Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS
Both direct and indirect methods of exoplanet detection rely upon detailed knowledge of the potential host stars. Such stellar characterization allows for accurate extraction of planetary properties, as well as contributing to our overall understanding of exoplanetary system architecture. In this an...
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astronomical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acda26 |
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| author | Emilie R. Simpson Tara Fetherolf Stephen R. Kane Joshua Pepper Teo Močnik Paul A. Dalba |
| author_facet | Emilie R. Simpson Tara Fetherolf Stephen R. Kane Joshua Pepper Teo Močnik Paul A. Dalba |
| author_sort | Emilie R. Simpson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Both direct and indirect methods of exoplanet detection rely upon detailed knowledge of the potential host stars. Such stellar characterization allows for accurate extraction of planetary properties, as well as contributing to our overall understanding of exoplanetary system architecture. In this analysis, we examine the photometry of 264 known exoplanet host stars (harboring 337 planetary companions) that were observed during the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Prime Mission. We identify periodic signatures in the lightcurves of these stars and make possible connections to stellar pulsations and their rotation periods, and compare the stellar variability to the published planetary orbital periods. From these comparisons, we quantify the effects of stellar variability on exoplanet detection, confirming that exoplanets detection is biased toward lower variability stars, but larger exoplanets dominate the population of exoplanets around variable stars. Exoplanet detection methods represented among these systems are distinct between stellar spectral types across the main sequence, though notable outliers exist. In addition, biases present in both the sourced data from TESS and the host star selection process, which strongly influences the representation of both stellar and planetary characteristics in the final populations. We also determine whether the host stars photometric variability affects or mimics the behavior or properties of the system’s planets. These results are discussed in the context of how the behavior of the host star is responsible for how we observe exoplanet characteristics, most notably their radii and atmospheric properties, and how the activity may alter our measurements or impact the evolution of planetary properties. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-207a690262694d3eb181f2fda49f1c59 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1538-3881 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astronomical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-207a690262694d3eb181f2fda49f1c592025-08-20T02:11:51ZengIOP PublishingThe Astronomical Journal1538-38812023-01-0116627210.3847/1538-3881/acda26Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESSEmilie R. Simpson0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0447-9867Tara Fetherolf1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3551-279XStephen R. Kane2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7084-0529Joshua Pepper3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3827-8417Teo Močnik4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4603-556XPaul A. Dalba5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4297-5506Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California , Riverside, CA 92521, USA ; esimp005@ucr.edu; SETI Institute , Mountain View, CA 94043, USADepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California , Riverside, CA 92521, USA ; esimp005@ucr.eduDepartment of Physics, Lehigh University , 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USADepartment of Physics, Lehigh University , 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USAGemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab , 670 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USASETI Institute , Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California , Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USABoth direct and indirect methods of exoplanet detection rely upon detailed knowledge of the potential host stars. Such stellar characterization allows for accurate extraction of planetary properties, as well as contributing to our overall understanding of exoplanetary system architecture. In this analysis, we examine the photometry of 264 known exoplanet host stars (harboring 337 planetary companions) that were observed during the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Prime Mission. We identify periodic signatures in the lightcurves of these stars and make possible connections to stellar pulsations and their rotation periods, and compare the stellar variability to the published planetary orbital periods. From these comparisons, we quantify the effects of stellar variability on exoplanet detection, confirming that exoplanets detection is biased toward lower variability stars, but larger exoplanets dominate the population of exoplanets around variable stars. Exoplanet detection methods represented among these systems are distinct between stellar spectral types across the main sequence, though notable outliers exist. In addition, biases present in both the sourced data from TESS and the host star selection process, which strongly influences the representation of both stellar and planetary characteristics in the final populations. We also determine whether the host stars photometric variability affects or mimics the behavior or properties of the system’s planets. These results are discussed in the context of how the behavior of the host star is responsible for how we observe exoplanet characteristics, most notably their radii and atmospheric properties, and how the activity may alter our measurements or impact the evolution of planetary properties.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acda26Exoplanet detection methodsExoplanetsPeriodic variable starsStellar activityExoplanet systemsPhotometry |
| spellingShingle | Emilie R. Simpson Tara Fetherolf Stephen R. Kane Joshua Pepper Teo Močnik Paul A. Dalba Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS The Astronomical Journal Exoplanet detection methods Exoplanets Periodic variable stars Stellar activity Exoplanet systems Photometry |
| title | Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS |
| title_full | Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS |
| title_fullStr | Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS |
| title_short | Variability of Known Exoplanet Host Stars Observed by TESS |
| title_sort | variability of known exoplanet host stars observed by tess |
| topic | Exoplanet detection methods Exoplanets Periodic variable stars Stellar activity Exoplanet systems Photometry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acda26 |
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