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Creators/Authors contains: "Shectman, Stephen A"

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  1. Abstract The “super-puffs” are a population of planets that have masses comparable to that of Neptune but radii similar to Jupiter, leading to extremely low bulk densities (ρp ≲ 0.2 g cm−3) that are not easily explained by standard core accretion models. Interestingly, several of these super-puffs are found in orbits significantly misaligned with their host stars’ spin axes, indicating past dynamical excitation that may be connected to their low densities. Here, we present new Magellan/Planet Finder Spectrograph radial velocity measurements of WASP-193, a late F star hosting one of the least dense transiting planets known to date ( M p = 0.11 2 0.034 + 0.029 M J , R p = 1.31 9 0.048 + 0.056 R J p = 0.060 ± 0.019 g cm−3). We refine the bulk properties of WASP-193 b and use interior structure models to determine that the planet can be explained if it consists of roughly equal amounts of metals and H/He, with a metal fraction ofZ= 0.42. The planet is likely substantially reinflated due to its host star’s evolution, and expected to be actively undergoing mass loss. We also measure the projected stellar obliquity using the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect, finding that WASP-193 b is on an orbit well aligned with the stellar equator, with λ = 1 6 15 + 16 degrees. WASP-193 b is the first Jupiter-sized super-puff on a relatively well-aligned orbit, suggesting a diversity of formation pathways for this population of planets. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available March 25, 2026
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    ABSTRACT This paper presents a survey of Mg ii absorbing gas in the vicinity of 380 random galaxies, using 156 background quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) as absorption-line probes. The sample comprises 211 isolated (73 quiescent and 138 star-forming galaxies) and 43 non-isolated galaxies with sensitive constraints for both Mg ii absorption and H α emission. The projected distances span a range from d = 9 to 497 kpc, redshifts of the galaxies range from z = 0.10 to 0.48, and rest-frame absolute B-band magnitudes range from MB = −16.7 to −22.8. Our analysis shows that the rest-frame equivalent width of Mg ii, Wr(2796), depends on halo radius (Rh), B-band luminosity(LB), and stellar mass (Mstar) of the host galaxies, and declines steeply with increasing d for isolated, star-forming galaxies. At the same time, Wr(2796) exhibits no clear trend for either isolated, quiescent galaxies or non-isolated galaxies. In addition, the covering fraction of Mg ii absorbing gas 〈κ〉 is high with 〈κ〉 ≳ 60 per cent at <40 kpc for isolated galaxies and declines rapidly to 〈κ〉 ≈ 0 at d ≳ 100 kpc. Within the gaseous radius, the incidence of Mg ii gas depends sensitively on both Mstar and the specific star formation rate inferred from H α. Different from what is known for massive quiescent haloes, the observed velocity dispersion of Mg ii absorbing gas around star-forming galaxies is consistent with expectations from virial motion, which constrains individual clump mass to $$m_{\rm cl} \gtrsim 10^5 \, \rm M_\odot$$ and cool gas accretion rate of $$\sim 0.7\!-\!2 \, \mathrm{ M}_\odot \, \rm yr^{-1}$$. Finally, we find no strong azimuthal dependence of Mg ii absorption for either star-forming or quiescent galaxies. Our results demonstrate that multiple parameters affect the properties of gaseous haloes around galaxies and highlight the need of a homogeneous, absorption-blind sample for establishing a holistic description of chemically enriched gas in the circumgalactic space. 
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