arXiv subjects

Suber Corley

Publications and source records attributed to Suber Corley.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Predictions of Transiting Exoplanet Confirmations from Rubin LSST Surveys

We assess the prospects for exoplanet transit observations in the 10-year Wide Fast Deep (WFD) and Deep Drilling Field (DDF) surveys within the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) mission of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. We construct a framework for systematic assessment of expected exoplanet yields, highlighting the principal limitations imposed by the survey observing strategy and cadence. We simulate light curves with a wide range of exoplanetary system models derived from planet occurrence rates developed with data from the Kepler mission. Transit counts for the stellar population are calculated using the TRILEGAL Galactic structure model, incorporating telescope sensitivity and survey cadences. We apply the constraints that the full duration of at least three transits must be observed and that the signal-to-noise ratio will support detectability. The observations were then validated using the Transit Least Squares periodogram. Our findings indicate a limited potential for exoplanet confirmations under the current survey design. Only a small number of hot planets orbiting faint M class main sequence stars will be confirmed in the DDF fields. The WFD survey is projected to produce no confirmations. These findings underscore the constraints imposed by the sparse, multi-band observing strategy, which prioritizes cosmology and extragalactic science over the continuous photometric coverage required for confirmations.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2024

Enhancing Exoplanet Ephemerides by Leveraging Professional and Citizen Science Data: A Test Case with WASP-77A b

We present an updated ephemeris and physical parameters for the exoplanet WASP-77 A b. In this effort, we combine 64 ground- and space-based transit observations, 6 space-based eclipse observations, and 32 radial velocity observations to produce the most precise orbital solution to date for this target, aiding in the planning of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Ariel observations and atmospheric studies. We report a new orbital period of 1.360029395 +- 5.7e-8 days, a new mid-transit time of 2459957.337860 +- 4.3e-5 BJDTDB (Barycentric Julian Date in the Barycentric Dynamical Time scale; arXiv:1005.4415) and a new mid-eclipse time of 2459956.658192 +- 6.7e-5 BJDTDB. Furthermore, the methods presented in this study reduce the uncertainties in the planet mass to 1.6654 +- 4.5e-3 Mjup and orbital period to 1.360029395 +- 5.7e-8 days by factors of 15.1 and 10.9, respectively. Through a joint fit analysis comparison of transit data taken by space-based and citizen science-led initiatives, our study demonstrates the power of including data collected by citizen scientists compared to a fit of the space-based data alone. Additionally, by including a vast array of citizen science data from ExoClock, Exoplanet Transit Database (ETD), and Exoplanet Watch, we can increase our observational baseline and thus acquire better constraints on the forward propagation of our ephemeris than what is achievable with TESS data alone.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

13 New Light Curves and Updated Mid-Transit Time and Period for Hot Jupiter WASP-104 b with EXOTIC

Using the EXOplanet Transit Interpretation Code (EXOTIC), we reduced 52 sets of images of WASP-104 b, a Hot Jupiter-class exoplanet orbiting WASP-104, in order to obtain an updated mid-transit time (ephemeris) and orbital period for the planet. We performed this reduction on images taken with a 6-inch telescope of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian MicroObservatory. Of the reduced light curves, 13 were of sufficient accuracy to be used in updating the ephemerides for WASP-104 b, meeting or exceeding the three-sigma standard for determining a significant detection. Our final mid-transit value was 2457805.170208 +/- 0.000036 BJD_TBD and the final period value was 1.75540644 +/- 0.00000016 days. The true significance of our results is in their derivation from image sets gathered over time by a small, ground-based telescope as part of the Exoplanet Watch citizen science initiative, and their competitive results to an ephemeris generated from data gathered by the TESS telescope. We use these results to further show how such techniques can be employed by amateur astronomers and citizen scientists to maximize the efficacy of larger telescopes by reducing the use of expensive observation time. The work done in the paper was accomplished as part of the first fully online Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) for astronomy majors in the only online Bachelor of Science program in Astronomical and Planetary Sciences.

astro-ph.EP↗