arXiv · 1903.08017
The L 98-59 System: Three Transiting, Terrestrial-Sized Planets Orbiting a Nearby M-dwarf
Abstract
We report the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovery of three terrestrial-sized planets transiting L 98-59 (TOI-175, TIC 307210830) -- a bright M dwarf at a distance of 10.6 pc. Using the Gaia-measured distance and broad-band photometry we find that the host star is an M3 dwarf. Combined with the TESS transits from three sectors, the corresponding stellar parameters yield planet radii ranging from 0.8REarth to 1.6REarth. All three planets have short orbital periods, ranging from 2.25 to 7.45 days with the outer pair just wide of a 2:1 period resonance. Diagnostic tests produced by the TESS Data Validation Report and the vetting package DAVE rule out common false positive sources. These analyses, along with dedicated follow-up and the multiplicity of the system, lend confidence that the observed signals are caused by planets transiting L 98-59 and are not associated with other sources in the field. The L 98-59 system is interesting for a number of reasons: the host star is bright (V = 11.7 mag, K = 7.1 mag) and the planets are prime targets for further follow-up observations including precision radial-velocity mass measurements and future transit spectroscopy with the James Webb Space Telescope; the near resonant configuration makes the system a laboratory to study planetary system dynamical evolution; and three planets of relatively similar size in the same system present an opportunity to study terrestrial planets where other variables (age, metallicity, etc.) can be held constant. L 98-59 will be observed in 4 more TESS sectors, which will provide a wealth of information on the three currently known planets and have the potential to reveal additional planets in the system.
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Veselin B. Kostov, Joshua E. Schlieder, Thomas Barclay, Elisa V. Quintana, Knicole D. Colon, Jonathan Brande, Karen A. Collins, Adina D. Feinstein, Samuel Hadden, Stephen R. Kane, Laura Kreidberg, Ethan Kruse, Christopher Lam, Elisabeth Matthews, Benjamin T. Montet, Francisco J. Pozuelos, Keivan G. Stassun, Jennifer G. Winters, George Ricker, Roland Vanderspek, David Latham, Sara Seager, Joshua Winn, Jon M. Jenkins, Dennis Afanasev, James J. D. Armstrong, Giada Arney, Patricia Boyd, Geert Barentsen, Khalid Barkaoui, Natalie E. Batalha, Charles Beichman, Daniel Bayliss, Christopher Burke, Artem Burdanov, Luca Cacciapuoti, Andrew Carson, David Charbonneau, Jessie Christiansen, David Ciardi, Mark Clampin, Kevin I. Collins, Dennis M. Conti, Jeffrey Coughlin, Giovanni Covone, Ian Crossfield, Laetitia Delrez, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Courtney Dressing, Elsa Ducrot, Zahra Essack, Mark E. Everett, Thomas Fauchez, Daniel Foreman-Mackey, Tianjun Gan, Emily Gilbert, Michael Gillon, Erica Gonzales, Aaron Hamann, Christina Hedges, Hannah Hocutt, Kelsey Hoffman, Elliott P. Horch, Keith Horne, Steve Howell, Shane Hynes, Michael Ireland, Jonathan M. Irwin, Giovanni Isopi, Eric L. N. Jensen, Emmanuel Jehin, Lisa Kaltenegger, John F. Kielkopf, Ravi Kopparapu, Nikole Lewis, Eric Lopez, Jack J. Lissauer, Andrew W. Mann, Franco Mallia, Avi Mandell, Rachel A. Matson, Tsevi Mazeh, Teresa Monsue, Sarah E. Moran, Vickie Moran, Caroline V. Morley, Brett Morris, Philip Muirhead, Koji Mukai, Susan Mullally, Fergal Mullally, Catriona Murray, Norio Narita, EnricP alle, Daria Pidhorodetska, David Quinn, Howard Relles, Stephen Rinehart, Matthew Ritsko, Joseph E. Rodriguez. 2019-03-19. The L 98-59 System: Three Transiting, Terrestrial-Sized Planets Orbiting a Nearby M-dwarf. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab2459
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