible photometric data, and X-ray observations with Chandra of HD 94660. Results. Using PIONIER, we were able to detect the companion to HD 94660, which is absent from high quality spectra at visible wavelengths, with a magnitude difference of 1.8 in the H band at a separation of 18.72 mas. The TESS light curve shows variations with a period of 2.1 d and also flaring. The Chandra spectrum is well described by emission from hot thermal plasma, yet it might include a nonthermal component. The X-ray properties are compatible with a magnetically active companion, while it is also possible that there might be some magnetospheric contributions from the primary. Conclusions. We can rule out that the companion to HD 94660 is a compact source. It is also very unlikely that this companion is a single star, as the estimated mass of more than 2 M⊙, the magnitude difference of 1.8 in the H band, and its nondetection in visible spectra are difficult to realize in a single object. One alternative could be a pair of late F stars, which would also be responsible for the detected photometric variations. Interferometric observations over the full binary orbit are necessary to determine the real mass of the companion and to add constraints on the overall geometry of the system.

On the first δ Sct–roAp hybrid pulsator and the stability of p and g modes in chemically peculiar A/F stars

ABSTRACT Strong magnetic fields in chemically peculiar A-type (Ap) stars typically suppress low-overtone pressure modes (p modes) but allow high-overtone p modes to be driven. KIC 11296437 is the first star to show both. We obtained and analysed a Subaru spectrum, from which we show that KIC 11296437 has abundances similar to other magnetic Ap stars, and we estimate a mean magnetic field modulus of 2.8 ± 0.5 kG. The same spectrum rules out a double-lined spectroscopic binary, and we use other techniques to rule out binarity over a wide parameter space, so the two pulsation types originate in one δ Sct–roAp hybrid pulsator. We construct stellar models depleted in helium and demonstrate that helium settling is second to magnetic damping in suppressing low-overtone p modes in Ap stars. We compute the magnetic damping effect for selected p and g modes, and find that modes with frequencies similar to the fundamental mode are driven for polar field strengths ≲4 kG, while other low-overtone p modes are driven for polar field strengths up to ∼1.5 kG. We find that the high-order g modes commonly observed in γ Dor stars are heavily damped by polar fields stronger than 1–4 kG, with the damping being stronger for higher radial orders. We therefore explain the observation that no magnetic Ap stars have been observed as γ Dor stars. We use our helium-depleted models to calculate the δ Sct instability strip for metallic-lined A (Am) stars, and find that driving from a Rosseland mean opacity bump at ∼5 × 104 K caused by the discontinuous H-ionization edge in bound-free opacity explains the observation of δ Sct pulsations in Am stars.

A Magnetic Snapshot Survey of F-Type Stars

We present a spectropolarimetric magnetic snapshot survey of 55 stars which includes 53 F-type stars ranging from spectral types F0 to F9 plus 2 chemically peculiar stars β CrB, and δ Cap. We look for magnetic fields in stars spanning a range of effective temperatures where the transition from fossil to dynamo magnetic fields is believed to occur. High-resolution spectropolarimetry using circularly polarized spectra is used to look for a magnetic detection in the Stokes V profile, determine the mean longitudinal magnetic field (Bl), and to look for correlations with stellar parameters. Surface magnetic fields are detected on 14 F-stars, and present in every spectral class from F3V-F9V ranging in strength from 0.3 ± 0.1 G (36 UMa, F8V) to 8.3 ± 0.9 G (h Dra, F8V). Thus we find photospheric magnetic fields are present in stars as early as spectral type F3V with an outer convection zone thickness less than a few per cent of the stellar radius.

Inferred time-scales for common envelope ejection using wide astrometric companions

ABSTRACT Evolution of close binaries often proceeds through the common envelope stage. The physics of the envelope ejection (CEE) is not yet understood, and several mechanisms were suggested to be involved. These could give rise to different time-scales for the CEE mass-loss. In order to probe the CEE-time-scales we study wide companions to post-CE binaries. Faster mass-loss time-scales give rise to higher disruption rates of wide binaries and result in larger average separations. We make use of data from Gaia DR2 to search for ultrawide companions (projected separations 103–2 × 105 au and M2 > 0.4 M⊙) to several types of post-CEE systems, including sdBs, white dwarf post-common binaries, and cataclysmic variables. We find a (wide-orbit) multiplicity fraction of 1.4 ± 0.2 per cent for sdBs to be compared with a multiplicity fraction of 5.0 ± 0.2 per cent for late-B/A/F stars which are possible sdB progenitors. The distribution of projected separations of ultrawide pairs to main sequence stars and sdBs differs significantly and is compatible with prompt mass-loss (upper limit on common envelope ejection time-scales of 102 yr). The smaller statistics of ultrawide companions to cataclysmic variables and post-CEE binaries provide weaker constraints. Nevertheless, the survival rate of ultrawide pairs to the cataclysmic variables suggest much longer, ∼104 yr time-scales for the CEE in these systems, possibly suggesting non-dynamical CEE in this regime.

Spatial distribution of exoplanet candidates based on Kepler and Gaia data

Context. Surveying the spatial distribution of exoplanets in the Galaxy is important for improving our understanding of planet formation and evolution. Aims. We aim to determine the spatial gradients of exoplanet occurrence in the Solar neighbourhood and in the vicinity of open clusters. Methods. We combined Kepler and Gaia DR2 data for this purpose, splitting the volume sampled by the Kepler mission into certain spatial bins. We determined an uncorrected and bias-corrected exoplanet frequency and metallicity for each bin. Results. There is a clear drop in the uncorrected exoplanet frequency with distance for F-type stars (mainly for smaller planets), a decline with increasing distance along the Galactic longitude l = 90°, and a drop with height above the Galactic plane. We find that the metallicity behaviour cannot be the reason for the drop of the exoplanet frequency around F stars with increasing distance. This might have only contributed to the drop in uncorrected exoplanet frequency with the height above the Galactic plane. We argue that the above-mentioned gradients of uncorrected exoplanet frequency are a manifestation of a single bias of undetected smaller planets around fainter stars. When we correct for observational biases, most of these gradients in exoplanet frequency become statistically insignificant. Only a slight decline of the planet occurrence with distance for F stars remains significant at the 3σ level. Apart from that, the spatial distribution of exoplanets in the Kepler field of view is compatible with a homogeneous one. At the same time, we do not find a significant change in the exoplanet frequency with increasing distance from open clusters. In terms of byproducts, we identified six exoplanet host star candidates that are members of open clusters. Four of them are in the NGC 6811 (KIC 9655005, KIC 9533489, Kepler-66, Kepler-67) and two belong to NGC 6866 (KIC 8396288, KIC 8331612). Two out of the six had already been known to be cluster members.