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Ansgar Reiners

Publications and source records attributed to Ansgar Reiners.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Second-Generation Fabry-P\'erot Unit for CARMENES

CARMENES consists of two high-resolution spectrographs located at the Calar Alto 3.5m telescope, covering the wavelength range from 520nm to 1710 nm. The original Fabry-Perot (FP) units have been essential to track and remove instrumental drift while also improving the wavelength solution provided by the hollow cathode lamps. In this paper we present the second-generation FP unit that has begun operation at Calar Alto in April 2024. It features drastically improved temperature stabilization, additional temperature monitoring, and enhanced optomechanics. Temperature stabilization is improved through better vacuum vessel design, thermal shielding and improved thermal control. The temperature is now monitored with Pt-100 sensors inside the vacuum vessel, one of which is used to drive the temperature control. The new purpose-built optomechanics allow for an improved alignment procedure leading to higher line contrast. The etalon coatings now cover a broader wavelength range, the optics have been upgraded, and the fibers have been updated to an octagonal shape. In laboratory measurements with a Fourier transform spectrometer we compare the FP radial velocity (RV) drift to that of an iodine cell. In a two hour binning we achieve an RMS of the differential RVs of 6cm/s. The new FP unit has already been successfully integrated at CARMENES, with first calibration data indicating improved RV precision.

astro-ph.IM

Two Fabry-Perots and two calibration units for CARMENES

The wavelength calibration and nightly drift measurements for CARMENES (Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Echelle Spectrographs) are provided by a combination of hollow cathode lamps and two Fabry-P\'{e}rot units. CARMENES consists of two spectrograph, one for the visible part of the spectrum (520-960nm) and one for the near infrared (960-1710nm). Each spectrograph has its own calibration unit and its own Fabry-P\'{e}rot. The calibration units are equipped with Th-Ne, U-Ar and U-Ne hollow cathode lamps as well as a flat field lamp. The Fabry-P\'{e}rots are optimized for the wavelength ranges of the spectrographs and use halogen-tungsten lamps as light sources. The Fabry-P\'{e}rots have a free spectral range of 15GHz for the visible and 12.2GHz for the near infrared which translates to $\sim$17,900 useful emission lines for the visible spectrograph and $\sim$9,700 for the infrared. These lines are used to compute the wavelength solution, and to monitor the instrumental drift during the night. The Fabry-P\'{e}rot units are temperature and pressure stabilized and designed to reach an internal stability of better than 10\,cm/s per night. Here, we present the designs of both Fabry-P\'{e}rot units and the calibration units.

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Large-scale time-series spectroscopy for stellar ages

To date, Galactic Astronomy has largely concerned itself with astrophysical processes, and with the locations, space motions and compositions of objects. Consider, for example, the elucidation of the components of the Galaxy over the past decades, its mapping as enabled by Gaia and its predecessors, the photometric and spectroscopic characterization of innumerable astrophysical objects in various wavelength ranges, both from the ground and from space, and the expanding discovery and characterization of exoplanets; all focused on the current, static Galaxy. This White Paper proposes a dedicated program to derive stellar ages from time-series spectroscopy to hasten the transformation of this static conception into a dynamical one with age-labeled objects and events.

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Revisiting the atmosphere of HAT-P-70b with CARMENES high-resolution transmission spectroscopy

Owing to hot and inflated envelopes that facilitate atmospheric studies, ultra-hot Jupiters (UHJs) have attracted much attention. Significant progress has been achieved, from enlarging the sample size to broadening the studies to encompass diverse stellar types and ages. Here, we present a transmission spectroscopy study of HAT-P-70b, an UHJ orbiting a young A-type star, through high-resolution observations with CARMENES at the 3.5m Calar Alto telescope. By using the line-by-line technique, we confirm the previous detections of Ha, Na I, and Ca II, report a new tentative detection of K I, and impose an upper limit on the He triplet absorption. Through cross-correlation analysis, we identify the Ca II and Fe I absorptions, both blue-shifted by approximately 5 km/s, indicating a day-to-night side atmospheric wind. Additionally, we find a new tentative detection of K I. We do not see any significant atmospheric molecular signal in the near-infrared data. Putting HAT-P-70b in the context of UHJs from the literature, it turns out that (1) Ha absorption is more common on gas giants orbiting stars younger than 1 Gyr, with a relative detection probability of $P_{\rm Age<1\,Gyr}({\rm Ha})/P_{\rm Age\geq1\,Gyr}({\rm Ha})\sim 3$; (2) any UHJ is likely to exhibit Fe I absorption if it has Ca II.

astro-ph.EP

VLT/CRIRES+ observations of warm Neptune WASP-107 b: Challenges in detecting molecules with ground-based transmission spectroscopy of cooler and cloudy exoplanets

Atmospheres of transiting exoplanets can be studied spectroscopically using space-based or ground-based observations. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, so there are benefits to both approaches. This is especially true for challenging targets such as cooler, smaller exoplanets whose atmospheres likely contain many molecular species and cloud decks. We aim to study the atmosphere of the warm Neptune-like exoplanet WASP-107 b (Teq~740 K). Several molecular species have been detected in this exoplanet in recent space-based JWST studies, and we aim to confirm and expand upon these detections using ground-based VLT, evaluating how well our findings agree with previously retrieved atmospheric parameters. We observe two transits of WASP-107 b with VLT/CRIRES+ and create cross-correlation templates of the target atmosphere based on retrieval results from JWST studies. We create different templates to investigate the impact of varying volume mixing ratios of species and inclusion or exclusion of clouds. Considering this target's observational challenges, we create simulated observations prior to evaluating real data to assess expected detection significances. We report detections of two molecular species, CO (~6 S/N) and H2O (~4.5 S/N). This confirms previous space-based detections and demonstrates, for the first time, the capability of VLT/CRIRES+ to detect species in targets cooler than hot Jupiters using transmission spectroscopy. We show our analysis is sensitive to cloud inclusion, but less so to different volume mixing ratios. Interestingly, our detection deviates from its expected location in our Kp-vsys diagrams, and we speculate on possible reasons for this. We demonstrate that the error budget for relatively cooler exoplanets is severely reduced in comparison to hotter exoplanets, and underline need for further work in context of high-resolution spectroscopy.

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The mass of the exo-Venus Gliese 12 b, as revealed by HARPS-N, ESPRESSO, and CARMENES

Small temperate planets are prime targets for exoplanet studies due to their possible similarities with the rocky planets in the Solar System. M dwarfs are promising hosts since the planetary signals are within our current detection capabilities. Gliese 12 b is a Venus-sized temperate planet orbiting a quiet M dwarf. We present here the first precise mass measurement of this small exoplanet. We performed a detailed analysis using HARPS-N, ESPRESSO, and CARMENES radial velocities, along with new and archival \tess, \cheops, and MuSCAT2/3 photometry data. From fitting the available data, we find that the planet has a radius of $R_\mathrm{p} = 0.93\pm0.06 \,\mathrm{R_\oplus}$ and a mass of $M_\mathrm{p} = 0.95^{+0.29}_{-0.30} \,\mathrm{M_\oplus}$ (a $3.2\sigma$ measurement of the semi-amplitude $K=0.67\pm0.21\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$), and is on an orbit with a period of $12.761418^{+0.000060}_{-0.000055}\,\mathrm{d}$. A variety of techniques were utilised to attenuate stellar activity signals. Gliese 12 b has an equilibrium temperature of $T_\mathrm{eq}=317 \pm 8\,\mathrm{K}$, assuming an albedo of zero, and a density consistent with that of Earth and Venus ($\rho_\mathrm{p}=6.4\pm2.4\,\mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}$). We find that Gliese 12 b has a predominantly rocky interior and simulations indicate that it is unlikely to have retained any of its primordial gaseous envelope. The bulk properties of Gliese 12 b place it in an extremely sparsely populated region of both mass--radius and density--$T_\mathrm{eq}$ parameter space, making it a prime target for follow-up observations, including Lyman-$\alpha$ studies.

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Validation of the ESPRESSO Wavelength Calibration Using Iodine Absorption Cell Spectra

High quality wavelength calibration is crucial for science cases like radial-velocity studies of exoplanets, the search for a possible variation of fundamental constants, and the redshift drift experiment. However, for state-of-the-art spectrographs it has become difficult to verify the wavelength calibration on sky, because no astrophysical source provides spectra with sufficiently stable or accurate wavelength information. We therefore propose to use iodine absorption cells to validate the wavelength calibration. Observing a bright and featureless star through the iodine cell emulates an astrophysical target with exactly known spectral features that can be analyzed like any other science target, allowing to verify the wavelength calibration derived from the internal calibration sources and to identify systematics in the data processing. As demonstration, we temporarily installed an I$_2$ absorption cell at ESPRESSO. Employing a full forward modeling approach of the I$_2$ spectrum, including the instrumental line-spread function, we demonstrate wavelength calibration accuracy at the level of a few m/s. We also show that wavelength measurements do depend on the geometry of the light-injection into the spectrograph fibers. This highlights the importance of probing exactly the same light path as science targets, something not possible with internal calibration sources alone. We also demonstrate excellent radial-velocity stability at the <20 cm/s level in a full end-to-end fashion, from sky to data product. Our study therefore showcases the great potential of absorption cells for the verification and long-term monitoring of the wavelength calibration as well as the unique insights they can provide.

astro-ph.IM

CARMENES as an Instrument for Exoplanet Research

CARMENES stands for Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical \'Echelle Spectrographs. CARMENES took six years from a concept to the start of operations, and a couple more years of initial data collection until the first science publication, but now is revolutionising our knowledge on exoplanets and their stars in our immediate vicinity. Here we describe what CARMENES is: (i) an ultra-stabilised two-channel spectrograph at an almost dedicated 3.5 m telescope in southern Spain that covers in high spectral resolution and without big gaps from 0.52 mum to 1.71 mum; (ii) a science project aimed at comprehensively searching for and studying planetary systems with nearby, bright, M-dwarf hosts, but that also investigates transiting planets around other stars; and (iii) the German-Spanish consortium that designed and built the instrument and that has operated it under guaranteed and legacy time observations.

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Precise and efficient modeling of stellar-activity-affected solar spectra using SOAP-GPU

One of the main obstacles in exoplanet detection when using the radial velocity (RV) technique is the presence of stellar activity signal induced by magnetic regions. In this context, a realistic simulated dataset that can provide photometry and spectroscopic outputs is needed for method development. The goal of this paper is to describe two realistic simulations of solar activity obtained from SOAP-GPU and to compare them with real data obtained from the HARPS-N solar telescope. We describe two different methods of modeling solar activity using SOAP-GPU. The first models the evolution of active regions based on the spot number as a function of time. The second method relies on the extraction of active regions from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) data. The simulated spectral time series generated with the first method shows a long-term RV behavior similar to that seen in the HARPS-N solar observations. The effect of stellar activity induced by stellar rotation is also well modeled with prominent periodicities at the stellar rotation period and its first harmonic. The comparison between the simulated spectral time series generated using SDO images and the HARPS-N solar spectra shows that SOAP-GPU can precisely model the RV time series of the Sun to a precision better than 0.9 m/s. By studying the width and depth variations of each spectral line in the HARPS-N solar and SOAP-GPU data, we find a strong correlation between the observation and the simulation for strong spectral lines, therefore supporting the modeling of the stellar activity effect at the spectral level. These simulated solar spectral time series serve as a useful test bed for evaluating spectral-level stellar activity mitigation techniques.

astro-ph.SR

Hints of auroral and magnetospheric polarized radio emission from the scallop-shell star 2MASS J05082729$-$2101444

Scallop-shell stars, a recently discovered class of young M dwarfs, show complex optical light curves that are characterized by periodic dips as well as other features that are stable over tens to hundreds of rotation cycles. The origin of these features is not well-understood. 2MASS J05082729$-$2101444 is a $\sim$25 Myr old scallop-shell star that was identified using TESS data; it has a photometric period of 6.73h that has been attributed to rotation. Of the $\sim$50 recently confirmed scallop-shell stars, it is one of the few detected at radio frequencies between 1 and 8 GHz. We observed this rare system with the upgraded Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope at 575--720 MHz, covering 88% of the photometric period in each of the two observations scheduled almost a month apart in 2023. We detected $\sim$millijansky emission from the target in both epochs, with a significant circular polarization fraction: $|V/I|\sim$20--50%. The 3.5-min phase-folded light curves reveal unique variability in circular polarization, showing an $\sim$hour-long helicity reversal in both epochs, similar in amplitude, length, and (possibly) phase. These results suggest two emission components: The first is a persistent, moderately polarized component possibly ascribable to gyro-synchrotron emission driven by centrifugal breakout events. The second is a highly polarized, short burst-like component, likely due to an electron cyclotron maser (ECM), indicative of auroral emission and potentially responsible for the helicity reversal. To explain this, we discuss the different origins of the plasma responsible for the radio emission, including the possibility that the occulting material is acting as a plasma source. Future coordinated multifrequency radio and optical observations can further constrain the underlying scenario, as well as the magnetic geometry of the system, if we assume an ECM-like auroral emission.

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Accurate calibration spectra for precision radial velocities -- Iodine absorption referenced by a laser frequency comb

Astronomical spectrographs require frequency calibration through sources like hollow-cathode lamps or absorption-gas cells. Laser frequency combs (LFCs) provide highest accuracy but are facing operational challenges. We aim to provide a precise and accurate frequency solution for the spectrum of molecular iodine absorption by referencing to an LFC that does not cover the same frequency range. We used a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) to produce a consistent frequency scale for the combined spectrum from an iodine absorption cell at 5200--6200\AA and an LFC at 8200\AA. We used 17,807 comb lines to determine the FTS frequency offset and compared the calibrated iodine spectrum to a synthetic spectrum computed from a molecular potential model. In a single scan, the frequency offset was determined from the comb spectrum with an uncertainty of $\sim$1 cm s$^{-1}$. The distribution of comb line frequencies is consistent with no deviation from linearity. The iodine observation matches the model with an offset of smaller than the model uncertainties of $\sim$1 m s$^{-1}$, which confirms that the FTS zero point is valid outside the range covered by the LFC, and that the frequencies of the iodine absorption model are accurate. We also report small systematic effects regarding the iodine model's energy scale. We conclude that Fourier Transform Spectrometry can transfer LFC accuracy into frequency ranges not originally covered by the comb. This allows us to assign accurate frequency scales to the spectra of customized wavelength calibrators. The calibrators can be optimized for individual spectrograph designs regarding resolution and spectral bandwidth, and requirements on their long-term stability are relaxed because FTS monitoring can be performed during operation. This provides flexibility for the design and operation of calibration sources for high-precision Doppler experiments.

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An Earth-sized Planet on the Verge of Tidal Disruption

TOI-6255~b (GJ 4256) is an Earth-sized planet (1.079$\pm0.065$ $R_\oplus$) with an orbital period of only 5.7 hours. With the newly commissioned Keck Planet Finder (KPF) and CARMENES spectrographs, we determined the planet's mass to be 1.44$\pm$0.14 $M_{\oplus}$. The planet is just outside the Roche limit, with $P_{\rm orb}/P_{\rm Roche}$ = 1.13 $\pm0.10$. The strong tidal force likely deforms the planet into a triaxial ellipsoid with a long axis that is $\sim$10\% longer than the short axis. Assuming a reduced stellar tidal quality factor $Q_\star^\prime \approx10^7$, we predict that tidal orbital decay will cause TOI-6255 to reach the Roche limit in roughly 400 Myr. Such tidal disruptions may produce the possible signatures of planet engulfment that have been on stars with anomalously high refractory elemental abundances compared to its conatal binary companion. TOI-6255 b is also a favorable target for searching for star-planet magnetic interactions, which might cause interior melting and hasten orbital decay. TOI-6255 b is a top target (Emission Spectroscopy Metric of about 24) for phase curve observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.

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CARMENES input catalog of M dwarfs: VII. New rotation periods for the survey stars and their correlations with stellar activity

Abridged: We measured photometric and spectroscopic $P_{\rm rot}$ for a large sample of nearby bright M dwarfs with spectral types from M0 to M9, as part of our continual effort to fully characterize the Guaranteed Time Observation programme stars of the CARMENES survey. We determine $P_{\rm rot}$ for 129 stars. Combined with the literature, we tabulate $P_{\rm rot}$ for 261 stars, or 75% of our sample. We evaluate the plausibility of all periods available for this sample by comparing them with activity signatures and checking for consistency between multiple measurements. We find that 166 of these stars have independent evidence that confirmed their $P_{\rm rot}$. There are inconsistencies in 27 periods, which we classify as debated. A further 68 periods are identified as provisional detections that could benefit from independent verification. We provide an empirical relation for the $P_{\rm rot}$ uncertainty as a function of the $P_{\rm rot}$ value, based on the dispersion of the measurements. We show that published formal errors seem to be often underestimated for periods $\gtrsim 10$ d. We highlight the importance of independent verification on $P_{\rm rot}$ measurements, especially for inactive M dwarfs. We examine rotation-activity relations with emission in X-rays, H$\alpha$, Ca II H & K, and surface magnetic field strengths. We find overall agreement with previous works, as well as tentative differences in the partially versus fully convective subsamples. We show $P_{\rm rot}$ as a function of stellar mass, age, and galactic kinematics. With the notable exception of three transiting planet systems and TZ Ari, all known planet hosts in this sample have $P_{\rm rot} \gtrsim 15$ d. This indicates that important limitations need to be overcome before the radial velocity technique can be routinely used to detect and study planets around young and active stars.

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Towards 10 cm/s radial velocity accuracy on the Sun using a Fourier transform spectrometer

The IAG solar observatory is producing high-fidelity, ultra-high-resolution spectra (R>500000) of the spatially resolved surface of the Sun using a Fourier Transform spectrometer (FTS). The radial velocity (RV) calibration of these spectra is currently performed using absorption lines from Earth's atmosphere, limiting the precision and accuracy. To improve the frequency calibration precision and accuracy we plan to use a Fabry-Perot etalon (FP) setup that is an evolution of the CARMENES FP design and an iodine cell in combination. To create an accurate wavelength solution, the iodine cell is measured in parallel with the FP. The FP can then be used to transfer the accurate wavelength solution provided by the iodine via simultaneous calibration of solar observations. To verify the stability and precision of the FTS we perform parallel measurements of the FP and an iodine cell. The measurements show an intrinsic stability of the FTS of a level of 1 m/s over 90 hours. The difference between the FP RVs and the iodine cell RVs show no significant trends during the same time span. The RMS of the RV difference between FP and iodine cell is 10.7 cm/s, which can be largely attributed to the intrinsic RV precisions of the iodine cell and the FP (10.2 cm/s and 1.0 cm/s, respectively). This shows that we can calibrate the FTS to a level of 10 cm/s, competitive with current state-of-the-art precision RV instruments. Based on these results we argue that the spectrum of iodine can be used as an absolute reference to reach an RV accuracy of 10 cm/s.

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Scaling and Evolution of Stellar Magnetic Activity

Magnetic activity is a ubiquitous feature of stars with convective outer layers, with implications from stellar evolution to planetary atmospheres. Investigating the mechanisms responsible for the observed stellar activity signals from days to billions of years is important in deepening our understanding of the spatial configurations and temporal patterns of stellar dynamos, including that of the Sun. In this paper, we focus on three problems and their possible solutions. We start with direct field measurements and show how they probe the dependence of magnetic flux and its density on stellar properties and activity indicators. Next, we review the current state-of-the-art in physics-based models of photospheric activity patterns and their variation from rotational to activity-cycle timescales. We then outline the current state of understanding in the long-term evolution of stellar dynamos, first by using chromospheric and coronal activity diagnostics, then with model-based implications on magnetic braking, which is the key mechanism by which stars spin down and become inactive as they age. We conclude by discussing possible directions to improve the modeling and analysis of stellar magnetic fields.

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Modeling the Chromosphere and Transition Region of Planet-hosting Star GJ 436

Ahead of upcoming space missions intending to conduct observations of low-mass stars in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region it becomes imperative to simultaneously conduct atmospheric modeling from the UV to the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR). Investigations on extended spectral regions will help to improve the overall understanding of the diversity of spectral lines arising from very different atmospheric temperature regions. Here we investigate atmosphere models with a chromosphere and transition region for the M2.5V star GJ 436, which hosts a close-in Hot Neptune. The atmosphere models are guided by observed spectral features from the UV to the VIS/NIR originating in the chromosphere and transition region of GJ 436. High-resolution observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exo-earths with Near-infrared and optical Echelle Spectrographs (CARMENES) are used to obtain an appropriate model spectrum for the investigated M dwarf. We use a large set of atomic species considered in nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium conditions within our PHOENIX model computations to approximate the physics within the low-density atmospheric regions. In order to obtain an overall match for the nonsimultaneous observations, it is necessary to apply a linear combination of two model spectra, where one of them better reproduces the UV lines while the other better represents the lines from the VIS/NIR range. This is needed to adequately handle different activity states across the observations.

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Revisiting equilibrium condensation and rocky planet compositions: Introducing the ECCOplanets code

We introduce ECCOplanets, an open-source Python code that simulates condensation in the protoplanetary disk. Our aim is to analyse how well a simplistic model can reproduce the main characteristics of rocky planet formation. For this purpose, we revisited condensation temperatures ($T_c$) as a means to study disk chemistry, and explored their sensitivity to variations in pressure (p) and elemental abundance pattern. We also examined the bulk compositions of rocky planets around chemically diverse stars. Our T-p-dependent chemical equilibrium model is based on a Gibbs free energy minimisation. We derived condensation temperatures for Solar System parameters with a simulation limited to the most common chemical species. We assessed their change ($\Delta T_c$) as a result of p-variation between $10^{-6}$ and 0.1 bar. To analyse the influence of the abundance pattern, key element ratios were varied, and the results were validated using solar neighbourhood stars. To derive the bulk compositions of planets, we explored three different planetary feeding-zone (FZ) models and compared their output to an external n-body simulation. Our model reproduces the external results well in all tests. For common planet-building elements, we derive a Tc that is within $\pm5$ K of literature values, taking a wider spectrum of components into account. The Tc is sensitive to variations in p and the abundance pattern. For most elements, it rises with p and metallicity. The tested pressure range ($10^{-6} - 0.1$ bar) corresponds to $\Delta T_c \approx +350$ K, and for -0.3 $\leq$ [M/H] $\leq$ 0.4 we find $\Delta T_c \approx +100$ K. An increase in C/O from 0.1 to 0.7 results in a decrease of $\Delta T_c \approx -100$ K. Other element ratios are less influential. Dynamic planetary accretion can be emulated well with any FZ model. Their width can be adapted to reproduce gradual changes in planetary composition.

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Solar center-to-limb variation in Rossiter-McLaughlin and exoplanet transmission spectroscopy

Line profiles from spatially unresolved stellar observations consist of a superposition of local line profiles that result from observing the stellar atmosphere under specific viewing angles. Line profile variability caused by stellar magnetic activity or planetary transit selectively varies the weight and/or shape of profiles at individual surface positions. The effect is usually modeled with radiative transfer calculations because observations of spatially resolved stellar surfaces are not available. For the Sun, we recently obtained a broadband spectroscopic atlas of the solar center-to-limb variation (CLV). We use the atlas to study systematic differences between largely used radiative transfer calculations and solar observations. We concentrate on four strong lines useful for exoplanet transmission analysis, and we investigate the impact of CLV on transmission and Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) curves. Solar models used to calculate synthetic spectra tend to underestimate line core depths but overestimate the effect of CLV. Our study shows that CLV can lead to significant systematic offsets in transmission curves and particularly in RM curves; transmission curves centered on individual lines are overestimated by up to a factor of two by the models, and simulations of RM curves yield amplitudes that are off by up to 5--10\,m\,s$^{-1}$ depending on the line. For the interpretation of transit observations, it is crucial for model spectra that accurately reproduce the solar CLV to become available which, for now, is the only calibration point available.

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