arXiv subjects

Ignasi Ribas

Publications and source records attributed to Ignasi Ribas.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

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.

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arXiv2012

Weighing The Non-Transiting Hot Jupiter Tau BOO b

We report the detection of the orbital velocity of non-transiting hot Jupiter Tau Boo b. By employing high-resolution ground-based spectroscopy around 2.3 μm during one half night, we are able to detect carbon monoxide absorption lines produced in the planet atmosphere, which shift significantly in wavelength during the course of the observations due to the orbital motion of the planet. This detection of the planetary signal results in the determination of the orbital inclination being i = 47 (+7, -6) degrees and furthermore allow us to solve for the exact planetary mass being mp = 5.6 (0.7) MJup. This clearly confirms the planetary nature of the non-transiting companion to Tau Boo.

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arXiv2011

Detection of transit timing variations in excess of one hour in the Kepler multi-planet candidate system KOI 806 with the GTC

We report the detection of transit timing variations (TTVs) well in excess of one hour in the Kepler multi-planet candidate system KOI 806. This system exhibits transits consistent with three separate planets -- a Super-Earth, a Jupiter, and a Saturn -- lying very nearly in a 1:2:5 resonance, respectively. We used the Kepler public data archive and observations with the Gran Telescopio de Canarias to compile the necessary photometry. For the largest candidate planet (KOI 806.02) in this system, we detected a large transit timing variation of -103.5$\pm$6.9 minutes against previously published ephemeris. We did not obtain a strong detection of a transit color signature consistent with a planet-sized object; however, we did not detect a color difference in transit depth, either. The large TTV is consistent with theoretical predictions that exoplanets in resonance can produce large transit timing variations, particularly if the orbits are eccentric. The presence of large TTVs among the bodies in this systems indicates that KOI806 is very likely to be a planetary system. This is supported by the lack of a strong color dependence in the transit depth, which would suggest a blended eclipsing binary.

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arXiv2009

Interactions between a massive planet and a disc

We analyse the potential migration of massive planets forming far away from an inner planetary system. For this, we follow the dynamical evolution of the orbital elements of a massive planet undergoing a dissipative process with a gas disc centred around the central sun. We use a new method for post-Newtonian, high-precision integration of planetary systems containing a central sun by splitting the forces on a particle between a dominant central force and additional perturbations. In this treatment, which allows us to integrate with a very high-accuracy close encounters, all gravitational forces are integrated directly, without resorting to any simplifying approach. After traversing the disc a number of times, the planet is finally trapped into the disc with a non-negligible eccentricity

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arXiv2008

The case for a close-in perturber to GJ 436 b

The increasing number of transiting planets raises the possibility of finding changes in their transit time, duration and depth that could be indicative of further planets in the system. Experience from eclipsing binaries indeed shows that such changes may be expected. A first obvious candidate to look for a perturbing planet is GJ 436, which hosts a hot transiting Neptune-mass planet in an eccentric orbit. Ribas et al. (2008) suggested that such eccentricity and a possible change in the orbital inclination might be due to a perturbing small planet in a close-in orbit. A radial velocity signal of a 5 M_earth planet close to the 2:1 mean-motion resonance seemed to provide the perfect candidate. Recent new radial velocities have deemed such signal spurious. Here we put all the available information in context and we evaluate the possibility of a small perturber to GJ 436 b to explain its eccentricity and possible inclination change. In particular, we discuss the constraints provided by the transit time variation data. We conclude that, given the current data, the close-in perturber scenario still offers a plausible explanation to the observed orbital and physical properties of GJ 436 b.

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arXiv2008

Report IAU Comm. 42, Close Binary Stars

Brief summaries are given about (1) close binary research from the perspective of the Bibliography of Close Binaries, (2) low-mass binaries and model discrepancies, (3) W UMa-type binaries, (4) cataclysmic variables, (5) Algol binaries, (6) the oEA stars, (7) effects of binarity on stellar activity.

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arXiv2008

A ~5 M_earth Super-Earth Orbiting GJ 436?: The Power of Near-Grazing Transits

Most of the presently identified exoplanets have masses similar to that of Jupiter and therefore are assumed to be gaseous objects. With the ever-increasing interest in discovering lower-mass planets, several of the so-called super-Earths (1 M_earth<M<10 M_earth), which are predicted to be rocky, have already been found. Here we report the possible discovery of a planet around the M-type star GJ 436 with a minimum mass of 4.7+/-0.6 M_earth and a true mass of ~5 M_earth, which would make it the least massive planet around a main-sequence star found to date. The planet is identified from its perturbations on an inner Neptune-mass transiting planet (GJ 436b), by pumping eccentricity and producing variations in the orbital inclination. Analysis of published radial velocity measurements indeed reveals a significant signal corresponding to an orbital period that is very close to the 2:1 mean motion resonance with the inner planet. The near-grazing nature of the transit makes it extremely sensitive to small changes in the inclination.

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arXiv2007

Water vapour in the atmosphere of a transiting extrasolar planet

Water is predicted to be among, if not the most abundant molecular species after hydrogen in the atmospheres of close-in extrasolar giant planets (hot-Jupiters) Several attempts have been made to detect water on an exoplanet, but have failed to find compelling evidence for it or led to claims that should be taken with caution. Here we report an analysis of recent observations of the hot-Jupiter HD189733b taken during the transit, where the planet passed in front of its parent star. We find that absorption by water vapour is the most likely cause of the wavelength-dependent variations in the effective radius of the planet at the infrared wavelengths 3.6, 5.8 and 8 microns. The larger effective radius observed at visible wavelengths may be due to either star variability or the presence of clouds/hazes. We explain the most recent thermal infrared observations of the planet during secondary transit behind the star, reporting a non-detection of water on HD189733b, as being a consequence of the nearly isothermal vertical profile of the planet.s atmosphere. Our results show that water is detectable on extrasolar planets using the primary transit technique and that the infrared should be a better wavelength region than the visible, for such searches.

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arXiv2007

The Eccentricity-Mass Distribution of Exoplanets: Signatures of Different Formation Mechanisms?

We examine the distributions of eccentricity and host star metallicity of exoplanets as a function of their mass. Planets with M sin i >~ 4 M_J have an eccentricity distribution consistent with that of binary stars, while planets with M sin i <~ 4 M_J are less eccentric than binary stars and more massive planets. In addition, host star metallicities decrease with planet mass. The statistical significance of both of these trends is only marginal with the present sample of exoplanets. To account for these trends, we hypothesize that there are two populations of gaseous planets: the low-mass population forms by gas accretion onto a rock-ice core in a circumstellar disk and is more abundant at high metalliticities, and the high-mass population forms directly by fragmentation of a pre-stellar cloud. Planets of the first population form in initially circular orbits and grow their eccentricities later, and may have a mass upper limit from the total mass of the disk that can be accreted by the core. The second population may have a mass lower limit resulting from opacity-limited fragmentation. This would roughly divide the two populations in mass, although they would likely overlap over some mass range. If most objects in the second population form before the pre-stellar cloud becomes highly opaque, they would have to be initially located in orbits larger than ~30 AU, and would need to migrate to the much smaller orbits in which they are observed. The higher mean orbital eccentricity of the second population might be caused by the larger required intervals of radial migration, and the brown dwarf desert might be due to the inability of high-mass brown dwarfs to migrate inwards sufficiently in radius.

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arXiv2006

A correlation between the heavy element content of transiting extrasolar planets and the metallicity of their parent stars

Nine extrasolar planets with masses between 110 and 430M are known to transit their star. The knowledge of their masses and radii allows an estimate of their composition, but uncertainties on equations of state, opacities and possible missing energy sources imply that only inaccurate constraints can be derived when considering each planet separately. Aims: We seek to better understand the composition of transiting extrasolar planets by considering them as an ensemble, and by comparing the obtained planetary properties to that of the parent stars. Methods: We use evolution models and constraints on the stellar ages to derive the mass of heavy elements present in the planets. Possible additional energy sources like tidal dissipation due to an inclined orbit or to downward kinetic energy transport are considered. Results: We show that the nine transiting planets discovered so far belong to a quite homogeneous ensemble that is characterized by a mass of heavy elements that is a relatively steep function of the stellar metallicity, from less than 20 earth masses of heavy elements around solar composition stars, to up to 100M for three times the solar metallicity (the precise values being model-dependant). The correlation is still to be ascertained however. Statistical tests imply a worst-case 1/3 probability of a false positive. Conclusions: Together with the observed lack of giant planets in close orbits around metal-poor stars, these results appear to imply that heavy elements play a key role in the formation of close-in giant planets. The large masses of heavy elements inferred for planets orbiting metal rich stars was not anticipated by planet formation models and shows the need for alternative theories including migration and subsequent collection of planetesimals.

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arXiv2005

Binaries as Astrophysical Laboratories: Open Questions

Binary systems have long been recognized as the source of powerful astrophysical diagnostics. Among the many applications of binary stars, they have been used as probes of stellar structure and evolution (both of single and binary stars) in a broad range of masses, evolutionary stages, and chemical compositions, and as indicators of distance and time. With the numerous ongoing photometric surveys and upcoming space astrometry and photometry missions, the future of binaries looks bright. The various aspects of binaries as astrophysically useful laboratories are reviewed here, with emphasis on the currently open problems and research opportunities.

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arXiv2005

Masses and Radii of Low-Mass Stars: Theory versus Observations

Eclipsing binaries with M-type components are still rare objects. Strong observational biases have made that today only a few eclipsing binaries with component masses below 0.6 Msun and well-determined fundamental properties are known. However, even in these small numbers the detailed comparison of the observed masses and radii with theoretical predictions has revealed large disagreements. Current models seem to predict radii of stars in the 0.4-0.8 Msun range to be some 5-15% smaller than observed. Given the high accuracy of the empirical measurements (a few percent in both mass and radius), these differences are highly significant. I review all the observational evidence on the properties of M-type stars and discuss a possible scenario based on stellar activity to explain the observed discrepancies.

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arXiv2005

The impact of CoRoT on close binary research

The space experiment CoRoT will provide continuous monitoring and high accuracy light curves of about sixty thousand stars. Selected binary systems will be observed in the Additional Program frame as targets of long and continuous pointed observations. Moreover, thousands of new binaries will certainly be detected and hundreds of them will have extremely accurate light curves. This will allow studies of fine effects on the light curves, monitoring of stellar activity and, in combination with ground-based observations, will provide exquisite determination of stellar parameters. Among the new discoveries of interesting systems of special value will be those of low mass binaries.

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arXiv2005

First Determination of the Distance and Fundamental Properties of an Eclipsing Binary in The Andromeda Galaxy

We present the first detailed spectroscopic and photometric analysis of an eclipsing binary in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). This is a 19.3-mag semi-detached system with components of late-O and early-B spectral types. From the light and radial velocity curves we have carried out an accurate determination of the masses and radii of the components. Their effective temperatures have been estimated from the modeling of the absorption line spectra. The analysis yields an essentially complete picture of the properties of the system, and hence an accurate distance determination to M31. The result is d=772+/-44 kpc ((m-M)_0=24.44+/-0.12 mag). The study of additional systems, currently in progress, should reduce the uncertainty in the M31 distance to better than 5%.

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arXiv2003

Far-UV Emissions of the Sun in Time: Probing Solar Magnetic Activity and Effects on Evolution of Paleo-Planetary Atmospheres

We present and analyze FUSE observations of six solar analogs. These are single, main-sequence G0-5 strs selected as proxies for the Sun at several stages of its main-sequence lifetime. The emission features in the FUSE 920-1180 A wavelength range allow for a critical probe of the hot plasma over three decades in temperature. Using the flux ratio CIII 1176/977 as diagnostics, we investigate the dependence of the electron pressure of the transition region as a function of the rotation period, age and magnetic activity. The results from these solar proxies indicate that the electron pressure of the stellar ~10^5-K plasma decreases by a factor of about 70 between the young, fast-rotating magnetically active star and the old, slow-rotating inactive star. Also, the observations indicate that the average surface fluxes of emission features strongly decrease with increasing stellar age and longer rotation period. The emission flux evolution with age or rotation period is well fitted by power laws, which become steeper from cooler chromospheric (10^4 K) to hotter coronal (10^7 K) plasma. The relationship for the integrated (920-1180 A) FUSE flux indicates that the solar far-ultraviolet emissions were about twice the present value 2.5 Gyr ago and about 4 times the present value 3.5 Gyr ago. Note also that the FUSE/FUV flux of the Zero-Age Main Sequence Sun could have been higher by as much as 50 times. Our analysis suggests that the strong FUV emissions of the young Sun may have played a crucial role in the developing planetary system, in particular through the photoionization, photochemical evolution and possible erosion of the planetary atmospheres. (abridged)

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arXiv2002

Fundamental Properties and Distances of LMC Eclipsing Binaries: III. EROS 1044

We present results from a detailed analysis of a third eclipsing binary (EB) system in the Large Magellanic Cloud, EROS 1044 (~B2 IV-V + ~B2 III-IV). Our study combines the "classical" EB study of light and radial velocity curves with detailed modeling of the observed spectral energy distribution, and yields an essentially complete picture of the stellar properties of the system and a determination of its distance. The observational data exploited include optical photometry, space-based UV spectroscopy, and UV/optical spectrophotometry. The advantages of our technique include numerous consistency checks and, in the case of the distance determinations, the absence of zero point uncertainties and adjustable parameters. We find the EROS 1044 system to consist of a pair of normal, mildly-evolved ~21000 K stars, whose derived properties are consistent with stellar evolution calculations. The distance to the system is 47.5+/-1.8 kpc. We discuss the implications of our results for three EB systems (HV 2274, HV 982, and EROS 1044) on the general distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud.

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arXiv2002

Astrometric and Light-travel Time Orbits to Detect Low-mass Companions: A Case Study of the Eclipsing System R Canis Majoris

We discuss a method to determine orbital properties and masses of low-mass bodies orbiting eclipsing binaries. The analysis combines long-term eclipse timing modulations (light-travel time or LTT effect) with short-term, high-accuracy astrometry. As an illustration of the method, the results of a comprehensive study of Hipparcos astrometry and over a hundred years of eclipse timings of the Algol-type eclipsing binary R Canis Majoris are presented. A simultaneous solution of the astrometry and the LTTs yields an orbital period of P_12=92.8+/-1.3 yr, an LTT semiamplitude of 2574+/-57 s, an angular semi-major axis of a_12=117+/-5 mas, and values of the orbital eccentricity and inclination of e_12=0.49+/-0.05, and i_12=91.7+/-4.7 deg, respectively. Adopting the total mass of R CMa of M_12=1.24+/-0.05 Mo, the mass of the third body is M_3=0.34+/-0.02 Mo and the semi-major axis of its orbit is a_3=18.7+/-1.7 AU. From its mass, the third body is either a dM3-4 star or, more unlikely, a white dwarf. With the upcoming microarcsecond-level astrometric missions, the technique that we discuss can be successfully applied to detect and characterize long-period planetary-size objects and brown dwarfs around eclipsing binaries. Possibilities for extending the method to pulsating variables or stars with transiting planets are briefly addressed.

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arXiv2001

Absolute dimensions of the M-type eclipsing binary YY Geminorum (Castor C): a challenge to evolutionary models in the lower main-sequence

We present new spectroscopic observations of the detached late-type double-lined eclipsing binary YY Gem, a member of the Castor sextuple system and one of the benchmarks for the comparison between observations and stellar evolution theory in the lower main-sequence. In addition, we have re-analyzed existing light curves in several passbands using modern techniques that account for the conspicuous presence of spots. This, combined with the spectroscopy, has yielded a very precise determination of the absolute dimensions of the components, which are virtually identical to each other. We obtain mean values of M=0.5992+/-0.0047 Mo, R=0.6191+/-0.0057 Ro, and Teff=3820+/-100 K. Both the mass and the radius determinations are good to better than 1%. A re-analysis of the Hipparcos transit data for Castor AB has yielded an improved parallax for the system of 66.90+/-0.63 mas. With this, we have estimated the age (~370 Myr) and metal abundance ([Fe/H]~0.0) of YY Gem from isochrone fits to Castor A and B. We have compared the observations of YY Gem with a large number of recent theoretical calculations, and we show that all models underestimate the radius by up to 20%, and most overestimate the effective temperature by 150 K or more. Both of these trends are confirmed by observations of another similar system in the Hyades cluster (V818 Tau). Consequently, theoretical ages for relatively low-mass objects such as T Tauri stars derived from the H-R diagram may be considerably biased. If the radius is used directly as a measure of evolution, ages could be underestimated by as much as a factor of 10 in this mass regime. In view of these discrepancies, absolute ages from essentially all current models for the lower main sequence must be viewed with at least some measure of skepticism. (abridged)

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