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  1. ABSTRACT

    We report precise radial velocity (RV) observations of HD 212657 (= K2-167), a star shown by K2 to host a transiting sub-Neptune-sized planet in a 10 d orbit. Using Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry, we refined the planet parameters, especially the orbital period. We collected 74 precise RVs with the HARPS-N spectrograph between August 2015 and October 2016. Although this planet was first found to transit in 2015 and validated in 2018, excess RV scatter originally limited mass measurements. Here, we measure a mass by taking advantage of reductions in scatter from updates to the HARPS-N Data Reduction System (2.3.5) and our new activity mitigation method called CCF Activity Linear Model (CALM), which uses activity-induced line shape changes in the spectra without requiring timing information. Using the CALM framework, we performed a joint fit with RVs and transits using exofastv2 and find Mp = $6.3_{-1.4}^{+1.4}$  $\, M_{\hbox{$\oplus $}}$ and Rp = $2.33^{+0.17}_{-0.15}$  $\, R_{\hbox{$\oplus $}}$, which places K2-167 b at the upper edge of the radius valley. We also find hints of a secondary companion at a ∼22 d period, but confirmation requires additional RVs. Although characterizing lower mass planets like K2-167 b is often impeded by stellar variability, these systems especially help probe the formation physics (i.e. photoevaporation, core-powered mass-loss) of the radius valley. In the future, CALM or similar techniques could be widely applied to FGK-type stars, help characterize a population of exoplanets surrounding the radius valley, and further our understanding of their formation.

     
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  2. Abstract

    We present high-precision radial velocities (RVs) from the HARPS-N spectrograph for HD 79210 and HD 79211, two M0V members of a gravitationally bound binary system. We detect a planet candidate with a period of24.4210.017+0.016days around HD 79211 in these HARPS-N RVs, validating the planet candidate originally identified in CARMENES RV data alone. Using HARPS-N, CARMENES, and RVs spanning a total of 25 yr, we further refine the planet candidate parameters toP= 24.422 ± 0.014 days,K= 3.19 ± 0.27 m s−1,Msini= 10.6 ± 1.2M, anda= 0.142 ± 0.005 au. We do not find any additional planet candidate signals in the data of HD 79211, nor do we find any planet candidate signals in HD 79210. This system adds to the number of exoplanets detected in binaries with M-dwarf members and serves as a case study for planet formation in stellar binaries.

     
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  3. ABSTRACT

    We present a precise characterization of the TOI-561 planetary system obtained by combining previously published data with TESS and CHEOPS photometry, and a new set of 62 HARPS-N radial velocities (RVs). Our joint analysis confirms the presence of four transiting planets, namely TOI-561 b (P = 0.45 d, R = 1.42 R⊕, M = 2.0 M⊕), c (P = 10.78 d, R = 2.91 R⊕, M = 5.4 M⊕), d (P = 25.7 d, R = 2.82 R⊕, M = 13.2 M⊕), and e (P = 77 d, R = 2.55 R⊕, M = 12.6 R⊕). Moreover, we identify an additional, long-period signal (>450 d) in the RVs, which could be due to either an external planetary companion or to stellar magnetic activity. The precise masses and radii obtained for the four planets allowed us to conduct interior structure and atmospheric escape modelling. TOI-561 b is confirmed to be the lowest density (ρb = 3.8 ± 0.5 g cm−3) ultra-short period (USP) planet known to date, and the low metallicity of the host star makes it consistent with the general bulk density-stellar metallicity trend. According to our interior structure modelling, planet b has basically no gas envelope, and it could host a certain amount of water. In contrast, TOI-561 c, d, and e likely retained an H/He envelope, in addition to a possibly large water layer. The inferred planetary compositions suggest different atmospheric evolutionary paths, with planets b and c having experienced significant gas loss, and planets d and e showing an atmospheric content consistent with the original one. The uniqueness of the USP planet, the presence of the long-period planet TOI-561 e, and the complex architecture make this system an appealing target for follow-up studies.

     
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