arXiv subjects

Heather A. Knutson

Publications and source records attributed to Heather A. Knutson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Hot Neptune Initiative (HONEI): IV. TOI-4129 b, an Adolescent Neptune in the Ridge

Recent exoplanet demographics studies have uncovered the Neptune ridge: an overdensity of intermediate-size planets at orbital periods between 3--6~d. The origin of this pile-up remains unclear, but it could be a consequence of high-eccentricity migration (HEM). Here, we confirm TOI-4129\,b, a planet that may help to reveal the origin of the Neptune ridge. Using radial velocities from HARPS-N and transit photometry from TESS and four ground-based telescopes, we found that TOI-4129\,b has a relatively low density ($R_p = 5.7 \pm 0.2\, R_\oplus$, $M_p = 26\pm 6 \,M_\oplus$, $ρ_p = 0.8 \pm 0.2 ~\textrm{g}~\textrm{cm}^{-3}$) and orbits a $V = 12.9$ K dwarf star every 3.27~d, placing it at the inner edge of the Neptune ridge. We detect the stellar rotation period at 12.7~d in the photometry, implying a fairly young gyrochronal age of $1.20^{+0.16}_{-0.30}~$Gyr for the system. With a Transmission Spectroscopy Metric of $112\pm 30$, this adolescent Neptune is a good target for atmospheric observations with \textit{JWST} and \textit{Ariel}, and we also find that it is amenable to future constraints on the (three-dimensional) stellar obliquity. TOI-4129\,b will therefore be an important testing ground for the idea that planets in the Neptune ridge underwent HEM to arrive at their current locations.

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arXiv2026

Tracing the Influence of Distant companions on Exoplanetary Systems (TIDES) I. Highly Eccentric and Misaligned Binary Companions to Hot Jupiters

The origin of hot Jupiters remains an open question. A significant fraction reside in binary or multiple star systems, suggesting that stellar companions may play an important role in shaping their present-day architectures. However, the orbits of the vast majority of these stellar companions remain poorly constrained, leaving their role in hot Jupiter evolution an open question. We present the Tracing the Influence of Distant companions on Exoplanetary Systems (TIDES) survey, a campaign to map the orbits of stellar companions in systems hosting hot Jupiters to assess the extent to which binaries play a role in hot Jupiter formation and migration. Here, we introduce our survey design and new orbital fits for the first six systems in our sample---$τ$ Boo, WASP-2, WASP-11, WASP-76, HAT-P-14, and HAT-P-16---by combining previous observations of the stellar companions together with new Keck/NIRC2 imaging and Keck/KPIC relative radial velocities. Among these six systems, the four with the most precisely constrained orbits exhibit high eccentricities ($e \geq 0.8$), and three of these systems also display significant planet--binary misalignments ($Δi \geq 20^\circ$). This suggests the orbital properties of stellar companions to hot Jupiter host stars are qualitatively different than field binaries and binaries hosting inner transiting small planets. These orbital architectures are consistent with stellar companions shaping the evolution of hot Jupiters, either through high-eccentricity migration or by participating in an earlier episode of dynamical evolution that ultimately led to hot Jupiter formation. Continued orbital monitoring of the full sample will reveal whether outer stellar companions play a causal role in the evolution of hot Jupiters.

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arXiv2026

Improved Constraints on the Surface of LHS 3844 b from its Mid-Infrared Spectrum

The thermal emission spectra of terrestrial exoplanets provide a window into their surface compositions and corresponding geological processes. Close-in, rocky planets orbiting M dwarfs are ideal targets for these studies, as observations have shown that most have little to no atmosphere. LHS 3844 b is an ultra-short period super-Earth orbiting a nearby M dwarf, and is the most favorable target that does not have a dayside magma ocean. We present an updated JWST MIRI/LRS emission spectrum ($5-12$ $μ$m) of this planet, derived from eight new and three archival eclipse observations. We combine these visits to obtain the highest SNR emission spectrum for any rocky exoplanet thus far, with a median SNR of 29 across 12 wavelength bins. Our data are sensitive to the predicted Si-O stretching feature (the strongest mid-infrared silicate feature) for a wide range of common materials and the transparency feature, which is relatively insensitive to composition and constrains the grain size and porosity of surface materials. We find that LHS 3844 b's emission spectrum resembles a blackbody shortward of 10 $μ$m disfavoring the presence of a transparency feature, and identify a tentative feature ($1.9-3.5σ$) between $10-12$ $μ$m. If this feature is astrophysical and not instrumental in nature, it can be matched by a fayalite (the iron end-member of olivine) surface, but might also be consistent with other candidate planet-forming materials like spinel or silicon carbide. We discuss possible biases introduced by the wavelength-dependent instrumental ramp, and outline several strategies to mitigate this effect in future observations of LHS 3844~b that would establish the surface composition of this rocky exoplanet.

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arXiv2026

Evidence for an Extended Hydrogen Outflow on WASP-12 b

Recent observations of atmospheric escape from planets orbiting early-type stars indicate that planets with higher Roche filling factors have significantly higher mass loss rates. For three of these planets, full-orbit observations have revealed the presence of large leading and trailing tails of escaping planetary material. These 3D outflow geometries encode information about the underlying outflow physics, and can also be used to constrain their stellar wind properties and to predict their long-term orbital evolution. We present new evidence for extended H$α$ and H$β$ absorption from escaping hydrogen for a fourth planet, WASP-12 b. We observed WASP-12 b with the Keck Planet Finder on Keck I over a period of approximately eight hours centered on the transit. We find a H$α$ and H$β$ absorption signal in the stellar rest frame that is strongest during the transit (H$α$ amplitude: $2.66\pm0.25\%$, H$β$ amplitude: $2.88\pm0.43\%$), with evidence of both pre- and post-transit absorption. This measurement is consistent with outflow models where the escaping gas overflows the planet's Roche lobe and is advected into the stellar rest frame before being tidally sheared into extended tails. This outflow behavior is qualitatively similar to previous H$α$ observations of this planet as well as observations of extended outflows from other gas giants orbiting early-type stars.

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arXiv2026

A Sulfur-Rich Atmosphere for the Young Jupiter Analog AF Lep b Reveals Significant Solid Accretion

AF Lep b is one of the closest analogs to Jupiter in terms of mass ($3-4~M_{\rm{Jup}}$) and semi-major axis ($9$ AU) amenable to spectroscopic characterization. We present JWST/NIRSpec high-contrast spectroscopy of the planet from $2.85-5.3~μ$m at $R\sim3000$, which provide detections of CO$_2$, H$_2$S, CH$_4$, $^{12}$CO (and $^{13}$CO), and H$_2$O, as well as complementary JWST/NIRCam imaging that captures the planet's continuum flux from $4.0-4.7~μ$m. Combining the JWST observations with spectra from VLTI/GRAVITY and VLT/SPHERE ($1.0-2.5~μ$m), we carry out atmospheric retrievals that include the effects of clouds and disequilibrium chemistry while allowing the C, O, and S abundances to vary independently. AF Lep b exhibits metal enrichment across C, O, and S with $\rm C/H=2.9\pm0.5$, $\rm O/H=3.7\pm0.6$, and $\rm S/H=4.7\pm0.7~\times$ solar (and stellar). The planet's slightly sub-solar C/O and C/S are consistent with formation near its observed location, and disfavor formation beyond the CO snowline. The sulfur enrichment in AF Lep b implies significant accretion of disk solids during formation, and we estimate the planet contains $56\pm7~M_{\oplus}$ of solids. The C, O, and S enrichment levels of AF Lep b are similar to those of Jupiter, and other super-Jupiters like HR 8799 bcde. We also show that the degree of atmospheric metal enrichment of these imaged planets is similar to the bulk metal enrichment of transiting gas giants with masses greater than $\sim1~M_{\rm{Jup}}$, suggesting that the process and efficiency of metal accretion for gas giants may not be strongly dependent on orbital distance or planet mass.

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arXiv2026

Methane on the temperate exo-Saturn TOI-199b

Temperate ($T_{\rm eq}<400$ K) gas giants represent an unexplored frontier in exoplanet atmospheric spectroscopy. Orbiting a G-type star every $\sim100$ days, the Saturn-mass exoplanet TOI-199 b ($T_{\rm eq}=350$ K) is one of the most favorable low-temperature gas giants for atmospheric study. Here, we present its transmission spectrum from a single transit observed with JWST's NIRSpec G395M mode. Despite lower-than-nominal precision due to a pointing misalignment, the spectrum reveals the presence of CH$_4$ (Bayes factor of $\sim$700 in a cloudy atmosphere), corresponding to a metallicity of $\rm{C/H}=13^{+78}_{-12}\times$ solar, although the absence of detectable CO and CO$_2$ at the current precision disfavors metallicities $\gtrsim50\times$ solar. We also tested several haze prescriptions (Titan-like tholin, soot, and water-rich tholin), but the preference for these models is weak (Bayes factors of $\sim 2$ relative to the clear case). The spectrum also shows an increase in transit depth near 3 $μ$m, which our self-consistent models attribute to either NH$_3$ or, less likely, HCN. Follow-up observations could distinguish between these species, helping determine the planet's vertical mixing regime. The TOI-199 system exhibits strong transit timing variations (TTVs) due to an outer non-transiting giant planet. For planet c, our TTV analysis reduces its mass uncertainty by 50% and prefers a slightly longer orbital period (but still within the conservative habitable zone) and higher eccentricity relative to previous studies. TOI-199 b serves as the first data point for studying clouds and hazes in temperate gas giants, with the detection of spectral features in its transmission spectrum indicating that temperate gas giants are promising targets for detailed atmospheric characterization.

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arXiv2026

Hydrogen airglow from an escaping ultrahot Jupiter atmosphere

Intense high-energy irradiation of close-in gaseous exoplanets drives the rapid escape of their atmospheres, fundamentally shaping planetary demographics. While atmospheric loss is routinely observed via transit absorption in atomic hydrogen, helium, and metal ions, the underlying physical properties, specifically the thermal structure, outflow dynamics, and mass-loss rate, remain poorly constrained due to inherent degeneracies in the transmission geometry. Here we report the first detection of atomic hydrogen emission from the escaping atmosphere of a gas giant. Using high-resolution spectroscopy of the ultrahot Jupiter KELT-9 b, we detect a hydrogen Balmer line (Hα 6564.6 Å) emission signature originating from the planetary dayside. The emission line profile features a distinctive double-peaked shape with 0.1-0.15% peak amplitudes at +/-30 km/s and central self-absorption. This profile breaks transmission degeneracies, providing direct observational constraints on the vertical thermal structure, excited-state hydrogen populations, and wind dynamics in the upper atmosphere of KELT-9 b. Initial modeling reveals a vigorous outflow with a mass-loss rate above 10^{13} g/s, among the highest measured to date for gaseous exoplanets. Our results establish hydrogen airglow emission as a powerful diagnostic of atmospheric escape, opening a new observational window into the evolution of worlds in extreme radiation environments.

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arXiv2026

Revisiting the Exo-Mercury Candidate GJ 367 b with ESPRESSO and a Self-Consistent Tidal Distortion Model

We report revised mass and radius measurements for GJ 367 b, an ultra-short-period (7.7 hr) sub-Earth in a multi-planet system orbiting a nearby (~9 pc) M dwarf host. Previous mass and radius measurements have suggested GJ 367 b has an anomalously high bulk density, close to that of solid iron. The existence of such an iron-rich planet is in tension with established planet formation scenarios. We utilized newly available TESS short-cadence photometry to constrain the radius of GJ 367 b to 0.736 +/- 0.035 R_Earth. We consider observational and modeling effects such as photometric dilution, stellar activity, and tidal distortion to account for possible inaccuracies in the star and planet radius measurements. From our radial velocity (RV) analysis using VLT/ESPRESSO data covering nearly the full orbit in a single night, we find a mass of 0.503 +/- 0.078 M_Earth, corresponding to a bulk density of 6.9 +1.6/-1.4 g cm-1. We present a new tidal distortion and interior composition modeling framework to assess the iron mass fraction of GJ 367 b. Considering several different interior composition assumptions and radial aspect ratios, we find an iron fraction of ~50-70%, which is broadly consistent with that of Mercury and not as iron rich as previously suggested.

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arXiv2026

The compositions of the HR 8799 planets reflect accretion of both solids and metal-enriched gas

With four giant planets ($m\sim5-10~M_{\rm Jup}$, $T_\rm{eff}\sim900-1200$ K) orbiting between 15-70 au, HR 8799 provides an unparalleled testbed for studying giant planet formation and probing compositional trends across the protoplanetary disk. We present new JWST/NIRSpec IFU observations ($2.85-5.3~μ$m, $R\approx2700$) that now include the spectrum of HR 8799 b, and higher S/N spectra for HR 8799 c, d, and e compared to that in Ruffio & Xuan et al. We detect CO, CH$_4$, H$_2$O, H$_2$S, CO$_2$, and for planet b, NH$_3$. We combine the NIRSpec spectra with $1-5 μ$m photometry to perform atmospheric retrievals that account for disequilibrium chemistry and clouds, and allow C/H, O/H, N/H, and S/H to scale independently. While the four planets are similarly enriched in carbon and oxygen, with C/H and O/H between $3-5\times$ stellar, we observe a tentative trend of increasing S/H - a tracer of refractory solids - from $2-5 \times$ stellar with increasing orbital distance. From HR 8799 b's NH$_3$ abundance, we estimate $\rm N/H=21.2^{+16.2}_{-8.8}\times$ stellar, suggesting the outer planet accreted significant amounts of N-rich gas. Overall, the elemental abundance patterns we observe are consistent with a picture where planet b formed between the CO snowline and the more-distant N$_2$ snowline, while the inner planets accreted $3 \times$ stellar CO-enriched disk gas within the CO snowline. The excess volatile mass from pebble drift and evaporation implies an integrated pebble flux of $750 \pm 200~M_{\oplus}$. The increase in the planets' S/H with orbital distance implies more solid accretion further out, which is quantitatively compatible with expectations from both pebble and planetesimal accretion ($2 \times$ Minimum Mass Solar Nebula) paradigms.

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arXiv2026

Extreme winds on the emerging dayside of an ultrahot Jupiter

High-resolution spectroscopy provides a unique opportunity to directly probe atmospheric dynamics by resolving Doppler shifts of planetary signal as a function of orbital phases. Using the optical spectrometer Keck Planet Finder (KPF), we carry out a pilot study on high-resolution phase curve spectra of the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-9 b. We spectrally and temporally resolve its dayside emission from post-transit to pre-eclipse (orbital phase phi = 0.1 - 0.45). The signal strength and width increase with orbital phases as the dayside rotates into view. The net Doppler shift varies progressively from -13.4 +/- 0.6 to -0.4 +/- 1.0 km/s, the extent of which exceeds its rotation velocity of 6.4 +/- 0.1 km/s, providing unambiguous evidence of atmospheric winds. We devise a retrieval framework to fit the full time-series spectra, accounting for the variation of line profiles due to the rotation and winds. We retrieve a supersonic day-to-night wind speed up to 11.7 +/- 0.6 km/s on the emerging dayside, representing the most extreme atmospheric winds in hot Jupiters to date. Comparison to 3D circulation models reveals a weak atmospheric drag, consistent with relatively efficient heat recirculation as also supported by space-based phase curve measurements. Additionally, we retrieve the dayside chemistry (including Fe i, Fe ii, Ti i, Ti ii, Ca i, Ca ii, Mg i, and Si i) and temperature structure, and place constraints on the nightside thermal profile. Our high-resolution phase curve spectra and the measured supersonic winds provide excellent benchmarks for extreme physics in circulation models, demonstrating the power of this technique in understanding climates of hot Jupiters.

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arXiv2026

Jupiter-like uniform metal enrichment in a system of multiple giant exoplanets

The accretion of icy and rocky solids during the formation of a gas giant planet is poorly constrained and challenging to model. Refractory species, like sulfur, are only present in solids in the protoplanetary disk where planets form. Measuring their abundance in planetary atmospheres is one of the most direct ways of constraining the extent and mechanism of solid accretion. Using the unprecedented sensitivity of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we measure a detailed chemical make-up of three massive gas giants orbiting the star HR~8799 including direct detections of H$_2$O, CO, CH$_4$, CO$_2$, H$_2$S, $^{13}$CO, and C$^{18}$O. We find these planets are uniformly and highly enriched in heavy elements compared to the star irrespective of their volatile (carbon and oxygen) or refractory (sulfur) nature, which strongly suggests efficient accretion of solids during their formation. This composition closely resembles that of Jupiter and Saturn and demonstrates that this enrichment also occurs in systems of multiple gas giant planets orbiting stars beyond the Solar System. This discovery hints at a shared origin for the heavy element enrichment of giant planets across a wider range of planet masses and orbital separations than previously anticipated.

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arXiv2025

From Earths to Super-Earths: Five New Small Planets Transiting M Dwarf Stars

Earth-sized planets transiting M dwarf stars present one of the best opportunities with current facilities for studying the atmospheric and bulk compositions of terrestrial worlds. Here, we statistically validate five new transiting Earth and super-Earth sized planets orbiting M dwarf stars using a combination of light curves from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, multi-color observations from Palomar and Las Cumbres Observatory, high-resolution imaging, and stellar spectroscopy. The sample includes: TOI-5716 b, an Earth-sized planet (R_p = 0.96 $\pm$ 0.05 Rearth) with a 6.766-day orbit around a metal-poor thin-disk star ([Fe/H] = -0.54 $\pm$ 0.10); TOI-5728 b, a super-Earth (R_p = 1.31 $\pm$ 0.05 Rearth) on an 11.497-day orbit; and TOI-5736 b, a larger planet (R_p = 1.56 $\pm$ 0.07 Rearth) with an ultra-short period of just 0.649 days. We also statistically validate a multi-planet system, TOI-5489, hosting two similarly-sized super-Earths: TOI-5489 b (R_p = 1.40 $\pm$ 0.05 R_earth) and TOI-5489 c (R_p = 1.28 $\pm$ 0.07 R_earth) with orbital periods of 3.152 and 4.921 days, respectively. Due to their longer orbital periods, TOI-5716 b and TOI-5728 b both have equilibrium temperatures $\leq$ 400 K, making them useful test cases for studies of atmospheric mass loss. If TOI-5728 b is confirmed to have an Earth-like bulk composition, it would join the very small sample of rocky planets orbiting mid- to late-M dwarfs that lie below the cosmic shoreline and therefore may have retained high mean molecular weight atmospheres.

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arXiv2025

Validation of a Third Earth-sized Planet in the TOI-2267 Binary System

We report the validation of a third terrestrial exoplanet in the nearby (22 pc) TOI-2267 system. TOI-2267 is a binary system with stellar components TOI-2267A (M5, 3030 K) and TOI-2267B (M6, 2930 K), with an on-sky separation of 0.$^{\prime\prime}$384 (8 au projected separation). TOI-2267 hosts two Earth-sized planets (TOI-2267 b, $1.00\pm0.11 R_{\oplus}$, and TOI-2267 c, $1.14\pm0.13 R_{\oplus}$, if orbiting the primary star; or $1.22\pm0.29 R_{\oplus}$ and $1.36\pm0.33 R_{\oplus}$, respectively, if orbiting the secondary star) with orbital periods of 2.3 and 3.5 days. This system also contains a third Earth-sized planet candidate with an orbital period of 2.0 days that was previously identified as a likely planet with a low false-positive probability, but could not be firmly validated due to the lack of independent observations beyond TESS data. We combine two new transit observations from the 5.1m Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory with archival TESS data and high-resolution imaging to statistically validate the planetary nature of TOI-2267 d ($0.98\pm0.09 R_{\oplus}$ if orbiting the primary star, or $1.77\pm0.43 R_{\oplus}$ if orbiting the secondary star) using the updated TRICERATOPS+ pipeline. We attempt to determine the host star for TOI-2267 d using transit shape stellar density analysis, but are unable to conclusively assign a host. Our validation of TOI-2267 d suggests that TOI-2267 is either the first known double transiting M dwarf binary system, or hosts three planets in an extremely compact orbital configuration.

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arXiv2025

Kepler-1624b Has No Significant Transit Timing Variations

It is relatively rare for gas giant planets to have resonant or near-resonant companions, but these systems are particularly useful for constraining planet formation and migration models. In this study, we examine Kepler-1624b, a sub-Saturn orbiting an M dwarf that was previously found to exhibit transit timing variations with an amplitude of approximately 2 minutes, suggesting the presence of a nearby non-transiting companion. We reanalyze the transits from archival Kepler data and extend the TTV baseline by 11 years by combining TESS data with three new ground-based transit observations from Palomar and Las Cumbres Observatories. We jointly fit these datasets and find that the TTV amplitude is significantly weaker in our updated analysis. We calculate the Bayes factor for a one-planet versus two-planet model and find that the one-planet model is preferred. Our results highlight the need for careful analysis of systems with relatively low amplitude TTV signals that are identified in large automated catalogs.

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arXiv2025

Stringent Upper Bounds on Atmospheric Mass Loss from Three Neptune-Sized Planets in the TOI-4010 System

Photoevaporative models predict that the lower edge of the Neptune desert is sculpted by atmospheric mass loss. However, the stellar high energy fluxes that power hydrodynamic escape and set predicted mass loss rates can be uncertain by multiple orders of magnitude. These uncertainties can be bypassed by studying mass loss for planets within the same system, as they have effectively undergone scaled versions of the same irradiation history. The TOI-4010 system is an ideal test case for mass loss models, as it contains three Neptune-sized planets with planet b located in the `Neptune desert', planet c in the `Neptune ridge', and planet d in the `Neptune savanna'. Using Keck/NIRSPEC, we measured the metastable helium transit depths of all three planets in order to search for evidence of atmospheric escape. We place upper bounds on the excess helium absorption of 1.23\%, 0.81\%, and 0.87\% at 95\% confidence for TOI-4010~b, c and d respectively. We fit our transmission spectra with Parker wind models and find that this corresponds to 95th-percentile upper limits of $10^{10.17}$g~s$^{-1}$, $10^{10.53}$g~s$^{-1}$, and $10^{10.50}$g~s$^{-1}$ on the mass loss rates of TOI-4010~b, c, and d respectively. Our non-detections are inconsistent with expectations from one-dimensional hydrodynamic models for solar composition atmospheres. We consider potential reductions in signal from a decreased host star XUV luminosity, planetary magnetic fields, enhanced atmospheric metallicities, and fractionation, and explore the implications of our measurements for the past evaporation histories of all three planets.

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arXiv2025

Strong NUV Refractory Absorption and Dissociated Water in the Hubble Transmission Spectrum of the Ultra Hot Jupiter KELT-20 b

Ultra hot Jupiters (UHJs) present a promising pathway for drawing a link between a planet's composition and formation history. They retain both refractory and volatiles species in gas phase in their atmospheres, which allows us to place unique constraints on their building blocks. Here, we present the 0.2 - 1.7 $μ$m transmission spectrum of KELT-20 b/MASCARA-2 b taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Unlike other UHJs around early-type stars, KELT-20 b's orbit is well aligned with its host star's spin axis and we test whether its distinct dynamical configuration is reflected in its composition. We observe a tremendous rise (>10 scale heights) in the planet's transit depth at the near-UV wavelengths, akin to that observed for WASP-178 b and WASP-121 b, and a muted water absorption feature in the near-IR. Our retrievals indicate that the large NUV depth is driven by Fe II and/or SiO and that the water is mostly thermally dissociated. Assuming equilibrium chemistry, we obtain constraints on Z/H and O/H that indicate accretion of volatile-rich solids and/or gas. Both our low resolution spectrum and the refractory elemental ratios from Gandhi et al. 2023 suggest that nightside condensation and rainout are limited to only the most refractory species in the planet's atmosphere. Within the precision limits of the HST spectra, no strong evidence for limb asymmetry is detected. We contextualize this lack of asymmetry by comparing to predictions from general circulation models with and without the effects of kinematic magnetohydrodynamics. Lastly, we find no major differences in the HST transmission spectra of KELT-20 b, WASP-178, and WASP-121 b despite their different dynamical configurations.

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arXiv2025

Validation of TESS Planet Candidates with Multi-Color Transit Photometry and TRICERATOPS+

We present an upgraded version of TRICERATOPS, a software package designed to calculate false positive probabilities for planet candidates identified by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). This enhanced framework now incorporates ground-based light curves in separate bandpasses, which are routinely obtained as part of the candidate vetting process. We apply this upgraded framework to explore the planetary nature of 14 TESS planet candidates, combining primarily J band light curves acquired with the 200-inch Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory with complementary archival observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope (LCOGT), the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO), and the Teide Observatory, along with existing TESS data and contrast curves from high-resolution imaging. As a result of this analysis we statistically validate (False Positive Probability < 1.5% and Nearby False Positive Probability < 0.1%) six new planets in five systems: TOI-1346 b, TOI-1346 c, TOI-2719 b, TOI-4155 b, TOI-6000 b, and TOI-6324 b. For these systems, we provide updated estimates of their stellar and planetary properties derived from the TESS and ground-based observations. These new systems contain planets with radii between 0.9-6 Re and orbital periods between 0.3-5.5 days. Finally, we use our upgraded version of TRICERATOPS to quantify the relative importance of multi-wavelength transit photometry and high-resolution imaging for exoplanet candidate validation, and discuss which kinds of candidates typically benefit the most from ground-based multi-color transit observations.

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arXiv2025

Tidally Heated Sub-Neptunes, Refined Planetary Compositions, and Confirmation of a Third Planet in the TOI-1266 System

TOI-1266 is a benchmark system of two temperate ($<$ 450 K) sub-Neptune-sized planets orbiting a nearby M dwarf exhibiting a rare inverted architecture with a larger interior planet. In this study, we characterize transit timing variations (TTVs) in the TOI-1266 system using high-precision ground-based follow-up and new TESS data. We confirm the presence of a third exterior non-transiting planet, TOI-1266 d (P = 32.5 d, $M_d$ = 3.68$^{+1.05}_{-1.11} M_{\oplus}$), and combine the TTVs with archival radial velocity (RV) measurements to improve our knowledge of the planetary masses and radii. We find that, consistent with previous studies, TOI-1266 b ($R_b$ = 2.52 $\pm$ 0.08 $R_{\oplus}$, $M_b$ = 4.46 $\pm$ 0.69 $M_{\oplus}$) has a low bulk density requiring the presence of a hydrogen-rich envelope, while TOI-1266 c ($R_c$ = 1.98 $\pm$ 0.10 $R_{\oplus}$, $M_c$ = 3.17 $\pm$ 0.76 $M_{\oplus}$) has a higher bulk density that can be matched by either a hydrogen-rich or water-rich envelope. Our new dynamical model reveals that this system is arranged in a rare configuration with the inner and outer planets located near the 3:1 period ratio with a non-resonant planet in between them. Our dynamical fits indicate that the inner and outer planet have significantly nonzero eccentricities ($e_b + e_d = 0.076^{+0.029}_{-0.019}$), suggesting that TOI-1266 b may have an inflated envelope due to tidal heating. Finally, we explore the corresponding implications for the formation and long-term evolution of the system, which contains two of the most favorable cool ($<$ 500 K) sub-Neptunes for atmospheric characterization with JWST.

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