arXiv subjects

Franck Selsis

Publications and source records attributed to Franck Selsis.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

A Catalog of Kepler Habitable Zone Exoplanet Candidates

The NASA Kepler mission has discovered thousands of new planetary candidates, many of which have been confirmed through follow-up observations. A primary goal of the mission is to determine the occurrance rate of terrestrial-size planets within the Habitable Zone (HZ) of their host stars. Here we provide a list of HZ exoplanet candidates from the Kepler Data Release 24 Q1-Q17 data vetting process. This work was undertaken as part of the Kepler Habitable Zone Working Group. We use a variety of criteria regarding HZ boundaries and planetary sizes to produce complete lists of HZ candidates, including a catalog of 104 candidates within the optimistic HZ and 20 candidates with radii less than two Earth radii within the conservative HZ. We cross-match our HZ candidates with the Data Release 25 stellar properties and confirmed planet properties to provide robust stellar parameters and candidate dispositions. We also include false positive probabilities recently calculated by Morton et al. (2016) for each of the candidates within our catalogs to aid in their validation. Finally, we performed dynamical analysis simulations for multi-planet systems that contain candidates with radii less than two Earth radii as a step toward validation of those systems.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Habitability of planets on eccentric orbits: the limits of the mean flux approximation

Contrary to Earth, which has a small orbital eccentricity, some exoplanets discovered in the insolation habitable zone (HZ) have high orbital eccentricities (e.g., up to an eccentricity of $\sim0.97$ for HD~20782~b). This raises the question of the capacity of these planets to host surface liquid water. In order to assess the habitability of an eccentric planet, the mean flux approximation is often used. It states that a planet on an eccentric orbit is called habitable if it receives on average a flux compatible with the presence of surface liquid water. However, as the planets do experience important insolation variations over one orbit and even spend some time outside the HZ for high eccentricities, the question of their habitability might not be as straightforward. We performed a set of simulations using the Global Climate Model LMDz, exploring the limits of the mean flux approximation when varying the luminosity of the host star and the eccentricity of the planet. We computed the climate of tidally locked ocean covered planets with orbital eccentricity from 0 to 0.9 receiving a mean flux equal to Earth's, around stars of luminosity ranging from $L_\odot$ to $10^{-4}~L_\odot$. Using here a definition of habitability based on the presence of surface liquid water, we find that most of the planets considered can sustain surface liquid water on the dayside with an ice cap on the nightside. However, for high eccentricity and high luminosity, planets cannot sustain surface liquid water during the whole orbital period. They completely freeze at apoastron and when approaching periastron an ocean appears around the substellar point. We conclude that the higher the eccentricity and the higher the luminosity of the star, the less reliable the mean flux approximation.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2015

VUV-absorption cross section of CO2 at high temperatures and impact on exoplanet atmospheres

Ultraviolet (UV) absorption cross sections are an essential ingredient of photochemical atmosphere models. Exoplanet searches have unveiled a large population of short-period objects with hot atmospheres, very different from what we find in our solar system. Transiting exoplanets whose atmospheres can now be studied by transit spectroscopy receive extremely strong UV fluxes and have typical temperatures ranging from 400 to 2500 K. At these temperatures, UV photolysis cross section data are severely lacking. Our goal is to provide high-temperature absorption cross sections and their temperature dependency for important atmospheric compounds. This study is dedicated to CO2, which is observed and photodissociated in exoplanet atmospheres. We performed these measurements for the 115 - 200 nm range at 300, 410, 480, and 550 K. In the 195 - 230 nm range, we worked at seven temperatures between 465 and 800 K. We found that the absorption cross section of CO2 is very sensitive to temperature, especially above 160 nm. Within the studied range of temperature, the CO2 cross section can vary by more than two orders of magnitude. This, in particular, makes the absorption of CO2 significant up to wavelengths as high as 230 nm, while it is negligible above 200 nm at 300 K. To investigate the influence of these new data on the photochemistry of exoplanets, we implemented the measured cross section into a 1D photochemical model. The model predicts that accounting for this temperature dependency of CO2 cross section can affect the computed abundances of NH3, CO2, and CO by one order of magnitude in the atmospheres of hot Jupiter and hot Neptune.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2015

The EChO science case

The discovery of almost 2000 exoplanets has revealed an unexpectedly diverse planet population. Observations to date have shown that our Solar System is certainly not representative of the general population of planets in our Milky Way. The key science questions that urgently need addressing are therefore: What are exoplanets made of? Why are planets as they are? What causes the exceptional diversity observed as compared to the Solar System? EChO (Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory) has been designed as a dedicated survey mission for transit and eclipse spectroscopy capable of observing a large and diverse planet sample within its four-year mission lifetime. EChO can target the atmospheres of super-Earths, Neptune-like, and Jupiter-like planets, in the very hot to temperate zones (planet temperatures of 300K-3000K) of F to M-type host stars. Over the next ten years, several new ground- and space-based transit surveys will come on-line (e.g. NGTS, CHEOPS, TESS, PLATO), which will specifically focus on finding bright, nearby systems. The current rapid rate of discovery would allow the target list to be further optimised in the years prior to EChO's launch and enable the atmospheric characterisation of hundreds of planets. Placing the satellite at L2 provides a cold and stable thermal environment, as well as a large field of regard to allow efficient time-critical observation of targets randomly distributed over the sky. A 1m class telescope is sufficiently large to achieve the necessary spectro-photometric precision. The spectral coverage (0.5-11 micron, goal 16 micron) and SNR to be achieved by EChO, thanks to its high stability and dedicated design, would enable a very accurate measurement of the atmospheric composition and structure of hundreds of exoplanets.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Influence of different parameters on the chemical composition of warm neptunes

We developed a 1D photo-thermochemical model to study the atmosphere of warm exoplanets. The chemical scheme used in this model is completely new in planetology and has been constructed in collaboration with specialists of combustion. It has been validated as a whole through experiments on a large range of temperature (300 - 2500 K) and pressure (1 mbar - 100 bar), allowing to study a wide variety of exoplanets. We have used this chemical model to study the atmosphere of two warm Neptunes, GJ3470b and GJ436b, and the influence of different parameters (vertical mixing, metallicity, temperature, . . . ) on their chemical composition. We present here the results obtained in these studies.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Dynamics of exoplanetary systems, links to their habitability

Our knowledge of planets' orbital dynamics, which was based on Solar System studies, has been challenged by the diversity of exoplanetary systems. Around cool and ultra cool dwarfs, the influence of tides on the orbital and spin evolution of planets can strongly affect their climate and their capacity to host surface liquid water. We illustrate the role of tides and dynamics with the extreme case of planets orbiting around brown dwarfs. In multiple planet systems, the eccentricity is excited by planet-planet interactions. Planets are therefore heated up from the inside by the tidally-induced friction. This process can heat a habitable zone planet to such a level that surface liquid water cannot exist. We also talk about the newly discovered potentially habitable Earth-sized planet Kepler-186f. Given the poorly estimated age of the system, the planet could still be evolving towards synchronization and have a high obliquity or be pseudo-synchronized with a zero obliquity. These two configurations would have a different effect on the climate of this planet.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Formation, tidal evolution and habitability of the Kepler-186 system

The Kepler-186 system consists of five planets orbiting an early-M dwarf. The planets have physical radii of 1.0-1.50 R$_\oplus$ and orbital periods of 4 to 130 days. The $1.1~$R$_\oplus$ Kepler-186f with a period of 130 days is of particular interest. Its insolation of roughly $0.32~S_\odot$places it within the liquid water habitable zone. We present a multi-faceted study of the Kepler-186 system. First, we show that the distribution of planet masses can be roughly reproduced if the planets accreted from a high-surface density disk presumably sculpted by an earlier phase of migration. However, our simulations predict the existence of 1-2 undetected planets between planets e and f. Next, we present a dynamical analysis of the system including the effect of tides. The timescale for tidal evolution is short enough that the four inner planets must have small obliquities and near-synchronous rotation rates. Tidal evolution of Kepler-186f is slow enough that its current spin state depends on a combination of its dissipation rate and the stellar age. Finally, we study the habitability of Kepler-186f with a 1-D climate model. The planet's surface temperature can be raised above 273 K with 0.5-5 bars of CO$_2$, depending on the amount of N$_2$ present. Kepler-186f represents a case study of an Earth-sized planet in the cooler regions of the habitable zone of a cool star.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

A Necro-Biological Explanation for the Fermi Paradox

As we learn more about the frequency and size distribution of exoplanets, we are discovering that terrestrial planets are exceedingly common. The distribution of orbital periods in turn results in many of these planets being the occupants of the Habitable Zone of their host stars. Here we show that a conclusion of prevalent life in the universe presents a serious danger due to the risk of spreading Spontaneous Necro-Animation Psychosis (SNAP), or Zombie-ism. We quantify the extent of the danger posed to Earth through the use of the Zombie Drake Equation and show how this serves as a possible explanation for the Fermi Paradox. We demonstrate how to identify the resulting necro-signatures present in the atmospheres where a zombie apocalypse may have occurred so that the risk may be quantified. We further argue that it is a matter of planetary defense and security that we carefully monitor and catalog potential SNAP-contaminated planets in order to exclude contact with these worlds in a future space-faring era.

physics.pop-ph↗

arXiv2014

An Earth-sized Planet in the Habitable Zone of a Cool Star

The quest for Earth-like planets represents a major focus of current exoplanet research. While planets that are Earth-sized and smaller have been detected, these planets reside in orbits that are too close to their host star to allow liquid water on their surface. We present the detection of Kepler-186f, a 1.11+\-0.14 Earth radius planet that is the outermost of five planets - all roughly Earth-sized - that transit a 0.47+\-0.05 Rsun star. The intensity and spectrum of the star's radiation places Kepler-186f in the stellar habitable zone, implying that if Kepler-186f has an Earth-like atmosphere and H2O at its surface, then some of this H2O is likely to be in liquid form.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Pseudo 2D chemical model of hot Jupiter atmospheres: application to HD 209458b and HD 189733b

We have developed a pseudo two-dimensional model of a planetary atmosphere, which takes into account thermochemical kinetics, photochemistry, vertical mixing, and horizontal transport, the latter being modeled as a uniform zonal wind. We have applied the model to the atmospheres of the hot Jupiters HD 209458b and HD 189733b. The adopted eddy diffusion coefficients are calculated by following the behaviour of passive tracers in three-dimensional general circulation models, which results in eddy values significantly below previous estimates. We find that the distribution of molecules with altitude and longitude in the atmospheres of these two hot Jupiters is complex because of the interplay of the various physical and chemical processes at work. Much of the distribution of molecules is driven by the strong zonal wind and the limited extent of vertical transport, resulting in an important homogenisation of the chemical composition with longitude. In general, molecular abundances are quenched horizontally to values typical of the hottest dayside regions, and thus the composition in the cooler nightside regions is highly contaminated by that of warmer dayside regions. As a consequence, the abundance of methane remains low, even below the predictions of previous one-dimensional models, which is likely to be in conflict with the high CH4 content inferred from observations of the dayside of HD 209458b. Another consequence of the important longitudinal homogenisation of the abundances is that the variability of the chemical composition has little effect on the way the emission spectrum is modified with phase and on the changes in the transmission spectrum from the transit ingress to the egress, these variations in the spectra being mainly due to changes in the temperature rather than in the composition between the different sides of the planet.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

The atmospheric chemistry of the warm Neptune GJ 3470b: influence of metallicity and temperature on the CH4/CO ratio

Current observation techniques are able to probe the atmosphere of some giant exoplanets and get some clues about their atmospheric composition. However, the chemical compositions derived from observations are not fully understood, as for instance in the case of the CH4/CO abundance ratio, which is often inferred different from what has been predicted by chemical models. Recently, the warm Neptune GJ3470b has been discovered and because of its close distance from us and high transit depth, it is a very promising candidate for follow up characterisation of its atmosphere. We study the atmospheric composition of GJ3470b in order to compare with the current observations of this planet, to prepare the future ones, but also as a typical case study to understand the chemical composition of warm (sub-)Neptunes. The metallicity of such atmospheres is totally uncertain, and vary probably to values up to 100x solar. We explore the space of unknown parameters to predict the range of possible atmospheric compositions. Within the parameter space explored we find that in most cases methane is the major carbon-bearing species. We however find that in some cases, typically for high metallicities with a sufficiently high temperature the CH4/CO abundance ratio can become lower than unity, as suggested by some multiwavelength photometric observations of other warm (sub-)Neptunes, such as GJ1214b and GJ436b. As for the emission spectrum of GJ3470b, brightness temperatures at infrared wavelengths may vary between 400 and 800K depending on the thermal profile and metallicity. Combined with a hot temperature profile, a substantial enrichment in heavy elements by a factor of 100 with respect to the solar composition can shift the carbon balance in favour of carbon monoxide at the expense of CH4. Nevertheless, current observations of this planet do not allow yet to determine which model is more accurate.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Searching for Terrestrial Planets Orbiting in the Habitable Zone of Ultra-Cool Stars and Brown Dwarfs

We propose to use Kepler in 2-wheel mode to conduct a detailed search for Earth-sized planets orbiting ultra-cool stars and brown dwarfs (spectral types from M7 to L3). This population of objects presents several advantages for exoplanet surveys. First, ultra-cool stars and brown dwarfs are small and thus result in favorable planet-to-star area ratios. Second, because of their low effective temperature, the inner edge of their habitable zone is extremely close (2 to 3 days only). Third, our targets are bright at infrared wavelengths, which will enable detailed follow-up studies. Our program therefore represents a unique opportunity to find a transiting Earth-size exoplanet for which atmospheric features (including biosignatures) could be detected with near-to-come facilities such as JWST. Such exoplanet has not been discovered yet. Kepler in 2-wheel mode provides the required stability and photometric precision to make this survey successful. Our initial target sample includes 60 ultra-cool stars and brown dwarfs from which we expect to detect at least one transiting planet. We propose to monitor each source for 4 days, resulting in a total program duration of ~240 days.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Dynamical and collisional constraints on a stochastic late veneer on the terrestrial planets

Given their tendency to be incorporated into the core during differentiation, the highly-siderophile elements (HSEs) in Earth's mantle are thought to have been accreted as a `late veneer' after the end of the giant impact phase. Bottke et al (2010) proposed that the large Earth-to-Moon HSE abundance ratio can be explained if the late veneer was characterized by large (D = 1000-4000km) impactors. Here we simulate the evolution of the terrestrial planets during a stochastic late veneer phase from the end of accretion until the start of the late heavy bombardment ~500 Myr later. We show that a late veneer population of 0.05 Earth masses dominated by large (D > 1000km) bodies naturally delivers a ~0.01 Earth mass veneer to Earth, consistent with constraints. The eccentricities and inclinations of the terrestrial planets are excited by close encounters with the largest late veneer bodies. We find the best agreement with their post-veneer orbits if either a) the terrestrial planets' pre-veneer angular momentum deficit AMD_0 was less than half of the current one AMD_now, or b) AMD_0 <= AMD_now and the veneer was limited to smaller (D_max <= 2000km) bodies. Veneer impacts on Venus, Earth and Mars were mostly accretionary but on Mercury and the Moon they were mostly erosive. In ~20% of simulations an energetic impact occurred that could have removed >25% of Mercury's mass, thereby increasing its iron mass fraction. We show that, due to the erosive nature of larger impacts, the Moon cannot accrete any material from objects larger than 500-1000km. The large Earth-to-Moon HSE abundance ratio is explained if the late veneer included large impactors (D >= 500-1000km) regardless of their size distribution, as long as most of Earth's veneer came from large bodies. The spin angular momenta imparted by stochastic late veneer impacts was far in excess of the current ones for Mercury and Venus.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Habitable Planets Eclipsing Brown Dwarfs: Strategies for Detection and Characterization

Given the very close proximity of their habitable zones, brown dwarfs represent high-value targets in the search for nearby transiting habitable planets that may be suitable for follow-up occultation spectroscopy. In this paper we develop search strategies to find habitable planets transiting brown dwarfs depending on their maximum habitable orbital period (PHZ out). Habitable planets with PHZ out shorter than the useful duration of a night (e.g. 8-10 hrs) can be screened with 100 percent completeness from a single location and in a single night (near-IR). More luminous brown dwarfs require continuous monitoring for longer duration, e.g. from space or from a longitude-distributed network (one test scheduling achieved - 3 telescopes, 13.5 contiguous hours). Using a simulated survey of the 21 closest known brown dwarfs (within 7 pc) we find that the probability of detecting at least one transiting habitable planet is between 4.5 +5.6-1.4 and 56 +31-13 percent, depending on our assumptions. We calculate that brown dwarfs within 5-10 pc are characterizable for potential biosignatures with a 6.5 m space telescope using approx. 1 percent of a 5-year mission's life-time spread over a contiguous segment only one fifth to one tenth of this duration.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

A search for rocky planets transiting brown dwarfs

Exoplanetary science has reached a historic moment. The James Webb Space Telescope will be capable of probing the atmospheres of rocky planets, and perhaps even search for biologically produced gases. However this is contingent on identifying suitable targets before the end of the mission. A race therefore, is on, to find transiting planets with the most favorable properties, in time for the launch. Here, we describe a realistic opportunity to discover extremely favorable targets - rocky planets transiting nearby brown dwarfs - using the Spitzer Space Telescope as a survey instrument. Harnessing the continuous time coverage and the exquisite precision of Spitzer in a 5,400 hour campaign monitoring nearby brown dwarfs, we will detect a handful of planetary systems with planets as small as Mars. The survey we envision is a logical extension of the immense progress that has been realized in the field of exoplanets and a natural outcome of the exploration of the solar neighborhood to map where the nearest habitable rocky planets are located (as advocated by the 2010 Decadal Survey). Our program represents an essential step towards the atmospheric characterization of terrestrial planets and carries the compelling promise of studying the concept of habitability beyond Earth-like conditions. In addition, our photometric monitoring will provide invaluable observations of a large sample of nearby brown dwarfs situated close to the M/L transition. This is why, we also advocate an immediate public release of the survey data, to guarantee rapid progress on the planet search and provide a treasure trove of data for brown dwarf science.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Tidal dissipation and eccentricity pumping: Implications for the depth of the secondary eclipse of 55 Cnc e

We use the super Earth 55 Cnc e as a case study to address an observable effect of tidal heating. We investigate whether planet-planet interactions can force the eccentricity of this planet to a level affecting the eclipse depth observed with Spitzer. Using the constant time lag tidal model, we first calculate the observed planet flux as a function of albedo and eccentricity, for different tidal dissipation constants and for two extreme cases: a planet with no heat redistribution and a planet with full heat redistribution. We derive the values of albedo and eccentricity that match the observed transit depth. We then perform N-body simulations of the planetary system including tides and General Relativity to follow the evolution of the eccentricity of planet e. We compare the range of eccentricities given by the simulations with the eccentricities required to alter the eclipse depth. We find that the eccentricity of planet e can be large enough to contribute at a measurable level to the thermal emission measured with Spitzer. This affects the constraints on the albedo of the planet, which can be as high as 0.9 (instead of 0.55 when ignoring tidal heating). We also derive a maximum value for the eccentricity of planet e directly from the eclipse depth: e<0.015 assuming Earth's dissipation constant. Transiting exoplanets in multiple planet systems are exceptional targets for testing tidal models because their tidal luminosity may be observable. Future multi-wavelengths observations of eclipse depth and phase curves (for instance with EChO and JWST) should allow us to better resolve the temperature map of these planets and break the degeneracy between albedo and tidal heating that remains for single band observations. In addition, an accurate determination of the eccentricity will make it possible to constrain the dissipation rate of the planet and to probe its internal structure.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

3D climate modeling of close-in land planets: Circulation patterns, climate moist bistability and habitability

The inner edge of the classical habitable zone is often defined by the critical flux needed to trigger the runaway greenhouse instability. This 1D notion of a critical flux, however, may not be so relevant for inhomogeneously irradiated planets, or when the water content is limited (land planets). Here, based on results from our 3D global climate model, we find that the circulation pattern can shift from super-rotation to stellar/anti stellar circulation when the equatorial Rossby deformation radius significantly exceeds the planetary radius. Using analytical and numerical arguments, we also demonstrate the presence of systematic biases between mean surface temperatures or temperature profiles predicted from either 1D or 3D simulations. Including a complete modeling of the water cycle, we further demonstrate that for land planets closer than the inner edge of the classical habitable zone, two stable climate regimes can exist. One is the classical runaway state, and the other is a collapsed state where water is captured in permanent cold traps. We identify this "moist" bistability as the result of a competition between the greenhouse effect of water vapor and its condensation. We also present synthetic spectra showing the observable signature of these two states. Taking the example of two prototype planets in this regime, namely Gl581c and HD85512b, we argue that they could accumulate a significant amount of water ice at their surface. If such a thick ice cap is present, gravity driven ice flows and geothermal flux should come into play to produce long-lived liquid water at the edge and/or bottom of the ice cap. Consequently, the habitability of planets at smaller orbital distance than the inner edge of the classical habitable zone cannot be ruled out. Transiting planets in this regime represent promising targets for upcoming observatories like EChO and JWST.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Spectral features of Earth-like planets and their detectability at different orbital distances around F, G, and K-type stars

We investigate the spectral appearance of Earth-like exoplanets in the HZ of different main sequence stars at different orbital distances. We furthermore discuss for which of these scenarios biomarker absorption bands may be detected during primary or secondary transit with near-future telescopes and instruments.We analyze the spectra taking into account different filter bandpasses of two photometric instruments planned to be mounted to the JWST. We analyze in which filters and for which scenarios molecular absorption bands are detectable when using the space-borne JWST or the ground-based telescope E-ELT. Absorption bands of CO2, H2O, CH4 and O3 are clearly visible in high-resolution spectra as well as in the filters of photometric instruments. However, only during primary eclipse bands of CO2, H2O and O3 are detectable for all scenarios when using photometric instruments and an E-ELT telescope setup. CH4 is only detectable at the outer HZ of the K star since here the atmospheric modeling results in very high abundances. Since the detectable CO2 and H2O bands overlap, separate bands need to be observed to prove their existence in the atmosphere. In order to detect H2O in a separate band, a S/N>7 needs to be achieved for E-ELT observations, e.g. by co-adding at least 10 transit observations. Using a spaceborne telescope like the JWST enables the detection of CO2 at 4.3mu, which is not possible for ground-based observations due to the Earth's atmospheric absorption. Hence combining observations of spaceborne and groundbased telescopes might allow to detect the presence of the biomarker molecule O3 and the related compounds H2O and CO2 in a planetary atmosphere. Other absorption bands using the JWST can only be detected for much higher S/Ns, which is not achievable by just co-adding transit observations since this would be far beyond the planned mission time of JWST.(abridged)

astro-ph.EP↗