Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission. XXII. CoRoT-16b: a hot Jupiter with a hint of eccentricity around a faint solar-like star

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2012), 541

<BR /> Aims: We report the discovery of CoRoT-16b, a low density hot jupiter that orbits a faint G5V star (mV = 15.63) in 5.3523 ± 0.0002 days with slight eccentricity. A fit of the data with no a priori ... [more ▼]

<BR /> Aims: We report the discovery of CoRoT-16b, a low density hot jupiter that orbits a faint G5V star (mV = 15.63) in 5.3523 ± 0.0002 days with slight eccentricity. A fit of the data with no a priori assumptions on the orbit leads to an eccentricity of 0.33 ± 0.1. We discuss this value and also derive the mass and radius of the planet. <BR /> Methods: We analyse the photometric transit curve of CoRoT-16 given by the CoRoT satellite, and radial velocity data from the HARPS and HIRES spectrometers. A combined analysis using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is used to get the system parameters. <BR /> Results: CoRoT-16b is a 0.535 -0.083/+0.085 M[SUB]J[/SUB], 1.17 -0.14/+0.16 R[SUB]J[/SUB] hot Jupiter with a density of 0.44 -0.14/+0.21 g cm[SUP]-3[/SUP]. Despite its short orbital distance (0.0618 ± 0.0015 AU) and the age of the parent star (6.73 ± 2.8 Gyr), the planet orbit exhibits significantly non-zero eccentricity. This is very uncommon for this type of objects as tidal effects tend to circularise the orbit. This value is discussed taking into account the characteristics of the star and the observation accuracy. The CoRoT space mission, launched on December 27, 2006, has been developed and is operated by the CNES with the contribution of Austria, Belgium, Brasil, ESA, Germany, and Spain.Observations made with the HARPS spectrograph at ESO La Silla Observatory (HARPS programs 083.C-0186 and 184.C-0639) and the HIRES spectrograph at the Keck Observatory (NASA-Keck programs N035Hr, N143Hr and N095Hr). [less ▲]

Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission. XVI. CoRoT-14b: an unusually dense very hot Jupiter

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2011), 528

In this paper, the CoRoT ExoplanetScience Team announces its 14th discovery. Herein, we discuss the observations and analyses that allowed us to derive the parameters of this system: a hot Jupiter with a ... [more ▼]

In this paper, the CoRoT ExoplanetScience Team announces its 14th discovery. Herein, we discuss the observations and analyses that allowed us to derive the parameters of this system: a hot Jupiter with a mass of 7.6 ± 0.6 Jupiter masses orbiting a solar-type star (F9V) with a period of only 1.5 d, less than 5 stellar radii from its parent star. It is unusual for such a massive planet to have such a small orbit: only one other known higher mass exoplanet orbits with a shorter period. The CoRoT space mission, launched on December 27, 2006, has been developed and is operated by the CNES, with the contribution of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, ESA (RSSD and Science Program), Germany and Spain. [less ▲]

Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XIV. CoRoT-11b: a transiting massive "hot-Jupiter" in a prograde orbit around a rapidly rotating F-type star

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010), 524

The CoRoT exoplanet science team announces the discovery of CoRoT-11b, a fairly massive hot-Jupiter transiting a V=12.9 mag F6 dwarf star (M*=1.27 +/- 0.05 Msun, R*=1.37 +/- 0.03 Rsun, Teff=6440 +/- 120 K ... [more ▼]

The CoRoT exoplanet science team announces the discovery of CoRoT-11b, a fairly massive hot-Jupiter transiting a V=12.9 mag F6 dwarf star (M*=1.27 +/- 0.05 Msun, R*=1.37 +/- 0.03 Rsun, Teff=6440 +/- 120 K), with an orbital period of P=2.994329 +/- 0.000011 days and semi-major axis a=0.0436 +/- 0.005 AU. The detection of part of the radial velocity anomaly caused by the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect shows that the transit-like events detected by CoRoT are caused by a planet-sized transiting object in a prograde orbit. The relatively high projected rotational velocity of the star (vsini=40+/-5 km/s) places CoRoT-11 among the most rapidly rotating planet host stars discovered so far. With a planetary mass of mp=2.33+/-0.34 Mjup and radius rp=1.43+/-0.03 Rjup, the resulting mean density of CoRoT-11b (rho=0.99+/-0.15 g/cm^3) can be explained with a model for an inflated hydrogen-planet with a solar composition and a high level of energy dissipation in its interior. [less ▲]

The Anomalous 14N/15N Ratio in Comets 122P/1995 S1 (de Vico) and 153P/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang)

in Astrophysical Journal (2004), 613(Letters), 161-164

High-resolution (R~60,000) spectra of the CN B[SUP]2[/SUP]Sigma[SUP]+[/SUP]-X[SUP]2[/SUP]Sigma[SUP]+[/SUP] (0, 0) band (near 3880 Å) in the Halley-type comet 122P/1995 S1 de Vico (with a period of 74 yr ... [more ▼]

High-resolution (R~60,000) spectra of the CN B[SUP]2[/SUP]Sigma[SUP]+[/SUP]-X[SUP]2[/SUP]Sigma[SUP]+[/SUP] (0, 0) band (near 3880 Å) in the Halley-type comet 122P/1995 S1 de Vico (with a period of 74 yr) and the ``intermediate-period'' comet 153P/2002 C1 Ikeya-Zhang (P~370 yr) were obtained with the 2dcoudé spectrograph at the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith telescope of the McDonald Observatory. The comets were within 1 AU from the Sun (0.66 and 0.92 AU, respectively) at the time of the observations. While the measured [SUP]12[/SUP]C/[SUP]13[/SUP]C isotope ratios of both comets (90+/-10 and 90+/-25, respectively) are in very good agreement with the solar system value, the [SUP]14[/SUP]N/[SUP]15[/SUP]N ratios (140+/-20 and 170+/-50, respectively) are approximately half the value in Earth's atmosphere. The similarity is striking between these ratios and those obtained recently for two other long-period Oort Cloud comets, C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) and C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR). While these optical determinations of [SUP]14[/SUP]N/[SUP]15[/SUP]N are consistent with each other, they disagree with those obtained in comet Hale-Bopp from submillimeter measurements of HCN, generally believed to be the main parent of CN. This puzzling difference points toward the existence of (an)other unknown parent(s) of CN, with an even higher [SUP]15[/SUP]N excess. Organic compounds like those found in interplanetary dust particles are good candidates. [less ▲]

A fluorescence model of the C[SUB]3[/SUB] radical in comets

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2001), 368

Theoretical resonance fluorescence calculations are presented of the triatomic C[SUB]3[/SUB] radical and are compared with observations of the C[SUB]3[/SUB] emission in comets Hale-Bopp and de Vico. A ... [more ▼]

Theoretical resonance fluorescence calculations are presented of the triatomic C[SUB]3[/SUB] radical and are compared with observations of the C[SUB]3[/SUB] emission in comets Hale-Bopp and de Vico. A theoretical model of the C[SUB]3[/SUB] vibration-rotational structure in the A[SUP]1[/SUP]Pi[SUB]u[/SUB] - X[SUP]1[/SUP]Sigma[SUB]g[/SUB] [SUP]+[/SUP] electronic system is introduced. The model takes into account the detailed structure of the bending mode nu[SUB]2[/SUB] which is responsible for the emission of the 4050 à group. A total of 1959 levels are considered, with 515 levels in the ground state. The main effort is to model high-resolution spectra of the 4050 à emission in comets C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp and 122P/1995 S1 de Vico. The agreement between observed and theoretical spectra is good for a value of the dipole moment derivative of dmu/dr ~ 2.5 Debye à [SUP]-1[/SUP]. The modeled C[SUB]3[/SUB] emission exhibits a pronounced Swings effect. Based on observations made with William Herschel Telescope operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, and on observations made at the McDonald Observatory, which is operated by the University of Texas at Austin, USA. [less ▲]