arXiv subjects

Samuel N. Quinn

Publications and source records attributed to Samuel N. Quinn.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

TESS Discovery of Twin Planets near 2:1 Resonance around Early M-Dwarf TOI 4342

With data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), we showcase improvements to the MIT Quick-Look Pipeline (QLP) through the discovery and validation of a multi-planet system around M-dwarf TOI 4342 ($T_{mag}=11.032$, $M_* = 0.63 M_\odot$, $R_* = 0.60 R_\odot$, $T_{eff} = 3900$ K, $d = 61.54$ pc). With updates to QLP, including a new multi-planet search, as well as faster cadence data from TESS' First Extended Mission, we discovered two sub-Neptunes ($R_b = 2.266_{-0.038}^{+0.038} R_\oplus$ and $R_c = 2.415_{-0.040}^{+0.043} R_\oplus$; $P_b$ = 5.538 days and $P_c$ = 10.689 days) and validated them with ground-based photometry, spectra, and speckle imaging. Both planets notably have high transmission spectroscopy metrics (TSMs) of 36 and 32, making TOI 4342 one of the best systems for comparative atmospheric studies. This system demonstrates how improvements to QLP, along with faster cadence Full-Frame Images (FFIs), can lead to the discovery of new multi-planet systems.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME) VII : Membership, rotation, and lithium in the young cluster Group-X and a new young exoplanet

The public, all-sky surveys Gaia and TESS provide the ability to identify new young associations and determine their ages. These associations enable study of planetary evolution by providing new opportunities to discover young exoplanets. A young association was recently identified by Tang et al. and F{ü}rnkranz et al. using astrometry from Gaia (called "Group-X" by the former). In this work, we investigate the age and membership of this association; and we validate the exoplanet TOI 2048 b, which was identified to transit a young, late G dwarf in Group-X using photometry from TESS. We first identified new candidate members of Group-X using Gaia EDR3 data. To infer the age of the association, we measured rotation periods for candidate members using TESS data. The clear color--period sequence indicates that the association is the same age as the $300\pm50$ Myr-old NGC 3532. We obtained optical spectra for candidate members that show lithium absorption consistent with this young age. Further, we serendipitously identify a new, small association nearby Group-X, which we call MELANGE-2. Lastly, we statistically validate TOI 2048 b, which is $2.6\pm0.2$ \rearth\ radius planet on a 13.8-day orbit around its 300 Myr-old host star.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME) IX: a 27 Myr extended population of Lower-Centaurus Crux with a transiting two-planet system

We report the discovery and characterization of a nearby (~ 85 pc), older (27 +/- 3 Myr), distributed stellar population near Lower-Centaurus-Crux (LCC), initially identified by searching for stars co-moving with a candidate transiting planet from TESS (HD 109833; TOI 1097). We determine the association membership using Gaia kinematics, color-magnitude information, and rotation periods of candidate members. We measure it's age using isochrones, gyrochronology, and Li depletion. While the association is near known populations of LCC, we find that it is older than any previously found LCC sub-group (10-16 Myr), and distinct in both position and velocity. In addition to the candidate planets around HD 109833 the association contains four directly-imaged planetary-mass companions around 3 stars, YSES-1, YSES-2, and HD 95086, all of which were previously assigned membership in the younger LCC. Using the Notch pipeline, we identify a second candidate transiting planet around HD 109833. We use a suite of ground-based follow-up observations to validate the two transit signals as planetary in nature. HD 109833 b and c join the small but growing population of <100 Myr transiting planets from TESS. HD 109833 has a rotation period and Li abundance indicative of a young age (< 100 Myr), but a position and velocity on the outskirts of the new population, lower Li levels than similar members, and a CMD position below model predictions for 27 Myr. So, we cannot reject the possibility that HD 109833 is a young field star coincidentally nearby the population.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

HD 20329b: An ultra-short-period planet around a solar-type star found by TESS

We used TESS light curves and HARPS-N spectrograph radial velocity measurements to establish the physical properties of the transiting exoplanet candidate found around the star HD 20329 (TOI-4524). We performed a joint fit of the light curves and radial velocity time series to measure the mass, radius, and orbital parameters of the candidate. We confirm and characterize HD 20329b, an ultra-short-period (USP) planet transiting a solar-type star. The host star (HD 20329, $V = 8.74$ mag, $J = 7.5$ mag) is characterized by its G5 spectral type with $\mathrm{M}_\star= 0.90 \pm 0.05$ M$_\odot$, $\mathrm{R}_\star = 1.13 \pm 0.02$ R$_\odot$, and $\mathrm{T}_{\mathrm{eff}} = 5596 \pm 50$ K; it is located at a distance $d= 63.68 \pm 0.29$ pc. By jointly fitting the available TESS transit light curves and follow-up radial velocity measurements, we find an orbital period of $0.9261 \pm (0.5\times 10^{-4})$ days, a planetary radius of $1.72 \pm 0.07$ $\mathrm{R}_\oplus$, and a mass of $7.42 \pm 1.09$ $\mathrm{M}_\oplus$, implying a mean density of $ρ_\mathrm{p} = 8.06 \pm 1.53$ g cm$^{-3}$. HD 20329b joins the $\sim$30 currently known USP planets with radius and Doppler mass measurements.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

The TESS Grand Unified Hot Jupiter Survey. II. Twenty New Giant Planets

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission promises to improve our understanding of hot Jupiters by providing an all-sky, magnitude-limited sample of transiting hot Jupiters suitable for population studies. Assembling such a sample requires confirming hundreds of planet candidates with additional follow-up observations. Here, we present twenty hot Jupiters that were detected using TESS data and confirmed to be planets through photometric, spectroscopic, and imaging observations coordinated by the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP). These twenty planets have orbital periods shorter than 7 days and orbit relatively bright FGK stars ($10.9 < G < 13.0$). Most of the planets are comparable in mass to Jupiter, although there are four planets with masses less than that of Saturn. TOI-3976 b, the longest period planet in our sample ($P = 6.6$ days), may be on a moderately eccentric orbit ($e = 0.18\pm0.06$), while observations of the other targets are consistent with them being on circular orbits. We measured the projected stellar obliquity of TOI-1937A b, a hot Jupiter on a 22.4 hour orbit with the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, finding the planet's orbit to be well-aligned with the stellar spin axis ($|λ| = 4.0\pm3.5^\circ$). We also investigated the possibility that TOI-1937 is a member of the NGC 2516 open cluster, but ultimately found the evidence for cluster membership to be ambiguous. These objects are part of a larger effort to build a complete sample of hot Jupiters to be used for future demographic and detailed characterization work.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

TESS discovery of a super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes orbiting the bright, nearby, Sun-like star HD 22946

We report the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovery of a three-planet system around the bright Sun-like star HD~22946(V=8.3 mag),also known as TIC~100990000, located 63 parsecs away.The system was observed by TESS in Sectors 3, 4, 30 and 31 and two planet candidates, labelled TESS Objects of Interest (TOIs) 411.01 (planet $c$) and 411.02 (planet $b$), were identified on orbits of 9.57 and 4.04 days, respectively. In this work, we validate the two planets and recover an additional single transit-like signal in the light curve, which suggests the presence of a third transiting planet with a longer period of about 46 days.We assess the veracity of the TESS transit signals and use follow-up imaging and time series photometry to rule out false positive scenarios, including unresolved binary systems, nearby eclipsing binaries or background/foreground stars contaminating the light curves. Parallax measurements from Gaia EDR3, together with broad-band photometry and spectroscopic follow-up by TFOP allowed us to constrain the stellar parameters of TOI-411, including its radius of$1.157\pm0.025R_\odot$. Adopting this value, we determined the radii for the three exoplanet candidates and found that planet $b$ is a super-Earth, with a radius of $1.72\pm0.10R_\oplus$, while planet $c$ and $d$ are sub-Neptunian planets, with radii of$2.74\pm0.14R_\oplus$ and $3.23\pm0.19R_\oplus$ respectively. By using dynamical simulations, we assessed the stability of the system and evaluated the possibility of the presence of other undetected, non-transiting planets by investigating its dynamical packing. We find that the system is dynamically stable and potentially unpacked, with enough space to host at least one more planet between $c$ and $d$.(Abridged)

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

HD 56414 b: A Warm Neptune Transiting an A-type Star

We report the discovery in TESS data and validation of HD 56414 b (a.k.a. TOI-1228 b), a Neptune-size ($R_{\rm p} = 3.71 \pm 0.20\, R_\oplus$) planet with a 29-day orbital period transiting a young (Age = $420 \pm 140$ Myr) A-type star in the TESS southern continuous viewing zone. HD 56414 is one of the hottest stars ($T_{\rm eff} = 8500 \pm 150 \, {\rm K}$) to host a known sub-Jovian planet. HD 56414 b lies on the boundary of the hot Neptune desert in planet radius -- bolometric insolation flux space, suggesting that the planet may be experiencing mass loss. To explore this, we apply a photoevaporation model that incorporates the high near ultraviolet continuum emission of A-type stars. We find that the planet can retain most of its atmosphere over the typical 1-Gyr main sequence lifetime of an A-type star if its mass is $\ge 8 \, M_\oplus$. Our model also predicts that close-in Neptune-size planets with masses $< 14 \, M_\oplus$ are susceptible to total atmospheric stripping over 1 Gyr, hinting that the hot Neptune desert, which has been previously observed around FGKM-type stars, likely extends to A-type stars.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

The TESS Grand Unified Hot Jupiter Survey. I. Ten TESS Planets

We report the discovery of ten short-period giant planets (TOI-2193A b, TOI-2207 b, TOI-2236 b, TOI-2421 b, TOI-2567 b, TOI-2570 b, TOI-3331 b, TOI-3540A b, TOI-3693 b, TOI-4137 b). All of the planets were identified as planet candidates based on periodic flux dips observed by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The signals were confirmed to be from transiting planets using ground-based time-series photometry, high angular resolution imaging, and high-resolution spectroscopy coordinated with the TESS Follow-up Observing Program. The ten newly discovered planets orbit relatively bright F and G stars ($G < 12.5$,~$T_\mathrm{eff}$ between 4800 and 6200 K). The planets' orbital periods range from 2 to 10~days, and their masses range from 0.2 to 2.2 Jupiter masses. TOI-2421 b is notable for being a Saturn-mass planet and TOI-2567 b for being a ``sub-Saturn'', with masses of $0.322\pm 0.073$ and $0.195\pm 0.030$ Jupiter masses, respectively. In most cases, we have little information about the orbital eccentricities. Two exceptions are TOI-2207 b, which has an 8-day period and a detectably eccentric orbit ($e = 0.17\pm0.05$), and TOI-3693 b, a 9-day planet for which we can set an upper limit of $e < 0.052$. The ten planets described here are the first new planets resulting from an effort to use TESS data to unify and expand on the work of previous ground-based transit surveys in order to create a large and statistically useful sample of hot Jupiters.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

HD 28109 hosts a trio of transiting Neptunian planets including a near-resonant pair, confirmed by ASTEP from Antarctica

We report on the discovery and characterisation of three planets orbiting the F8 star HD~28109, which sits comfortably in \tess's continuous viewing zone. The two outer planets have periods of $\rm 56.0067 \pm 0.0003~days$ and $\rm 84.2597_{-0.0008}^{+0.0010}~days$, which implies a period ratio very close to that of the first-order 3:2 mean motion resonance, exciting transit timing variations (TTVs) of up to $\rm 60\,mins$. These two planets were first identified by \tess, and we identified a third planet in the \textcolor{black}{\tess photometry} with a period of $\rm 22.8911 \pm 0.0004~days$. We confirm the planetary nature of all three planetary candidates using ground-based photometry from Hazelwood, ASTEP and LCO, including a full detection of the $\rm \sim9\,h$ transit of HD~28109 c from Antarctica. The radii of the three planets are \textcolor{black}{$\rm R_b=2.199_{-0.10}^{+0.098} ~R_{\oplus}$, $\rm R_c=4.23\pm0.11~ R_{\oplus}$ and $\rm R_d=3.25\pm0.11 ~R_{\oplus}$}; we characterise their masses using TTVs and precise radial velocities from ESPRESSO and HARPS, and find them to be $\rm M_b=18.5_{-7.6}^{+9.1}~M_{\oplus}$, $\rm M_c=7.9_{-3.0}^{+4.2}~M_{\oplus}$ and $\rm M_d=5.7_{-2.1}^{+2.7}~M_{\oplus}$, making planet b a dense, massive planet while c and d are both under-dense. We also demonstrate that the two outer planets are ripe for atmospheric characterisation using transmission spectroscopy, especially given their position in the CVZ of JWST. The data obtained to date are consistent with resonant (librating) and non-resonant (circulating) solutions; additional observations will show whether the pair is actually locked in resonance or just near-resonant.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

A Mini-Neptune from TESS and CHEOPS Around the 120 Myr Old AB Dor member HIP 94235

The TESS mission has enabled discoveries of the brightest transiting planet systems around young stars. These systems are the benchmarks for testing theories of planetary evolution. We report the discovery of a mini-Neptune transiting a bright star in the AB Doradus moving group. HIP 94235 (TOI-4399, TIC 464646604) is a Vmag=8.31 G-dwarf hosting a 3.00 -0.28/+0.32 Rearth mini-Neptune in a 7.7 day period orbit. HIP 94235 is part of the AB Doradus moving group, one of the youngest and closest associations. Due to its youth, the host star exhibits significant photometric spot modulation, lithium absorption, and X-ray emission. Three 0.06% transits were observed during Sector-27 of the TESS Extended Mission, though these transit signals are dwarfed by the 2% peak-to-peak photometric variability exhibited by the host star. Follow-up observations with CHEOPS confirmed the transit signal and prevented the erosion of the transit ephemeris. HIP 94235 is part of a 50 AU G-M binary system. We make use of diffraction limited observations spanning 11 years, and astrometric accelerations from Hipparchos and Gaia, to constrain the orbit of HIP 94235 B. HIP 94235 is one of the tightest stellar binaries to host an inner planet. As part of a growing sample of bright, young planet systems, HIP 94235 b is ideal for follow-up transit observations, such as those that investigate the evaporative processes driven by high-energy radiation that may sculpt the valleys and deserts in the Neptune population.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

The LHS 1678 System: Two Earth-Sized Transiting Planets and an Astrometric Companion Orbiting an M Dwarf Near the Convective Boundary at 20 pc

We present the TESS discovery of the LHS 1678 (TOI-696) exoplanet system, comprised of two approximately Earth-sized transiting planets and a likely astrometric brown dwarf orbiting a bright ($V_J$=12.5, $K_s$=8.3) M2 dwarf at 19.9 pc. The two TESS-detected planets are of radius 0.70$\pm$0.04 $R_\oplus$ and 0.98$\pm$0.06 $R_\oplus$ in 0.86-day and 3.69-day orbits, respectively. Both planets are validated and characterized via ground-based follow-up observations. HARPS RV monitoring yields 97.7 percentile mass upper limits of 0.35 $M_\oplus$ and 1.4 $M_\oplus$ for planets b and c, respectively. The astrometric companion detected by the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9m has an orbital period on the order of decades and is undetected by other means. Additional ground-based observations constrain the companion to being a high-mass brown dwarf or smaller. Each planet is of unique interest; the inner planet has an ultra-short period, and the outer planet is in the Venus zone. Both are promising targets for atmospheric characterization with the JWST and mass measurements via extreme-precision radial velocity. A third planet candidate of radius 0.9$\pm$0.1 $R_\oplus$ in a 4.97-day orbit is also identified in multi-Cycle TESS data for validation in future work. The host star is associated with an observed gap in the lower main sequence of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. This gap is tied to the transition from partially- to fully-convective interiors in M dwarfs, and the effect of the associated stellar astrophysics on exoplanet evolution is currently unknown. The culmination of these system properties makes LHS 1678 a unique, compelling playground for comparative exoplanet science and understanding the formation and evolution of small, short-period exoplanets orbiting low-mass stars.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

A close-in puffy Neptune with hidden friends: The enigma of TOI 620

We present the validation of a transiting low-density exoplanet orbiting the M2.5 dwarf TOI 620 discovered by the NASA TESS mission. We utilize photometric data from both TESS and ground-based follow-up observations to validate the ephemerides of the 5.09-day transiting signal and vet false positive scenarios. High-contrast imaging data are used to resolve the stellar host and exclude stellar companions at separations $\gtrsim 0.2''$. We obtain follow-up spectroscopy and corresponding precise radial velocities (RVs) with multiple PRV spectrographs to confirm the planetary nature of the transiting exoplanet. We calculate a 5$σ$ upper limit of $M_P < 7.1$ M$_\oplus$ and $ρ_P < 0.74$ g cm$^{-3}$, and we identify a non-transiting 17.7-day candidate. We also find evidence for a substellar (1-20 M$_{\rm J}$) companion with a projected separation $\lesssim 20$ au from a combined analysis of Gaia, AO imaging, and RVs. With the discovery of this outer companion, we carry out a detailed exploration of the possibilities that TOI 620 b might instead be a circum-secondary planet or a pair of eclipsing binary stars orbiting the host in a hierarchical triple system. We find, under scrutiny, that we can exclude both of these scenarios from the multi-wavelength transit photometry, thus validating TOI 620 b as a low-density exoplanet transiting the central star in this system. The low density of TOI 620 b makes it one of the most amenable exoplanets for atmospheric characterization, such as with JWST and Ariel, validated or confirmed by the TESS mission to date.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME) VI: an 11 Myr giant planet transiting a very low-mass star in Lower Centaurus Crux

Mature super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are predicted to be $\simeq$Jovian radius when younger than 10 Myr. Thus, we expect to find 5-15$R_\oplus$ planets around young stars even if their older counterparts harbor none. We report the discovery and validation of TOI 1227 b, a $0.85\pm0.05R_J$ (9.5$R_\oplus$) planet transiting a very low-mass star ($0.170\pm0.015M_\odot$) every 27.4 days. TOI~1227's kinematics and strong lithium absorption confirm it is a member of a previously discovered sub-group in the Lower Centaurus Crux OB association, which we designate the Musca group. We derive an age of 11$\pm$2 Myr for Musca, based on lithium, rotation, and the color-magnitude diagram of Musca members. The TESS data and ground-based follow-up show a deep (2.5\%) transit. We use multiwavelength transit observations and radial velocities from the IGRINS spectrograph to validate the signal as planetary in nature, and we obtain an upper limit on the planet mass of $\simeq0.5 M_J$. Because such large planets are exceptionally rare around mature low-mass stars, we suggest that TOI 1227 b is still contracting and will eventually turn into one of the more common $<5R_\oplus$ planets.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

TOI-1670 b and c: An Inner Sub-Neptune with an Outer Warm Jupiter Unlikely to have Originated from High-Eccentricity Migration

We report the discovery of two transiting planets around the bright ($V=9.9$ mag) main sequence F7 star TOI-1670 by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. TOI-1670 b is a sub-Neptune ($R_\mathrm{b} = 2.06_{-0.15}^{+0.19}$ $R_\oplus$) on a 10.9-day orbit and TOI-1670 c is a warm Jupiter ($R_\mathrm{c} = 0.987_{-0.025}^{+0.025}$ $R_\mathrm{Jup}$) on a 40.7-day orbit. Using radial velocity observations gathered with the Tull coudé Spectrograph on the Harlan J. Smith telescope and HARPS-N on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, we find a planet mass of $M_\mathrm{c} = 0.63_{-0.08}^{+0.09}$ $M_\mathrm{Jup}$ for the outer warm Jupiter, implying a mean density of $ρ_c = 0.81_{-0.11}^{+0.13}$ g cm$^{-3}$. The inner sub-Neptune is undetected in our radial velocity data ($M_\mathrm{b} < 0.13$ $M_\mathrm{Jup}$ at the 99% confidence level). Multi-planet systems like TOI-1670 hosting an outer warm Jupiter on a nearly circular orbit ($e_\mathrm{c} = 0.09_{-0.04}^{+0.05}$) and one or more inner coplanar planets are more consistent with "gentle" formation mechanisms such as disk migration or $in$ $situ$ formation rather than high-eccentricity migration. Of the 11 known systems with a warm Jupiter and a smaller inner companion, 8 (73%) are near a low-order mean-motion resonance, which can be a signature of migration. TOI-1670 joins two other systems (27% of this subsample) with period commensurabilities greater than 3, a common feature of $in$ $situ$ formation or halted inward migration. TOI-1670 and the handful of similar systems support a diversity of formation pathways for warm Jupiters.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

Validation of 13 Hot and Potentially Terrestrial TESS Planets

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be able to probe the atmospheres and surface properties of hot, terrestrial planets via emission spectroscopy. We identify 18 potentially terrestrial planet candidates detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) that would make ideal targets for these observations. These planet candidates cover a broad range of planet radii ($R_{\rm p} \sim 0.6 - 2.0 R_\oplus$) and orbit stars of various magnitudes ($K_s = 5.78 - 10.78$, $V = 8.4 - 15.69$) and effective temperatures ($T_{\rm eff }\sim 3000 - 6000$ K). We use ground-based observations collected through the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP) and two vetting tools -- DAVE and TRICERATOPS -- to assess the reliabilities of these candidates as planets. We validate 13 planets: TOI-206 b, TOI-500 b, TOI-544 b, TOI-833 b, TOI-1075 b, TOI-1411 b, TOI-1442 b, TOI-1693 b, TOI-1860 b, TOI-2260 b, TOI-2411 b, TOI-2427 b, and TOI-2445 b. Seven of these planets (TOI-206 b, TOI-500 b, TOI-1075 b, TOI-1442 b, TOI-2260 b, TOI-2411 b, and TOI-2445 b) are ultra-short-period planets. TOI-1860 is the youngest ($133 \pm 26$ Myr) solar twin with a known planet to date. TOI-2260 is a young ($321 \pm 96$ Myr) G dwarf that is among the most metal-rich ([Fe/H] = $0.22 \pm 0.06$ dex) stars to host an ultra-short-period planet. With an estimated equilibrium temperature of $\sim 2600$ K, TOI-2260 b is also the fourth hottest known planet with $R_{\rm p} < 2 \, R_\oplus$.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

A Possible Alignment Between the Orbits of Planetary Systems and their Visual Binary Companions

Astronomers do not have a complete picture of the effects of wide-binary companions (semimajor axes greater than 100 AU) on the formation and evolution of exoplanets. We investigate these effects using new data from Gaia EDR3 and the TESS mission to characterize wide-binary systems with transiting exoplanets. We identify a sample of 67 systems of transiting exoplanet candidates (with well-determined, edge-on orbital inclinations) that reside in wide visual binary systems. We derive limits on orbital parameters for the wide-binary systems and measure the minimum difference in orbital inclination between the binary and planet orbits. We determine that there is statistically significant difference in the inclination distribution of wide-binary systems with transiting planets compared to a control sample, with the probability that the two distributions are the same being 0.0037. This implies that there is an overabundance of planets in binary systems whose orbits are aligned with those of the binary. The overabundance of aligned systems appears to primarily have semimajor axes less than 700 AU. We investigate some effects that could cause the alignment and conclude that a torque caused by a misaligned binary companion on the protoplanetary disk is the most promising explanation.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

NEID Rossiter-McLaughlin Measurement of TOI-1268b: A Young Warm Saturn Aligned with Its Cool Host Star

Close-in gas giants present a surprising range of stellar obliquity, the angle between a planet's orbital axis and its host star's spin axis. It is unclear whether the obliquities reflect the planets' dynamical history (e.g., aligned for in situ formation or disk migration versus misaligned for high-eccentricity tidal migration) or whether other mechanisms (e.g., primordial misalignment or planet-star interactions) are more important in sculpting the obliquity distribution. Here we present the stellar obliquity measurement of TOI-1268 (TIC-142394656, $V_{\rm mag} {\sim} 10.9$), a young K-type dwarf hosting an 8.2-day period, Saturn-sized planet. TOI-1268's lithium abundance and rotation period suggest the system age between the ages of Pleiades cluster (${\sim}120$ Myr) and Praesepe cluster (${\sim}670$ Myr). Using the newly commissioned NEID spectrograph, we constrain the stellar obliquity of TOI-1268 via the Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) effect from both radial velocity (RV) and Doppler Tomography (DT) signals. The 3$σ$ upper bounds of the projected stellar obliquity $|λ|$ from both models are below 60$^\circ$. The large host star separation ($a/R_\star {\sim} 17$), combined with the system's young age, makes it unlikely that the planet has realigned its host star. The stellar obliquity measurement of TOI-1268 probes the architecture of a young gas giant beyond the reach of tidal realignment ($a/R_\star {\gtrsim} 10$) and reveals an aligned or slightly misaligned system.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

TESS Giants Transiting Giants II: The hottest Jupiters orbiting evolved stars

Giant planets on short-period orbits are predicted to be inflated and eventually engulfed by their host stars. However, the detailed timescales and stages of these processes are not well known. Here we present the discovery of three hot Jupiters (P $<$ 10 d) orbiting evolved, intermediate-mass stars ($M_\star$ $\approx$ 1.5 M$_\odot$, 2 R$_\odot$ $<$ $R_\star < $ 5 R$_\odot$). By combining \tess photometry with ground-based photometry and radial velocity measurements, we report masses and radii for these three planets between 0.4 and 1.8 M$_\mathrm{J}$ and 0.8 and 1.8 R$_\mathrm{J}$. \planet has the shortest period (P=\period) of any planet discovered around a red giant star to date. Both \planettwo and \planetthree appear to be inflated, but \planet does not show any sign of inflation. The large radii and relatively low masses of \planettwo and \planetthree place them among the lowest density hot Jupiters currently known, while \planet is conversely one of the highest. All three planets have orbital eccentricities below 0.2. The large spread in radii for these systems implies that planet inflation has a complex dependence on planet mass, radius, incident flux, and orbital properties. We predict that \planet has the shortest orbital decay timescale of any planet currently known, but do not detect any orbital decay in this system. Transmission spectroscopy of \planettwo would provide a favorable opportunity for the detection of water, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide features in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting an evolved star, and could yield new information about planet formation and atmospheric evolution.

astro-ph.EP↗