Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

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New submissions for Tue, 28 May 24

[1]  arXiv:2405.15944 [pdf, other]

Title: Weighing protoplanetary discs with kinematics: physical model, method and benchmark

Authors: Benedetta Veronesi, Cristiano Longarini, Giuseppe Lodato, Guillaume Laibe, Cassandra Hall, Stefano Facchini, Leonardo Testi

Comments: 13 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication on A&A

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

The mass of protoplanetary discs sets the amount of material available for planet formation, determines the level of coupling between gas and dust, and possibly sets gravitational instabilities. Measuring mass of discs is challenging, since it is not possible to directly detect H$_2$, and CO-based estimates remain poorly constrained. An alternative method that does not rely on tracers-to-H$_2$ ratios has recently been proposed to dynamically measure the disc mass altogether with the star mass and the disc critical radius by looking at deviations from Keplerian rotation induced by the self-gravity of the disc. So far, this method has been applied to weigh three protoplanetary discs: Elias 2-27, IM Lup and GM Aurigae. We provide here a numerical benchmark of the method by simulating isothermal self-gravitating discs with a range of masses from 0.01 to $0.2 \,M_{\odot}$ with the phantom code and post-process them with radiative transfer (mcfost) to obtain synthetic observations. We find that dynamical weighing allows to retrieve the expected value of disc masses as long as the disc-to-star mass ratio is larger than $M_d/M_\star=0.05$. The estimated uncertainty for the disc mass measurement is $\sim 25\%$.

[2]  arXiv:2405.15955 [pdf, other]

Title: Anomaly distinguishability in an asteroid analogue using quasi-monostatic experimental radar measurements

Authors: Yusuf Oluwatoki Yusuf, Astrid Dufaure, Liisa-Ida Sorsa, Christelle Eyraud, Jean-Michel Geffrin, Alain Hérique, Sampsa Pursiainen

Comments: 11 pages, 13 figures, and 1 table

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM); Numerical Analysis (math.NA)

This study conducts a quantitative distinguishability analysis using quasi-monostatic experimental radar data to find a topographic and backpropagated tomographic reconstruction for an analogue of asteroid Itokawa (25143). In particular, we consider a combination of travel-time and wavefield backpropagation tomography using the time-frequency representation (TFR) and principal component analysis (PCA) approaches as filtering techniques. Furthermore, we hypothesise that the travel time of the main peaks in the signal can be projected as a topographic imaging of the analogue asteroid while also presenting a tomographic reconstruction based on the main peaks in the signal. We compare the performance of several different filtering approaches covering several noise levels and two hypothetical interior structures: homogeneous and detailed. Our results suggest that wavefield information is vital for obtaining an appropriate reconstruction quality regardless of the noise level and that different filters affect the distinguishability under different assumptions of the noise. The results also suggest that the main peaks of the measured signal can be used to topographically distinguish the signatures in the measurements, hence the interior structure of the different analogue asteroids. Similarly, a tomographic reconstruction with the main peaks of the measured signal can be used to distinguish the interior structure of the different analogue asteroids.

[3]  arXiv:2405.16529 [pdf, other]

Title: The Yarkovsky effect on the long-term evolution of binary asteroids

Authors: Wen-Han Zhou (1), David Vokrouhlicky (2), Masanori Kanamaru (3), Harrison Agrusa (1), Petr Pravec (4), Marco Delbo (1), Patrick Michel (1 and 2) ((1) Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur, France (2) Charles University, Czech (3) the University of Tokyo, Japan (4) Astronomical Institute of Czech Academy, Czech)

Comments: 14 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

We explore the Yarkovsky effect on small binary asteroids. While significant attention has been given to the binary YORP effect, the Yarkovsky effect is often overlooked. We develop an analytical model for the binary Yarkovsky effect, considering both the Yarkovsky-Schach and planetary Yarkovsky components, and verify it against thermophysical numerical simulations. We find that the Yarkovsky force could change the mutual orbit when the asteroid's spin period is unequal to the orbital period. Our analysis predicts new evolutionary paths for binaries. For a prograde asynchronous secondary, the Yarkovsky force will migrate the satellite towards the location of the synchronous orbit on ~100 kyr timescales, which could be faster than other synchronization processes such as YORP and tides. For retrograde secondaries, the Yarkovsky force always migrates the secondary outwards, which could produce asteroid pairs with opposite spin poles. Satellites spinning faster than the Roche limit orbit period (e.g. from ~4h to ~10h) will migrate inwards until they disrupt, reshape, or form a contact binary. We also predict a short-lived equilibrium state for asynchronous secondaries where the Yarkovsky force is balanced by tides. We provide calculations of the Yarkovsky-induced drift rate for known asynchronous binaries. If the NASA DART impact broke Dimorphos from synchronous rotation, we predict that Dimorphos's orbit will shrink by \dot a ~ 7 cm/yr, which can be measured by the Hera mission. We also speculate that the Yarkovsky force may have synchronized the Dinkinesh-Selam system after a possible merger of Selam's two lobes.

[4]  arXiv:2405.16857 [pdf, ps, other]

Title: KMT-2023-BLG-2669: Ninth Free-floating Planet Candidate with $θ_{\rm E}$ measurements

Authors: Youn Kil Jung, Kyu-Ha Hwang, Hongjing Yang, Andrew Gould, Jennifer C. Yee, Cheongho Han, Michael D. Albrow, Sun-Ju Chung, Yoon-Hyun Ryu, In-Gu Shin, Yossi Shvartzvald, Weicheng Zang, Sang-Mok Cha, Dong-Jin Kim, Seung-Lee Kim, Chung-Uk Lee, Dong-Joo Lee, Yongseok Lee, Byeong-Gon Park, Richard W. Pogge

Comments: 17 pages, 5 figures, submitted to AJ

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)

We report a free-floating planet (FFP) candidate identified from the analysis of the microlensing event KMT-2023-BLG-2669. The lensing light curve is characterized by a short duration $(\lesssim 3\,{\rm days})$ and a small amplitude $(\lesssim 0.7\,{\rm mag})$. From the analysis, we find the Einstein timescale of $t_{\rm E} \backsimeq 0.33\,{\rm days}$ and the Einstein radius of $\theta_{\rm E} \backsimeq 4.41\,{\mu}{\rm as}$. These measurements enable us to infer the lens mass as $M = 8\,M_{\oplus} (\pi_{\rm rel} / 0.1\,{\rm mas})^{-1}$, where $\pi_{\rm rel}$ is the relative lens-source parallax. The inference implies that the lens is a sub-Neptune- to Saturn-mass object depending on its unknown distance. This is the ninth isolated planetary-mass microlens with $\theta_{\rm E} < 10\,{\mu}{\rm as}$, which (as shown by \citealt{gould22}) is a useful threshold for a FFP candidate. We conduct extensive searches for possible signals of a host star in the light curve, but find no strong evidence for the host. We discuss the possibility of using late-time high-resolution imaging to probe for possible hosts.

[5]  arXiv:2405.17155 [pdf, other]

Title: A low-mass sub-Neptune planet transiting the bright active star HD 73344

Authors: S. Sulis, I.J.M. Crossfield, A. Santerne, M. Saillenfest, S. Sousa, D. Mary, A. Aguichine, M. Deleuil, E. Delgado Mena, S. Mathur, A. Polanski, V. Adibekyan, I. Boisse, J.C. Costes, M. Cretignier, N. Heidari, C. Lebarbé, T. Forveille, N. Hara, N. Meunier, N. Santos, S. Balcarcel-Salazar, P. Cortés-Zuleta, S. Dalal, V. Gorjian, S. Halverson, A.W. Howard, M.R. Kosiarek, T.A. Lopez, D.V. Martin, O. Mousis, B. Rajkumar, P.A. Ström, S. Udry, O. Venot, E. Willett

Comments: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)

Context. Planets with radii of between 2-4 RE closely orbiting solar-type stars are of significant importance for studying the transition from rocky to giant planets.
Aims. Our goal is to determine the mass of a transiting planet around the very bright F6 star HD 73344 . This star exhibits high activity and has a rotation period that is close to the orbital period of the planet.
Methods. The transiting planet, initially a K2 candidate, is confirmed through TESS observations . We refined its parameters and rule out a false positive with Spitzer observations. We analyzed high-precision RV data from the SOPHIE and HIRES spectrographs. We conducted separate and joint analyses using the PASTIS software. We used a novel observing strategy, targeting the star at high cadence for two consecutive nights with SOPHIE to understand the short-term stellar variability. We modeled stellar noise with two Gaussian processes.
Results. High-cadence RV observations provide better constraints on stellar variability and precise orbital parameters for the transiting planet. The derived mean density suggests a sub-Neptune-type composition, but uncertainties in the planet's mass prevent a detailed characterization. In addition, we find a periodic signal in the RV data that we attribute to the signature of a nontransiting exoplanet, without totally excluding the possibility of a nonplanetary origin. Dynamical analyses confirm the stability of the two-planet system and provide constraints on the inclination of the candidate planet; these findings favor a near-coplanar system.
Conclusions. While the transiting planet orbits the bright star at a short period, stellar activity prevented us from precise mass measurements. Long-term RV tracking of this planet could improve this measurement, as well as our understanding of the activity of the host star.

[6]  arXiv:2405.17219 [pdf, other]

Title: How likely is the interstellar origin of CNEOS14? On the reliability of the CNEOS database

Authors: Hector Socas-Navarro

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)

This paper investigates the likelihood that the CNEOS 2014-01-08 superbolide (CNEOS14) was caused by an interstellar object. This issue has remained controversial due to lack of information on the capabilities of the classified satellite sensors that recorded the fireball. We critically evaluate previous studies, specifically addressing the reliability of the CNEOS database and the associated measurement uncertainties. With proper statistical analysis of existing data and the addition of a relevant new event (the 2024 Iberian superbolide), we disprove some claims in previous work, such as: a) the existence of a purported correlation between CNEOS velocity errors and bolide speed; b) the presence of large velocity errors of 10-15 km/s in the CNEOS database; and c) the assertion that CNEOS14 is most likely a solar system object with a hyperbolic trajectory due to measurement errors. We present a quantitative estimate of the probability that CNEOS14 is interstellar. If its measurement errors are drawn from the same underlying distribution as the 18 calibrated events, then the probability that CNEOS14 is interstellar is 94.1%. This probability is lower than the 99.7% confidence (3-sigma) generally required to claim a scientific discovery. However, it is sufficiently high to be considered significant and, by far, the most likely explanation for the currently available empirical evidence.

[7]  arXiv:2405.17235 [pdf, ps, other]

Title: A study of centaur (54598) Bienor from multiple stellar occultations and rotational light curves

Authors: J. L. Rizos, E. Fernández-Valenzuela, J. L. Ortiz, F. L. Rommel, B. Sicardy, N. Morales, P. Santos-Sanz, R. Leiva, M. Vara-Lubiano, R. Morales, M. Kretlow, A. Alvarez-Candal, B. J. Holler, R. Duffard, J. M. Gómez-Limón, J. Desmars, D. Souami, M. Assafin, G. Benedetti-Rossi, F. Braga-Ribas, J. I. B. Camargo, F. Colas, J. Lecacheux, A. R. Gomes-Júnior, R. Vieira-Martins, C. L. Pereira, B. Morgado, Y. Kilic, S. Redfield, C. Soloff, K. McGregor, K. Green, T. Midavaine, O. Schreurs, M. Lecossois, R. Boninsegna, M. Ida, P. Le Cam, K. Isobe, Hayato Watanabe, S. Yuasa, Hikaru Watanabe, S. Kidd

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

Centaurs, distinguished by their volatile-rich compositions, play a pivotal role in understanding the formation and evolution of the early solar system, as they represent remnants of the primordial material that populated the outer regions. Stellar occultations offer a means to investigate their physical properties, including shape, rotational state, or the potential presence of satellites and rings.
This work aims to conduct a detailed study of the centaur (54598) Bienor through stellar occultations and rotational light curves from photometric data collected during recent years.
We successfully predicted three stellar occultations by Bienor, which were observed from Japan, Eastern Europe, and the USA. In addition, we organized observational campaigns from Spain to obtain rotational light curves. At the same time, we develop software to generate synthetic light curves from three-dimensional shape models, enabling us to validate the outcomes through computer simulations.
We resolve Bienor's projected ellipse for December 26, 2022, determine a prograde sense of rotation, and confirm an asymmetric rotational light curve. We also retrieve the axes of its triaxial ellipsoid shape as a = (127 $\pm$ 5) km, b = (55 $\pm$ 4) km, and c = (45 $\pm$ 4) km. Moreover, we refine the rotation period to 9.1736 $\pm$ 0.0002 hours and determine a geometric albedo of (6.5 $\pm$ 0.5) %, higher than previously determined by other methods. Finally, by comparing our findings with previous results and simulated rotational light curves, we analyze whether an irregular or contact-binary shape, the presence of an additional element such as a satellite, or significant albedo variations on Bienor's surface, may be present.

[8]  arXiv:2405.17294 [pdf, other]

Title: Non-Detections of Helium in the Young Sub-Jovian Planets K2-100b, HD 63433b, & V1298 Tau c

Authors: Munazza K. Alam, James Kirk, Leonardo A. Dos Santos, Patrick McCreery, Andrew P. Allan, James E. Owen, Aline A. Vidotto, Romain Allart, Vincent Bourrier, Néstor Espinoza, George W. King, Mercedes López-Morales, Julia V. Seidel

Comments: 24 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

We search for excess in-transit absorption of neutral helium at 1.083 $\mu$m in the atmospheres of the young (<800 Myr) sub-Jovian (0.2-0.5 $\rm R_{J}$) planets HD 63433b, K2-100b, and V1298 Tau c using high-resolution (R~25,000) transit observations taken with Keck II/NIRSPEC. Our observations do not show evidence of helium absorption for any of the planets in our sample. We calculate 3$\sigma$ upper limits on the planets' excess helium absorption of <0.47% for HD 63433b, <0.56% for K2-100b, and <1.13% for V1298 Tau c. In terms of equivalent width, we constrain these to <2.52, <4.44, and <8.49 mA for HD 63433b, K2-100b, and V1298 Tau c, respectively. We fit our transmission spectra with one-dimensional Parker wind models to determine upper limits on the planets' mass-loss rates of <7.9$\times10^{10}$, <1.25$\times10^{11}$, and <$7.9\times10^{11}$g s$^{-1}$. Our non-detections align with expectations from one-dimensional hydrodynamic escape models, magnetic fields, and stellar wind confinement. The upper limits we measure for these planets are consistent with predicted trends in system age and He equivalent width from 1D hydrodynamic models.

Cross-lists for Tue, 28 May 24

[9]  arXiv:2405.17048 (cross-list from astro-ph.SR) [pdf, ps, other]

Title: Radiative transfer modeling of outbursts of massive young stellar objects

Authors: Verena Wolf

Comments: PhD Thesis

Subjects: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR); Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

Young stellar objects (YSOs) accrete up to half of their material in short periods of enhanced mass accretion. For massive YSOs (MYSOs with more than 8 solar masses), accretion outbursts are of special importance, as they serve as diagnostics in highly obscured regions. Within this work, two outbursting MYSOs within different evolutionary stages, the young source G358.93-0.03 MM1 (G358) and the more evolved one G323.46-0.08 (G323), are investigated, and the major burst parameters are derived. For both sources, follow-up observations with the airborne SOFIA observatory were performed to detect the FIR afterglows. All together, we took three burst-/post-observations in the far infrared. The burst parameters are needed to understand the accretion physics and to conclude on the possible triggering mechanisms behind it. Up to today, G323s burst is the most energetic one ever observed for a MYSO. G358s burst was about two orders of magnitude weaker and shorter (2 months instead of 8 years). We suggest that G358s burst was caused by the accretion of a spiral fragment (or a small planet), where G323 accreted a heavy object (a planet or even a potential companion). To model those sources, we use radiative transfer (RT) simulations (static and time-dependent). G323s accretion burst is the first astrophysical science case, that is modeled with time-dependent RT (TDRT). We incorporate a small TDRT parameter-study and develop a time-depending fitting tool (the TFitter) for future modeling.

Replacements for Tue, 28 May 24

[10]  arXiv:2107.12372 (replaced) [pdf, other]

Title: Natural dynamical reduction of the three-body problem

Authors: Barak Kol

Comments: 32 pages, 2 figures. v2: added the sections "Hill-like region in geometry space" and "quotes from previous works", and made more minor changes. v3: published version + added relevant reference for Hill-like region

Journal-ref: Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 135, 29 (2023)

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc); High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th); Classical Physics (physics.class-ph)

[11]  arXiv:2404.09700 (replaced) [pdf, other]

Title: Revisiting the barometric equation and the extent of a planetary atmosphere

Authors: Marcos Grimsditch, Victor G. Karpov

Comments: 7 pages, 2 figures

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR); Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)

[12]  arXiv:2405.15024 (replaced) [pdf, other]

Title: The 18 May 2024 superbolide over the Iberian Peninsula: USG space sensors and ground-based independent observations

Authors: Eloy Peña-Asensio, Pau Grèbol-Tomàs, Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez, Pablo Ramírez-Moreta, Rainer Kresken

Comments: Submitted to MNRAS

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM); Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph)

[13]  arXiv:2405.05410 (replaced) [pdf, ps, other]

Title: Pulsar Timing Noise from Brownian Motion of the Sun

Authors: Abraham Loeb (Harvard)

Comments: Submitted for publication in ApJL, 5 pages (with updates following peer-review)

Subjects: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc); Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)

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