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Benjamin T. Montet

Publications and source records attributed to Benjamin T. Montet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

NGC 1901: A new benchmark cluster for gyrochronology in the TESS Southern continuous viewing zone

We use Gaia DR3 astrometry and TESS time-series photometry to study NGC 1901, a sparse open cluster in the TESS Southern continuous viewing zone, that has been neglected due to its proximity on the sky to the Large Magellanic Cloud. We refine its membership list and measure rotation periods for 32 high-confidence rotating stars. By applying the gyro-interp empirical model, we calculate a gyrochronal age of 830 $\pm$ 50 Myr. Because NGC 1901 possesses a sub-solar metallicity of [Fe/H]$\approx -0.11$, its excellent agreement with empirical models suggests that temperature-period relations mitigate metallicity effects for Sun-like stars. Our results place NGC 1901 in the gap between the benchmark open clusters Praesepe (670 Myr) and NGC 6811 (1 Gyr). We find that the rotation sequence exhibits significant spin-down stalling in late K dwarfs, supporting models of core--envelope recoupling. Furthermore, our findings provide constraints for the cluster's structural evolution, including its recently identified tidal tail and corona. This study establishes NGC 1901 as a new benchmark for calibrating the next generation of gyrochronal models.

astro-ph.SR

TESS Observations of Stochastic Low-frequency Variability in Extreme Helium Stars

Extreme helium stars (EHes) are low-mass hydrogen-deficient stars thought to be the products of double white dwarf mergers. Despite prolonged ground-based observations, there is no consensus on the properties of their photometric variability. In this article, we present an analysis of TESS light curves for all known EHe stars, constituting the first population-level study of EHe photometric variability. We present updated TESS light curves for the two confirmed large-amplitude pulsators, V652 Her and BX Cir, and discuss the potential r-mode pulsators BD+37 442 and BD+37 1977. Notably, we found that the majority of EHe stars exhibit stochastic low-frequency (SLF) variability, or a signal with power increasing smoothly towards low frequencies, rather than peaks in the power spectrum corresponding to oscillation modes. We characterised the SLF variability of EHe stars using Gaussian process regression with a stochastically-driven/damped simple harmonic oscillator kernel and measured the characteristic timescale, low-frequency amplitude, and quality factor for each star. The variability timescales range from approximately 0.5 to 10 d and correlate strongly with stellar parameters such as density and radius. Further theoretical work is needed to determine the physical driving mechanism for the variability, but 1-D models of EHe stars suggest that thin subsurface convection zones may play a role.

astro-ph.SR

Astrometric exoplanet detection survives solar-like stellar contamination

Astrometric monitoring of stars provides a promising method for discovery of low-mass planets around nearby Sun-like stars. The astronomical community has proposed several telescopes designed to perform high-precision astrometric observations. One limiting factor intrinsic to stars is the astrometric noise - or "jitter" - induced by surface stellar activity such as starspots and faculae. Despite previous estimates, the relative size of this signal has not been empirically measured from direct photometric observations. We analyse high-resolution images of the Sun to quantify the photometric centroid jitter across three narrow wavelength regions over nearly a decade, spanning high and low activity periods of the Solar cycle. We compare our findings to previous theoretical estimates. We scale this jitter to simulate how a Solar-twin would appear at various distances, establishing an astrometric noise floor below which detection is significantly complicated by stellar activity. We also introduce starspot simulations that augment our data. We find the typical astrometric jitter of the Sun at \(λ= 607.2 \pm 0.25\text{nm}\) to be \(0.342μ\text{as pc}\), ranging between \(0.058μ\text{as pc}\) and \(1.294μ\text{as pc}\) for low and high activity periods, respectively. This is lower than the expected \(\approx 3μ\text{as}\) astrometric signal that an Earth-like planet would produce around a Sun-like star, at 1 pc. Therefore, the astrometric noise floor imposed by intrinsic stellar activity sets a detection limit below one Earth but greater than Mars around Solar-analog stars, making instrument precision the limiting factor for Earth-like exoplanet searches.

astro-ph.SR

Inferring hemispheric asymmetries of stellar active regions through the information content of astrometric signals

Photometric light curves suffer from fundamental degeneracies that limit surface information recovery. We demonstrate that astrometry enables access to complementary information through photocentre variations induced by rotating surface features. The forthcoming commissioning of microarcsecond-precision astrometric missions presents an opportunity to improve stellar surface mapping. This paper extends a previous theoretical framework for stellar surface mapping, along three primary directions: (1) we derive analytical selection rules showing that astrometry is sensitive to spherical harmonic modes not detectable via photometry, particularly odd-$\ell$ modes that encode north-south asymmetries; (2) we quantify the information content of combined photometric and astrometric observations, showing that the rank of observable modes grows faster for combined observations than for either technique alone, though the fraction of recoverable modes still decreases asymptotically with increasing spatial resolution; and (3) we reframe astrometric jitter-traditionally treated as noise in exoplanet studies-as a signal encoding stellar surface structure. Given the limited proposed target lists of high-precision astrometric missions, this capability is particularly valuable: understanding host star surfaces is crucial for both removing stellar signals from exoplanet detections and characterising star-planet interactions. We show that while Sun-like stars require sub-microarcsecond precision, evolved stars with angular diameter and larger spots present immediate opportunities with current technology, such as the Gaia mission.

astro-ph.SR

Detection of 27 candidate circumbinary planets through apsidal precession of eclipsing binaries observed by TESS

Most circumbinary planets have been discovered by their transits, limiting our understanding of such systems to those with mutually coplanar architectures. This bias makes it difficult to infer the true circumbinary planet population, highlighting the need for alternative detection methods that do not rely on transits. In this work, we explore one such approach by leveraging apsidal precession as a dynamical signature of planetary companions. We analyse TESS photometry of a sample of 1590 eclipsing binaries from the Gaia DR3 Catalogue of Eclipsing Binary Candidates to identify systems exhibiting measurable apsidal precession that cannot be explained by general relativistic, tidal, or rotational effects alone. These excess precession signals point to the presence of additional gravitational perturbers and allow constraints to be placed on the masses and orbital separations of potential companions. We present a new set of 27 candidate circumbinary planets identified through this precession-based method, as well as 6 candidate companions with a higher minimum mass. Their inferred properties remain degenerate, as the same dynamical signatures can arise from lower-mass planets at less than 1 AU or from more massive companions on wider, few-AU orbits, reflecting the current uncertainty in characterising these systems. Radial velocities can help break this degeneracy and provide direct confirmation.

astro-ph.EP

The TOLIMAN mission: A low-cost space telescope for high precision narrow-angle astrometry

The TOLIMAN project is engaged with the construction, launch and operation of a low-cost space telescope of unorthodox optical design. Its primary science goal targets an exhaustive search for temperate-orbit rocky planets around either star in the alpha Centauri AB binary within our nearest-neighbor star system. Despite their favorable proximity and brightness, the detection of terrestrial exoplanets around such nearby Sun-like stars remains problematic for contemporary instrumental approaches. By performing narrow-angle astrometric monitoring of binary stars at extreme precision, any exoplanets will betray their presence by way of gravitationally-induced perturbations on the binary orbit. Recovery of this signal is challenging for it amounts to only a few microarcseconds of angular deflection (at best), and so is normally thought to require a large (meter-class) instrument. By implementing an innovative optical and signal encoding architecture, the TOLIMAN space telescope aims to recover such signals with a telescope aperture of only 12.5cm. This paper gives an overview of key features of the mission; in particular the concepts underlying the optics to enable image registration at the extreme levels of precision required. An outline is also provided, sketching further mission components and systems incorporated into the 16U CubeSat spacecraft bus in which the science payload is housed - all of which are now under construction.

astro-ph.IM

Identifying 850 delta Scuti pulsators in a narrow Gaia colour range with TESS 10-minute full-frame images

We use TESS 10-minute Full Frame Images (Sectors 27-55) to study a sample of 1708 stars within 500 pc of the Sun that lie in a narrow colour range in the centre of the delta Scuti instability strip (0.29 < BP-RP < 0.31). Based on the Fourier amplitude spectra, we identify 848 delta Scuti stars, as well as 47 eclipsing or contact binaries. The strongest pulsation modes of some delta Scuti stars fall on the period-luminosity relation of the fundamental radial mode but many correspond to overtones that are approximately a factor of two higher in frequency. Many of the low-luminosity delta Scuti stars show a series of high-frequency modes with very regular spacings. The fraction of stars in our sample that show delta Scuti pulsations is about 70% for the brightest stars (G<8), consistent with results from Kepler. However, the fraction drops to about 45% for fainter stars and we find that a single sector of TESS data only detects the lowest-amplitude delta Scuti pulsations (around 50 ppm) in stars down to about G=9. Finally, we have found four new high-frequency delta Scuti stars with very regular mode patterns, and have detected pulsations in lambda Mus that make it the fourth-brightest delta Scuti in the sky (G=3.63). Overall, these results confirm the power of TESS and Gaia for studying pulsating stars.

astro-ph.SR

Testing Red Clump Models with the Asteroseismic Binary KIC 10841730

Binaries in which both stars are pulsating are rare but extremely valuable. We present the first study of an asteroseismic binary system consisting of a core helium-burning red clump (RC) star and a red giant branch (RGB) star. The Kepler target KIC 10841730 is a wide binary (period $2917 \pm 8$ d) that provides ideal conditions to test the accuracy of RC models. While prior studies of RC stars have revealed discrepancies in modelling the period spacings of mixed modes, other model parameters remain largely untested. We perform a detailed modelling analysis using individual mode frequencies and cover a large parameter space in mass, metallicity, He-abundance, mixing length, overshooting, and mass-loss, and we also explore different methods to correct for surface effects. We find two possible results for the red clump models. One solution requires introducing an unexpected offset of the phase shift in the red clump model, yielding an age consistent with the companion star and current masses of $1.01 \pm 0.06$ and $1.08 \pm 0.06$ M$_\odot$ for the RC and RGB star, respectively. Alternatively, we find that excluding the identification of two questionable radial modes resolves the phase-shift offset issue but results in a higher mass and thus a much younger age for the red clump star, contradicting the age obtained from its companion. We conclude that uncertainties in red clump models affect not only the g-mode period spacings but also the properties of the p modes. We show the power of asteroseismic binaries in validating and constraining stellar models and highlight the need for refining red-clump models.

astro-ph.SR

findAbar: how astronomers may perceive the bar in galaxies differently

Bars are ubiquitous morphological features in the observed distribution of galaxies. There are similarly many methods for classifying these features and, without a strict theoretical definition or common standard practice, this is often left to circumstance. So, we were concerned whether astronomers even agree on the bar which they perceive in a given galaxy and whether this could impact perceived scientific results. As an elementary test, we twenty-one astronomers with varied experience in studying resolved galaxies and circumstances, have each assessed 200 galaxy images, spanning the early phase of bar evolution in two different barred galaxy simulations. We find variations exist within the classification of all the standard bar parameters assessed: bar length, axis-ratio, pitch-angle and even whether a bar is present at all. If this is indicative of the wider community, it has implications for interpreting morphological trends, such as bar-end effects. Furthermore, we find that it is surprisingly not expertise but gender, followed by career stage, which gives rise to the largest discrepancies in the reported bar parameters. Currently, automation does not seem to be a viable solution, with bar classifications from two automated bar-finding algorithms tested and failing to find bars in snapshots where most astronomers agree a bar must exist. Increasing dependence on machine learning or crowdsourcing with a training dataset can only serve to obfuscate any existing biases if these originate from the specific astronomer producing the training material. On the strength of this small sample, we encourage an interim best practice to reduce the impact of any possible classification bias and set goals for the community to resolve the issue in the future.

astro-ph.GA

Ever Elusive Exospheres: One Probable Detection and Two Non-Detections of Hα Transits in Young Systems

Gaps in the exoplanet population, such as the Neptunian Desert, point to the importance of mass-loss in sculpting the radii of close-in exoplanets. Young planets ($<$500Myr) offer the opportunity to detect such mass-loss while it is still strong, and to test models of the underlying physical processes. We search for evidence of an H$α$ transit in high-resolution spectra of three young planets, HD 63433b (400 Myr), DS TucAb (45 Myr), and HIP 67522b (17 Myr) using HARPS-N, Magellan-PFS, and CHIRON respectively. We validate our method by testing it on several photospheric lines less impacted by stellar variability. We find no evidence of a transit signal for HD 63433b and DS Tuc A b (3$σ$ limits of 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively). For HIP 67522b, we detect significant excess absorption (3.44$\pm$0.28%) aligned with the transit time, narrow compared to the stellar line, and blueshifted from the stellar rest frame. In combination, these suggest the signal is from the planet. However, stellar variation in the H$α$ line over the course of the observations is comparable in size to the transit signature and the duration is shorter than the photometric transit, so this detection requires confirmation. Our findings, and other recent results in the literature, suggest that planets younger than 50 Myr are more favorable for the detection of atmospheric escape with H$α$ observations, though older populations might still show escape in other diagnostics.

astro-ph.EP

Looking for Companionship: Radial Velocity Follow-Up of Lithium-Rich Giants with ESPRESSO

Lithium-rich red giants have been a long-standing mystery in stellar astrophysics. A leading theory to explain these chemically peculiar and rare objects is interactions with a close companion. To investigate their companion fraction, we collected high-resolution spectra of 33 Li-rich red giants using ESPRESSO, and used The Joker constrain their orbital parameters. We find an overall companion rate of $27\%$ (9/33). Secondary masses reveal one planetary companion ($ M\sin i \approx 7 \; \rm M_{Jup}$), three brown dwarfs ($ M\sin i=30-33 \; \rm M_{Jup}$), and five stellar-mass companions ($M\sin i= 0.2-0.8 \;\rm M_\odot$). Our findings suggest that Li-rich red giants with lower lithium abundance ($\rm A(Li) \approx 1.5 \; dex$) tend to be in binaries as compared to those with higher lithium abundance, and Li-rich red giants with $\log g = 2-3 \rm \; dex$ have a higher companion rate than those outside of this range. We offer two potential formation mechanisms of our Li-rich sample: (i) the progenitor mass of stellar mass companions suggest that these objects were potentially lithium-producing, intermediate-mass AGB stars; (ii) the sub-stellar companions were initially in multi-planet systems, but dynamical instability caused the tidal dissipation of close-in planets thereby enhancing the red giant in lithium. Extended baselines and dedicated follow-up with Gaia DR4 astrometry are required to confirm the orbital parameters of our systems and distinguish between mechanisms.

astro-ph.SR

Destruction of "Peas in a Pod?" A Candidate Multi-planet System Around the Nearby, Bright Star, HD208487

We re-investigate the HD208487 system to test the reality of the proposed HD208487c world. We also search for additional companions using applied Bayesian statistics and 15+ years of new RV data from the HARPS and the PFS instruments that were taken post-discovery of HD208487b. The RV data was analyzed with GLS Periodograms, followed by Bayesian analysis using the EMPEROR code. We scrutinised various stellar activity indices to search for any corresponding peaks in the power spectra, correlations with the RV measurements, or significant signals from a Bayesian analysis methodology. Finally, photometric data was checked to test for any transits or possible activity manifestations that could lead to possible false RV signals or excess noise. Our analysis points towards a candidate second planet in the system, positioned near the period of a previously proposed and subsequently challenged signal. This signal, HD208487c, would relate to a cool Saturn with an orbital period of 923.06 +2.02 -2.76 d and a minimum mass of Mj sini = 0.32 +/- 0.01Mj. Our analysis also gives rise to a newly discovered candidate planet, HD208487d, which would be the result of a cool super-Neptune/sub-Saturn with a period of 1380.13 +19.20 -8.25 d and a minimum mass of Mj sini = 0.15 +/- 0.01Mj. Neither stellar activity indices nor photometric data show signals statistically matching these periods. We have uncovered a candidate three planet system that would consist of an inner gas giant, a central Saturn and an outer super-Neptune/sub-Saturn. A dynamical analysis suggests that gravitational scattering of an initially ordered, equally-spaced system in a long resonant chain of six Neptunes can explain the current proposed architecture of HD208487. More RVs may also shed light on the reality of a fourth Doppler signal uncovered in the data that sits close to the 2:1 period-ratio with signal of HD208487c.

astro-ph.EP

The highest mass Kepler red giants -- II. Spectroscopic parameters, the amplitude-activity relation, and unexpected halo orbits

The high-mass (M$>$2 \Msolar{}) Kepler red giant stars are less well-studied than their lower-mass counterparts. In the previous article, we presented a sample of 48 high-mass Kepler red giants and measured their asteroseismic parameters. This article presents spectroscopic measurements from the same sample, using high-resolution Keck/HIRES spectra to determine \Teff{}, [Fe/H], \logg{}, and $v \sin i$. We refined our previous estimates of the stellar masses and radii based on the new \Teff{}. We also examined spectral features that could indicate binary activity, such as the Li line and [C/N] ratios. We found no Li-rich stars or clear [C/N] anomalies, but we observed a correlation between [C/N] and [Fe/H]. We measured chromospheric activity using the $S$-index of the Ca II H \& K lines and found no correlation with internal magnetic fields. However, we confirmed an anti-correlation between surface chromospheric activity and radial mode oscillation amplitudes, which indicates that strong surface magnetic fields weaken stellar oscillations. Finally, we used the Gaia DR3 astrometric data to show that our sample of stars have orbits consistent with all three Galactic kinematic regions. Although these stars are quite young, their orbits carry them into the thick disk and even the halo, raising questions about the accuracy and viability of kinematics in unravelling Galactic history. In future work, we plan to use the spectroscopic parameters measured here to provide better constraints for boutique frequency modelling, which will allow us to test the asteroseismic scaling relations at the high-mass regime.

astro-ph.SR

The TESS Ten Thousand Catalog: 10,001 uniformly-vetted and -validated Eclipsing Binary Stars detected in Full-Frame Image data by machine learning and analyzed by citizen scientists

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has surveyed nearly the entire sky in Full-Frame Image mode with a time resolution of 200 seconds to 30 minutes and a temporal baseline of at least 27 days. In addition to the primary goal of discovering new exoplanets, TESS is exceptionally capable at detecting variable stars, and in particular short-period eclipsing binaries which are relatively common, making up a few percent of all stars, and represent powerful astrophysical laboratories for deep investigations of stellar formation and evolution. We combed Sectors 1-82 of TESS Full-Frame Image data searching for eclipsing binary stars using a neural network that identified ~1.2 million stars with eclipse-like features. Of these, we have performed an in-depth analysis on ~60,000 targets using automated methods and manual inspection by citizen scientists. Here we present a catalog of 10001 uniformly-vetted and -validated eclipsing binary stars that passed all our ephemeris and photocenter tests, as well as complementary visual inspection. Of these, 7936 are new eclipsing binaries while the remaining 2065 are known systems for which we update the published ephemerides. We outline the detection and analysis of the targets, discuss the properties of the sample, and highlight potentially interesting systems. Finally, we also provide a list of ~900,000 unvetted and unvalidated targets for which the neural network found eclipse-like features with a score higher than 0.9, and for which there are no known eclipsing binaries within a sky-projected separation of a TESS pixel (~21 arcsec).

astro-ph.SR

Photometric activity cycles in fast-rotating stars: Revisiting the reality of stellar activity cycle branches

We aim to detect activity cycles in young main-sequence stars, analogous to the 11-year solar cycle, using combined photometric survey data. This research will enhance our understanding of how cycle periods relate to rotation rates in fast-rotating stars. We measured activity cycles for 138 G-K-type main sequence stars using combined time-series photometry spanning ~14 years. The first set of 70 stars used data from Kepler Full Frame Images (FFIs)-ASAS-SN-ZTF, and the second set of 68 stars used data from Kepler-FFIs-ZTF. Additionally, we measured the activity cycles for 25 RS CVn candidates. For our sample, we analyzed the correlation or anti-correlation between flux variations and photospheric activity, which arises due to the presence of faculae or starspots. We identified fast-rotating K-type stars that are faculae-dominated by tracking spot or faculae evolution in Kepler RMS data. Our findings reveal that fast-rotating G-K-type stars show no strong correlation between cycle length and rotation period. Previous studies have identified active and inactive branches in the cycle-rotation diagram. However, we find that G-K-type stars do not show a clear trend aligning with the active branch, with 34 per cent of stars falling within the intermediate region between the two branches, where our Sun resides. Our results highlight that the proposed distinction between the two branches may not be as definitive as previously thought, particularly regarding the active branch. Furthermore, we also detected 23 per cent of young Sun-like stars in the intermediate region, where our Sun is located, implying that our Sun may not be unique in this regard.

astro-ph.SR

Many Roads Lead to Lithium: Formation Pathways For Lithium-Rich Red Giants

Stellar models predict that lithium (Li) inside a star is destroyed during the first dredge-up phase, yet 1.2% of red giant stars are Li-rich. We aim to uncover possible origins of this population, by analysing 1155 Li-rich giants (A(Li) $\geq$ 1.5) in GALAH DR3. To expose peculiar traits of Li-rich stars, we construct a reference sample of Li-normal (doppelgänger) stars with matched evolutionary state and fiducial supernova abundances. Comparing Li-rich and doppelgänger spectra reveals systematic differences in the H-$α$ and Ca-triplet line profiles associated with the velocity broadening measurement. We also find twice as many Li-rich stars appear to be fast rotators (2% with $v_\textrm{broad} \gtrsim 20$ km s$^{-1}$) compared to doppelgängers. On average, Li-rich stars have higher abundances than their doppelgängers, for a subset of elements, and Li-rich stars at the base of RGB have higher mean $s-$process abundances ($\geq 0.05$ dex for Ba, Y, Zr), relative to their doppelgängers. External mass-transfer from intermediate-mass AGB companions could explain this signature. Additional companion analysis excludes binaries with mass ratios $\gtrsim$ 0.5 at $\gtrsim$ 7 AU. We also discover that highly Ba-enriched stars are missing from the Li-rich population, possibly due to low-mass AGB companions which preclude Li-enrichment. Finally, we confirm a prevalence of Li-rich stars on the red clump that increases with lithium, which supports an evolutionary state mechanism for Li-enhancement. Multiple culprits, including binary spin-up and mass-transfer, are therefore likely mechanisms of Li-enrichment.

astro-ph.SR

A Planet Candidate Orbiting near the Hot Jupiter TOI-2818 b Inferred through Transit Timing

TOI-2818 b is a hot Jupiter orbiting a slightly evolved G-type star on a 4.04-day orbit that shows transit timing variations (TTVs) suggestive of a decreasing orbital period. In the most recent year of TESS observations, transits were observed $\sim$8 minutes earlier than expected for a constant period. The implied orbital decay rate is $1.35 \pm 0.25$ s yr$^{-1}$, too fast to be explained by tidal dissipation even considering the evolved nature of the host star. Radial velocity monitoring rules out the possibility that the apparent change in period is due to a steady acceleration of the star by a long-period companion. Apsidal precession due to the tidal distortion of the planet is also physically implausible. The most plausible explanation for the TTVs appears to be gravitational perturbations from a hitherto undetected planet with mass $\lesssim$$10\,M_\oplus$ that is in (or near) a mean-motion resonance with the hot Jupiter. Such a planet could be responsible for the observed TTVs while avoiding detection with the available radial velocity and transit data.

astro-ph.EP

HD 222237 b: a long period super-Jupiter around a nearby star revealed by radial-velocity and Hipparcos-Gaia astrometry

Giant planets on long period orbits around the nearest stars are among the easiest to directly image. Unfortunately these planets are difficult to fully constrain by indirect methods, e.g., transit and radial velocity (RV). In this study, we present the discovery of a super-Jupiter, HD 222237 b, orbiting a star located $11.445\pm0.002$ pc away. By combining RV data, Hipparcos and multi-epoch Gaia astrometry, we estimate the planetary mass to be ${5.19}_{-0.58}^{+0.58}\,M_{\rm Jup}$, with an eccentricity of ${0.56}_{-0.03}^{+0.03}$ and a period of ${40.8}_{-4.5}^{+5.8}$ yr, making HD 222237 b a promising target for imaging using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) of JWST. A comparative analysis suggests that our method can break the inclination degeneracy and thus differentiate between prograde and retrograde orbits of a companion. We further find that the inferred contrast ratio between the planet and the host star in the F1550C filter ($15.50\,μ\rm m$) is approximately $1.9\times10^{-4}$, which is comparable with the measured limit of the MIRI coronagraphs. The relatively low metallicity of the host star ($\rm-0.32\,dex$) combined with the unique orbital architecture of this system presents an excellent opportunity to probe the planet-metallicity correlation and the formation scenarios of giant planets.

astro-ph.EP