arXiv subjects

M. Donachie

Publications and source records attributed to M. Donachie.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb: First Spitzer Bulge Planet Lies Near the Planet/Brown-Dwarf Boundary

We report the discovery of OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb, which is likely to be the first Spitzer microlensing planet in the Galactic bulge/bar, an assignation that can be confirmed by two epochs of high-resolution imaging of the combined source-lens baseline object. The planet's mass M_p= 13.4+-0.9 M_J places it right at the deuterium burning limit, i.e., the conventional boundary between "planets" and "brown dwarfs". Its existence raises the question of whether such objects are really "planets" (formed within the disks of their hosts) or "failed stars" (low mass objects formed by gas fragmentation). This question may ultimately be addressed by comparing disk and bulge/bar planets, which is a goal of the Spitzer microlens program. The host is a G dwarf M_host = 0.89+-0.07 M_sun and the planet has a semi-major axis a~2.0 AU. We use Kepler K2 Campaign 9 microlensing data to break the lens-mass degeneracy that generically impacts parallax solutions from Earth-Spitzer observations alone, which is the first successful application of this approach. The microlensing data, derived primarily from near-continuous, ultra-dense survey observations from OGLE, MOA, and three KMTNet telescopes, contain more orbital information than for any previous microlensing planet, but not quite enough to accurately specify the full orbit. However, these data do permit the first rigorous test of microlensing orbital-motion measurements, which are typically derived from data taken over <1% of an orbital period.

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arXiv2017

A companion on the planet/brown dwarf mass boundary on a wide orbit discovered by gravitational microlensing

We present the discovery of a substellar companion to the primary host lens in the microlensing event MOA-2012-BLG-006. The companion-to-host mass ratio is 0.016, corresponding to a companion mass of $\approx8~M_{\rm Jup} (M_*/0.5M_\odot)$. Thus, the companion is either a high-mass giant planet or a low-mass brown dwarf, depending on the mass of the primary $M_*$. The companion signal was separated from the peak of the primary event by a time that was as much as four times longer than the event timescale. We therefore infer a relatively large projected separation of the companion from its host of $\approx10~{\rm a.u.}(M_*/0.5M_\odot)^{1/2}$ for a wide range (3-7 kpc) of host star distances from the Earth. We also challenge a previous claim of a planetary companion to the lens star in microlensing event OGLE-2002-BLG-045.

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arXiv2017

OGLE-2013-BLG-0132Lb and OGLE-2013-BLG-1721Lb: Two Saturn-mass Planets Discovered around M-dwarfs

We present the discovery of two planetary systems consisting of a Saturn-mass planet orbiting an M-dwarf, which were detected in faint microlensing events OGLE-2013-BLG-0132 and OGLE-2013-BLG-1721. The planetary anomalies were covered with high cadence by OGLE and MOA photometric surveys. The light curve modeling indicates that the planet-to-host mass ratios are $(5.15 \pm 0.28)\times 10^{-4}$ and $(13.18 \pm 0.72)\times 10^{-4}$, respectively. Both events were too short and too faint to measure a reliable parallax signal and hence the lens mass. We therefore used a Bayesian analysis to estimate the masses of both planets: $0.29^{+0.16}_{-0.13}\ M_{Jup}$ (OGLE-2013-BLG-0132Lb) and $0.64^{+0.35}_{-0.31}\ M_{Jup}$ (OGLE-2013-BLG-1721Lb). Thanks to a high relative proper motion, OGLE-2013-BLG-0132 is a promising candidate for the high-resolution imaging follow-up. Both planets belong to an increasing sample of sub-Jupiter-mass planets orbiting M-dwarfs beyond the snow line.

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arXiv2017

An Isolated Microlens Observed from K2, Spitzer and Earth

We present the result of microlensing event MOA-2016-BLG-290, which received observations from the two-wheel Kepler (K2), Spitzer, as well as ground-based observatories. A joint analysis of data from K2 and the ground leads to two degenerate solutions of the lens mass and distance. This degeneracy is effectively broken once the (partial) Spitzer light curve is included. Altogether, the lens is found to be an extremely low-mass star located in the Galactic bulge. MOA-2016-BLG-290 is the first microlensing event for which we have signals from three well-separated ($\sim1$ AU) locations. It demonstrates the power of two-satellite microlensing experiment in reducing the ambiguity of lens properties, as pointed out independently by S. Refsdal and A. Gould several decades ago.

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arXiv2017

OGLE-2016-BLG-0263L\lowercase{b}: Microlensing Detection of a Very Low-mass Binary Companion Through a Repeating Event Channel

We report the discovery of a planet-mass companion to the microlens OGLE-2016-BLG-0263L. Unlike most low-mass companions that were detected through perturbations to the smooth and symmetric light curves produced by the primary, the companion was discovered through the channel of a repeating event, in which the companion itself produced its own single-mass light curve after the event produced by the primary had ended. Thanks to the continuous coverage of the second peak by high-cadence surveys, the possibility of the repeating nature due to source binarity is excluded with a $96\%$ confidence level. The mass of the companion estimated by a Bayesian analysis is $M_{\rm p}=4.1_{-2.5}^{+6.5}\ M_{\rm J}$. The projected primary-companion separation is $a_\perp = 6.5^{+1.3}_{-1.9}$ au. The ratio of the separation to the snow-line distance of $a_\perp/a_{\rm sl}\sim 15.4$ corresponds to the region beyond Neptune, the outermost planet of the solar system. We discuss the importance of high-cadence surveys in expanding the range of microlensing detections of low-mass companions and future space-based microlensing surveys.

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arXiv2017

Ground-based parallax confirmed by Spitzer: binary microlensing event MOA-2015-BLG-020

We present the analysis of the binary gravitational microlensing event MOA-2015-BLG-020. The event has a fairly long timescale (about 63 days) and thus the light curve deviates significantly from the lensing model that is based on the rectilinear lens-source relative motion. This enables us to measure the microlensing parallax through the annual parallax effect. The microlensing parallax parameters constrained by the ground-based data are confirmed by the Spitzer observations through the satellite parallax method. By additionally measuring the angular Einstein radius from the analysis of the resolved caustic crossing, the physical parameters of the lens are determined. It is found that the binary lens is composed of two dwarf stars with masses $M_1 = 0.606 \pm 0.028M_\odot$ and $M_2 = 0.125 \pm 0.006M_\odot$ in the Galactic disk. Assuming the source star is at the same distance as the bulge red clump stars, we find the lens is at a distance $D_L = 2.44 \pm 0.10 kpc$. In the end, we provide a summary and short discussion of all published microlensing events in which the annual parallax effect is confirmed by other independent observations.

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arXiv2017

The First Eclipsing Binary Catalogue from the MOA-II database

We present the first catalogue of eclipsing binaries in two MOA fields towards the Galactic bulge, in which over 8,000 candidates, mostly contact and semi-detached binaries of periods < 1 d, were identified. In this paper, the light curves of a small number of interesting candidates including eccentric binaries, binaries with noteworthy phase modulations and eclipsing RS CVn type stars are shown as examples. In addition, we identified three triple object candidates by detecting the light-travel-time effect in their eclipse time variation curves.

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arXiv2017

MOA-2012-BLG-505Lb: A super-Earth mass planet probably in the Galactic bulge

We report the discovery of a super-Earth mass planet in the microlensing event MOA-2012-BLG-505. This event has the second shortest event timescale of $t_{\rm E}=10 \pm 1$ days where the observed data show evidence of planetary companion. Our 15 minute high cadence survey observation schedule revealed the short subtle planetary signature. The system shows the well known close/wide degeneracy. The planet/host-star mass ratio is $q =2.1 \times 10^{-4}$ and the projected separation normalized by the Einstein radius is s = 1.1 or 0.9 for the wide and close solutions, respectively. We estimate the physical parameters of the system by using a Bayesian analysis and find that the lens consists of a super-Earth with a mass of $6.7^{+10.7}_{-3.6}M_{\oplus}$ orbiting around a brown-dwarf or late M-dwarf host with a mass of $0.10^{+0.16}_{-0.05}M_{\odot}$ with a projected star-planet separation of $0.9^{+0.3}_{-0.2}$AU. The system is at a distance of $7.2 \pm 1.1$ kpc, i.e., it is likely to be in the Galactic bulge. The small angular Einstein radius ($θ_{\rm E}=0.12 \pm 0.02$ mas) and short event timescale are typical for a low-mass lens in the Galactic bulge. Such low-mass planetary systems in the Bulge are rare because the detection efficiency of planets in short microlensing events is relatively low. This discovery may suggest that such low mass planetary systems are abundant in the Bulge and currently on-going high cadence survey programs will detect more such events and may reveal an abundance of such planetary systems.

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arXiv2017

OGLE-2016-BLG-1469L: Microlensing Binary Composed of Brown Dwarfs

We report the discovery of a binary composed of two brown dwarfs, based on the analysis of the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-1469. Thanks to detection of both finite-source and microlens-parallax effects, we are able to measure both the masses $M_1\sim 0.05\ M_\odot$, $M_2\sim 0.01\ M_\odot$, and distance $D_{\rm L} \sim 4.5$ kpc, as well as the projected separation $a_\perp \sim 0.33$ au. This is the third brown-dwarf binary detected using the microlensing method, demonstrating the usefulness of microlensing in detecting field brown-dwarf binaries with separations less than 1 au.

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arXiv2017

MOA Data Reveal a New Mass, Distance, and Relative Proper Motion for Planetary System OGLE-2015-BLG-0954L

We present the MOA Collaboration light curve data for planetary microlensing event OGLE-2015-BLG-0954, which was previously announced in a paper by the KMTNet and OGLE Collaborations. The MOA data cover the caustic exit, which was not covered by the KMTNet or OGLE data, and they provide a more reliable measurement of the finite source effect. The MOA data also provide a new source color measurement that reveals a lens-source relative proper motion of $μ_{\rm rel} = 11.8\pm 0.8\,$mas/yr, which compares to the value of $μ_{\rm rel} = 18.4\pm 1.7\,$mas/yr reported in the KMTNet-OGLE paper. This new MOA value for $μ_{\rm rel}$ has an a priori probability that is a factor of $\sim 100$ times larger than the previous value, and it does not require a lens system distance of $D_L < 1\,$kpc. Based on the corrected source color, we find that the lens system consists of a planet of mass $3.4^{+3.7}_{-1.6} M_{\rm Jup}$ orbiting a $0.30^{+0.34}_{-0.14}M_\odot$ star at an orbital separation of $2.1^{+2.2}_{-1.0}\,$AU and a distance of $1.2^{+1.1}_{-0.5}\,$kpc.

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arXiv2017

The Lowest Mass Ratio Planetary Microlens: OGLE 2016-BLG-1195Lb

We report discovery of the lowest mass ratio exoplanet to be found by the microlensing method in the light curve of the event OGLE~2016--BLG--1195. This planet revealed itself as a small deviation from a microlensing single lens profile from an examination of the survey data soon after the planetary signal. The duration of the planetary signal is $\sim 2.5\,$hours. The measured ratio of the planet mass to its host star is $q = 4.2\pm 0.7 \times10^{-5}$. We further estimate that the lens system is likely to comprise a cold $\sim$3 Earth mass planet in a $\sim\,$2 AU wide orbit around a 0.2 Solar mass star at an overall distance of 7.1 kpc.

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arXiv2017

OGLE-2016-BLG-1003: First Resolved Caustic-crossing Binary-source Event Discovered by Second-generation Microlensing Surveys

We report the analysis of the first resolved caustic-crossing binary-source microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-1003. The event is densely covered by the round-the-clock observations of three surveys. The light curve is characterized by two nested caustic-crossing features, which is unusual for typical caustic-crossing perturbations. From the modeling of the light curve, we find that the anomaly is produced by a binary source passing over a caustic formed by a binary lens. The result proves the importance of high-cadence and continuous observations, and the capability of second-generation microlensing experiments to identify such complex perturbations that are previously unknown. However, the result also raises the issues of the limitations of current analysis techniques for understanding lens systems beyond two masses and of determining the appropriate multiband observing strategy of survey experiments.

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arXiv2017

OGLE-2013-BLG-1761Lb: A Massive Planet Around an M/K Dwarf

We report the discovery and the analysis of the planetary microlensing event, OGLE-2013-BLG-1761. There are some degenerate solutions in this event because the planetary anomaly is only sparsely sampled. But the detailed light curve analysis ruled out all stellar binary models and shows that the lens to be a planetary system. There is the so-called close/wide degeneracy in the solutions with the planet/host mass ratio of $q \sim (7.5 \pm 1.5) \times 10^{-3}$ and $q \sim (9.3 \pm 2.9) \times 10^{-3}$ with the projected separation in Einstein radius units of $s = 0.95$ (close) and $s = 1.19$ (wide), respectively. The microlens parallax effect is not detected but the finite source effect is detected. Our Bayesian analysis indicates that the lens system is located at $D_{\rm L}=6.9_{-1.2}^{+1.0} \ {\rm kpc}$ away from us and the host star is an M/K-dwarf with the mass of $M_{\rm L}=0.33_{-0.18}^{+0.32} \ M_{\odot}$ orbited by a super-Jupiter mass planet with the mass of $m_{\rm P}=2.8_{-1.5}^{+2.5} \ M_{\rm Jup}$ at the projected separation of $a_{\perp}=1.8_{-0.5}^{+0.5} \ {\rm AU}$. The preference of the large lens distance in the Bayesian analysis is due to the relatively large observed source star radius. The distance and other physical parameters can be constrained by the future high resolution imaging by ground large telescopes or HST. If the estimated lens distance is correct, this planet provides another sample for testing the claimed deficit of planets in the Galactic bulge.

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arXiv2017

Binary Source Microlensing Event OGLE-2016-BLG-0733: Interpretation of A Long-term Asymmetric Perturbation

In the process of analyzing an observed light curve, one often confronts various scenarios that can mimic the planetary signals causing difficulties in the accurate interpretation of the lens system. In this paper, we present the analysis of the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0733. The light curve of the event shows a long-term asymmetric perturbation that would appear to be due to a planet. From the detailed modeling of the lensing light curve, however, we find that the perturbation originates from the binarity of the source rather than the lens. This result demonstrates that binary sources with roughly equal-luminosity components can mimic long-term perturbations induced by planets with projected separations near the Einstein ring. The result also represents the importance of the consideration of various interpretations in planet-like perturbations and of high-cadence observations for ensuring the unambiguous detection of the planet.

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arXiv2016

Faint source star planetary microlensing: the discovery of the cold gas giant planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb

We report the discovery of a planet --- OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb --- via gravitational microlensing. Observations for the lensing event were made by the MOA, OGLE, Wise, RoboNET/LCOGT, MiNDSTEp and $μ$FUN groups. All analyses of the light curve data favour a lens system comprising a planetary mass orbiting a host star. The most favoured binary lens model has a mass ratio between the two lens masses of $(4.78 \pm 0.13)\times 10^{-3}$. Subject to some important assumptions, a Bayesian probability density analysis suggests the lens system comprises a $3.09_{-1.12}^{+1.02}$ M_jup planet orbiting a $0.62_{-0.22}^{+0.20}$ M_sun host star at a deprojected orbital separation of $4.40_{-1.46}^{+2.16}$ AU. The distance to the lens system is $2.22_{-0.83}^{+0.96}$ kpc. Planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb provides additional data to the growing number of cool planets discovered using gravitational microlensing against which planetary formation theories may be tested. Most of the light in the baseline of this event is expected to come from the lens and thus high-resolution imaging observations could confirm our planetary model interpretation.

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arXiv2016

The Exoplanet Mass-Ratio Function from the MOA-II Survey: Discovery of a Break and Likely Peak at a Neptune Mass

We report the results of the statistical analysis of planetary signals discovered in MOA-II microlensing survey alert system events from 2007 to 2012. We determine the survey sensitivity as a function of planet-star mass ratio, $q$, and projected planet-star separation, $s$, in Einstein radius units. We find that the mass ratio function is not a single power-law, but has a change in slope at $q \sim 10^{-4}$, corresponding to $\sim 20 M_{\oplus}$ for the median host star mass of $\sim 0.6 M_{\odot}$. We find significant planetary signals in 23 of the 1474 alert events that are well characterized by the MOA-II survey data alone. Data from other groups are used only to characterize planetary signals that have been identified in the MOA data alone. The distribution of mass ratios and separations of the planets found in our sample are well fit by a broken power-law model of the form $dN_{\rm pl}/(d{\rm log} q\ d{\rm log} s) = A (q/q_{\rm br})^n s^m \, {\rm dex}^{-2}$ for $q > q_{\rm br}$ and $dN_{\rm pl}/(d{\rm log} q\ d{\rm log} s) = A (q/q_{\rm br})^p s^m \, {\rm dex}^{-2}$ for $q < q_{\rm br}$, where $q_{\rm br}$ is the mass ratio of the break. We also combine this analysis with the previous analyses of Gould et al. and Cassan et al., bringing the total sample to 30 planets. This combined analysis yields $A = 0.61^{+0.21}_{-0.16}$, $n =-0.93\pm 0.13$, $m = 0.49_{-0.49}^{+0.47}$ and $p = 0.6^{+0.5}_{-0.4}$ for $q_{\rm br}\equiv 1.7\times 10^{-4}$. The unbroken power law model is disfavored with a $p$-value of 0.0022, which corresponds to a Bayes factor of 27 favoring the broken power-law model. These results imply that cold Neptunes are likely to be the most common type of planets beyond the snow line.

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arXiv2016

The First Circumbinary Planet Found by Microlensing: OGLE-2007-BLG-349L(AB)c

We present the analysis of the first circumbinary planet microlensing event, OGLE-2007-BLG-349. This event has a strong planetary signal that is best fit with a mass ratio of $q \approx 3.4\times10^{-4}$, but there is an additional signal due to an additional lens mass, either another planet or another star. We find acceptable light curve fits with two classes of models: 2-planet models (with a single host star) and circumbinary planet models. The light curve also reveals a significant microlensing parallax effect, which constrains the mass of the lens system to be $M_L \approx 0.7 M_\odot$. Hubble Space Telescope images resolve the lens and source stars from their neighbors and indicate excess flux due to the star(s) in the lens system. This is consistent with the predicted flux from the circumbinary models, where the lens mass is shared between two stars, but there is not enough flux to be consistent with the 2-planet, 1-star models. So, only the circumbinary models are consistent with the HST data. They indicate a planet of mass $m_c = 80\pm 13\,M_\oplus$, orbiting a pair of M-dwarfs with masses of $M_A = 0.41\pm 0.07 M_\odot$ and $M_B = 0.30\pm 0.07 M_\oplus$, which makes this the lowest mass circumbinary planet system known. The ratio of the separation between the planet and the center-of-mass to the separations of the two stars is $\sim 40$, so unlike most of the circumbinary planets found by Kepler, the planet does not orbit near the stability limit.

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arXiv2016

OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb: The First Planet Mass Measurement from Only Microlens Parallax and Lens Flux

We report the discovery of a microlensing planet OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb with the planet/host mass ratio of $q \sim 2 \times 10^{-4}$. A long term distortion detected in both MOA and OGLE light curve can be explained by the microlens parallax due to the Earth's orbital motion around the Sun. Although the finite source effect is not detected, we obtain the lens flux by the high resolution Keck AO observation. Combining the microlens parallax and the lens flux reveal the nature of the lens: a planet with mass of $M_{\rm p} = 35^{+17}_{-9} M_{\oplus}$ is orbiting around a M-dwarf with mass of $M_{\rm host} = 0.56^{+0.12}_{-0.16} M_{\odot}$ with a planet-host projected separation of $r_{\perp} =2.7^{+0.6}_{-0.7}$ AU located at $D_{\rm L} = 3.0^{+0.8}_{-1.1}$ kpc from us. This is the first mass measurement from only microlens parallax and the lens flux without the finite source effect. In the coming space observation-era with $Spitzer$, $K2$, $Euclid$, and $WFIRST$, we expect many such events for which we will not be able to measure any finite source effect. This work demonstrates an ability of mass measurements in such events.

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