An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert

James S. Jenkins; Matías R. Díaz; Nicolás T. Kurtovic; Néstor Espinoza; Jose I. Vines; Pablo A. Peña Rojas; Rafael Brahm; Pascal Torres; Pía Cortés-Zuleta; Maritza G. Soto; Eric D. Lopez; George W. King; Peter J. Wheatley; Joshua N. Winn; David R. Ciardi; George Ricker; Roland Vanderspek; David W. Latham; Sara Seager; Jon M. Jenkins; Charles A. Beichman; Allyson Bieryla; Christopher J. Burke; Jessie L. Christiansen; Christopher E. Henze; Todd C. Klaus; Sean McCauliff; Mayuko Mori; Norio Narita; Taku Nishiumi; Motohide Tamura; Jerome Pitogo de Leon; Samuel N. Quinn; Jesus Noel Villaseñor; Michael Vezie; Jack J. Lissauer; Karen A. Collins; Kevin I. Collins; Giovanni Isopi; Franco Mallia; Andrea Ercolino; Cristobal Petrovich; Andrés Jordán; Jack S. Acton; David J. Armstrong; Daniel Bayliss; François Bouchy; Claudia~Belardi; Edward M. Bryant; Matthew R. Burleigh; Juan Cabrera; Sarah L. Casewell; Alexander Chaushev; Benjamin F. Cooke; Philipp Eigmüller; Anders Erikson; Emma Foxell; Boris T. Gänsicke; Samuel Gill; Edward Gillen; Maximilian N. Günther; Michael R. Goad; Matthew J. Hooton; James A. G. Jackman; Tom Louden; James McCormac; Maximiliano Moyano; Louise D. Nielsen; Don Pollacco; Didier Queloz; Heike Rauer; Liam Raynard; Alexis M. S. Smith; Rosanna H. Tilbrook; Ruth Titz-Weider; Oliver Turner; Stéphane Udry; Simon R. Walker; Christopher A. Watson; Richard G. West; Enric Palle; Carl Ziegler; Nicholas Law; Andrew W. Mann

doi:10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z

An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert

James S. Jenkins, Matías R. Díaz, Nicolás T. Kurtovic, Néstor Espinoza, Jose I. Vines, Pablo A. Peña Rojas, Rafael Brahm, Pascal Torres, Pía Cortés-Zuleta, Maritza G. Soto, Eric D. Lopez, George W. King, Peter J. Wheatley, Joshua N. Winn, David R. Ciardi, George Ricker, Roland Vanderspek, David W. Latham, Sara Seager, Jon M. JenkinsCharles A. Beichman, Allyson Bieryla, Christopher J. Burke, Jessie L. Christiansen, Christopher E. Henze, Todd C. Klaus, Sean McCauliff, Mayuko Mori, Norio Narita, Taku Nishiumi, Motohide Tamura, Jerome Pitogo de Leon, Samuel N. Quinn, Jesus Noel Villaseñor, Michael Vezie, Jack J. Lissauer, Karen A. Collins, Kevin I. Collins, Giovanni Isopi, Franco Mallia, Andrea Ercolino, Cristobal Petrovich, Andrés Jordán, Jack S. Acton, David J. Armstrong, Daniel Bayliss, François Bouchy, Claudia~Belardi, Edward M. Bryant, Matthew R. Burleigh, Juan Cabrera, Sarah L. Casewell, Alexander Chaushev, Benjamin F. Cooke, Philipp Eigmüller, Anders Erikson, Emma Foxell, Boris T. Gänsicke, Samuel Gill, Edward Gillen, Maximilian N. Günther, Michael R. Goad, Matthew J. Hooton, James A. G. Jackman, Tom Louden, James McCormac, Maximiliano Moyano, Louise D. Nielsen, Don Pollacco, Didier Queloz, Heike Rauer, Liam Raynard, Alexis M. S. Smith, Rosanna H. Tilbrook, Ruth Titz-Weider, Oliver Turner, Stéphane Udry, Simon R. Walker, Christopher A. Watson, Richard G. West, Enric Palle, Carl Ziegler, Nicholas Law, Andrew W. Mann

School of Mathematics and Physics

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Abstract

About one out of 200 Sun-like stars has a planet with an orbital period shorter than one day: an ultra-short-period planet (Sanchis-ojeda et al. 2014; Winn et al. 2018). All of the previously known ultra-short-period planets are either hot Jupiters, with sizes above 10 Earth radii (Re), or apparently rocky planets smaller than 2 Re. Such lack of planets of intermediate size (the "hot Neptune desert") has been interpreted as the inability of low-mass planets to retain any hydrogen/helium (H/He) envelope in the face of strong stellar irradiation. Here, we report the discovery of an ultra-short-period planet with a radius of 4.6 Re and a mass of 29 Me, firmly in the hot Neptune desert. Data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Ricker et al. 2015) revealed transits of the bright Sun-like star LTT9779, every 0.79 days. The planet's mean density is similar to that of Neptune, and according to thermal evolution models, it has a H/He-rich envelope constituting 9.0^(+2.7)_(-2.9)% of the total mass. With an equilibrium temperature around 2000 K, it is unclear how this "ultra-hot Neptune" managed to retain such an envelope. Follow-up observations of the planet's atmosphere to better understand its origin and physical nature will be facilitated by the star's brightness (Vmag=9.8).

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Astronomy
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z
Publication status	Published - 21 Sept 2020

Bibliographical note

26 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Published in Nature Astronomy (21/09/2020)

Keywords

astro-ph.EP
astro-ph.SR

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An ultrahot Neptune in the Neptune desert
Copyright 2020 Nature Research. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
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Christopher Watson
- c.a.watsonqub.acuk
- School of Mathematics and Physics - Professor
- Astrophysics Research Centre (ARC)
Person: Academic

Cite this

Jenkins, J. S., Díaz, M. R., Kurtovic, N. T., Espinoza, N., Vines, J. I., Rojas, P. A. P., Brahm, R., Torres, P., Cortés-Zuleta, P., Soto, M. G., Lopez, E. D., King, G. W., Wheatley, P. J., Winn, J. N., Ciardi, D. R., Ricker, G., Vanderspek, R., Latham, D. W., Seager, S., ... Mann, A. W. (2020). An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert. Nature Astronomy. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z

@article{eb75a69784d54492912e40f43e4bf89e,

title = "An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert",

abstract = "About one out of 200 Sun-like stars has a planet with an orbital period shorter than one day: an ultra-short-period planet (Sanchis-ojeda et al. 2014; Winn et al. 2018). All of the previously known ultra-short-period planets are either hot Jupiters, with sizes above 10 Earth radii (Re), or apparently rocky planets smaller than 2 Re. Such lack of planets of intermediate size (the {"}hot Neptune desert{"}) has been interpreted as the inability of low-mass planets to retain any hydrogen/helium (H/He) envelope in the face of strong stellar irradiation. Here, we report the discovery of an ultra-short-period planet with a radius of 4.6 Re and a mass of 29 Me, firmly in the hot Neptune desert. Data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Ricker et al. 2015) revealed transits of the bright Sun-like star LTT9779, every 0.79 days. The planet's mean density is similar to that of Neptune, and according to thermal evolution models, it has a H/He-rich envelope constituting 9.0\textasciicircum{}(+2.7)\_(-2.9)\% of the total mass. With an equilibrium temperature around 2000 K, it is unclear how this {"}ultra-hot Neptune{"} managed to retain such an envelope. Follow-up observations of the planet's atmosphere to better understand its origin and physical nature will be facilitated by the star's brightness (Vmag=9.8). ",

keywords = "astro-ph.EP, astro-ph.SR",

author = "Jenkins, \{James S.\} and D{\'i}az, \{Mat{\'i}as R.\} and Kurtovic, \{Nicol{\'a}s T.\} and N{\'e}stor Espinoza and Vines, \{Jose I.\} and Rojas, \{Pablo A. Pe{\~n}a\} and Rafael Brahm and Pascal Torres and P{\'i}a Cort{\'e}s-Zuleta and Soto, \{Maritza G.\} and Lopez, \{Eric D.\} and King, \{George W.\} and Wheatley, \{Peter J.\} and Winn, \{Joshua N.\} and Ciardi, \{David R.\} and George Ricker and Roland Vanderspek and Latham, \{David W.\} and Sara Seager and Jenkins, \{Jon M.\} and Beichman, \{Charles A.\} and Allyson Bieryla and Burke, \{Christopher J.\} and Christiansen, \{Jessie L.\} and Henze, \{Christopher E.\} and Klaus, \{Todd C.\} and Sean McCauliff and Mayuko Mori and Norio Narita and Taku Nishiumi and Motohide Tamura and Leon, \{Jerome Pitogo de\} and Quinn, \{Samuel N.\} and Villase{\~n}or, \{Jesus Noel\} and Michael Vezie and Lissauer, \{Jack J.\} and Collins, \{Karen A.\} and Collins, \{Kevin I.\} and Giovanni Isopi and Franco Mallia and Andrea Ercolino and Cristobal Petrovich and Andr{\'e}s Jord{\'a}n and Acton, \{Jack S.\} and Armstrong, \{David J.\} and Daniel Bayliss and Fran{\c c}ois Bouchy and Claudia\textasciitilde{}Belardi and Bryant, \{Edward M.\} and Burleigh, \{Matthew R.\} and Juan Cabrera and Casewell, \{Sarah L.\} and Alexander Chaushev and Cooke, \{Benjamin F.\} and Philipp Eigm{\"u}ller and Anders Erikson and Emma Foxell and G{\"a}nsicke, \{Boris T.\} and Samuel Gill and Edward Gillen and G{\"u}nther, \{Maximilian N.\} and Goad, \{Michael R.\} and Hooton, \{Matthew J.\} and Jackman, \{James A. G.\} and Tom Louden and James McCormac and Maximiliano Moyano and Nielsen, \{Louise D.\} and Don Pollacco and Didier Queloz and Heike Rauer and Liam Raynard and Smith, \{Alexis M. S.\} and Tilbrook, \{Rosanna H.\} and Ruth Titz-Weider and Oliver Turner and St{\'e}phane Udry and Walker, \{Simon R.\} and Watson, \{Christopher A.\} and West, \{Richard G.\} and Enric Palle and Carl Ziegler and Nicholas Law and Mann, \{Andrew W.\}",

note = "26 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Published in Nature Astronomy (21/09/2020)",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature Astronomy",

issn = "2397-3366",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

Jenkins, JS, Díaz, MR, Kurtovic, NT, Espinoza, N, Vines, JI, Rojas, PAP, Brahm, R, Torres, P, Cortés-Zuleta, P, Soto, MG, Lopez, ED, King, GW, Wheatley, PJ, Winn, JN, Ciardi, DR, Ricker, G, Vanderspek, R, Latham, DW, Seager, S, Jenkins, JM, Beichman, CA, Bieryla, A, Burke, CJ, Christiansen, JL, Henze, CE, Klaus, TC, McCauliff, S, Mori, M, Narita, N, Nishiumi, T, Tamura, M, Leon, JPD, Quinn, SN, Villaseñor, JN, Vezie, M, Lissauer, JJ, Collins, KA, Collins, KI, Isopi, G, Mallia, F, Ercolino, A, Petrovich, C, Jordán, A, Acton, JS, Armstrong, DJ, Bayliss, D, Bouchy, F, Claudia~Belardi, Bryant, EM, Burleigh, MR, Cabrera, J, Casewell, SL, Chaushev, A, Cooke, BF, Eigmüller, P, Erikson, A, Foxell, E, Gänsicke, BT, Gill, S, Gillen, E, Günther, MN, Goad, MR, Hooton, MJ, Jackman, JAG, Louden, T, McCormac, J, Moyano, M, Nielsen, LD, Pollacco, D, Queloz, D, Rauer, H, Raynard, L, Smith, AMS, Tilbrook, RH, Titz-Weider, R, Turner, O, Udry, S, Walker, SR, Watson, CA, West, RG, Palle, E, Ziegler, C, Law, N & Mann, AW 2020, 'An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert', Nature Astronomy. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z

TY - JOUR

T1 - An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert

AU - Jenkins, James S.

AU - Díaz, Matías R.

AU - Kurtovic, Nicolás T.

AU - Espinoza, Néstor

AU - Vines, Jose I.

AU - Rojas, Pablo A. Peña

AU - Brahm, Rafael

AU - Torres, Pascal

AU - Cortés-Zuleta, Pía

AU - Soto, Maritza G.

AU - Lopez, Eric D.

AU - King, George W.

AU - Wheatley, Peter J.

AU - Winn, Joshua N.

AU - Ciardi, David R.

AU - Ricker, George

AU - Vanderspek, Roland

AU - Latham, David W.

AU - Seager, Sara

AU - Jenkins, Jon M.

AU - Beichman, Charles A.

AU - Bieryla, Allyson

AU - Burke, Christopher J.

AU - Christiansen, Jessie L.

AU - Henze, Christopher E.

AU - Klaus, Todd C.

AU - McCauliff, Sean

AU - Mori, Mayuko

AU - Narita, Norio

AU - Nishiumi, Taku

AU - Tamura, Motohide

AU - Leon, Jerome Pitogo de

AU - Quinn, Samuel N.

AU - Villaseñor, Jesus Noel

AU - Vezie, Michael

AU - Lissauer, Jack J.

AU - Collins, Karen A.

AU - Collins, Kevin I.

AU - Isopi, Giovanni

AU - Mallia, Franco

AU - Ercolino, Andrea

AU - Petrovich, Cristobal

AU - Jordán, Andrés

AU - Acton, Jack S.

AU - Armstrong, David J.

AU - Bayliss, Daniel

AU - Bouchy, François

AU - Claudia~Belardi, null

AU - Bryant, Edward M.

AU - Burleigh, Matthew R.

AU - Cabrera, Juan

AU - Casewell, Sarah L.

AU - Chaushev, Alexander

AU - Cooke, Benjamin F.

AU - Eigmüller, Philipp

AU - Erikson, Anders

AU - Foxell, Emma

AU - Gänsicke, Boris T.

AU - Gill, Samuel

AU - Gillen, Edward

AU - Günther, Maximilian N.

AU - Goad, Michael R.

AU - Hooton, Matthew J.

AU - Jackman, James A. G.

AU - Louden, Tom

AU - McCormac, James

AU - Moyano, Maximiliano

AU - Nielsen, Louise D.

AU - Pollacco, Don

AU - Queloz, Didier

AU - Rauer, Heike

AU - Raynard, Liam

AU - Smith, Alexis M. S.

AU - Tilbrook, Rosanna H.

AU - Titz-Weider, Ruth

AU - Turner, Oliver

AU - Udry, Stéphane

AU - Walker, Simon R.

AU - Watson, Christopher A.

AU - West, Richard G.

AU - Palle, Enric

AU - Ziegler, Carl

AU - Law, Nicholas

AU - Mann, Andrew W.

N1 - 26 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Published in Nature Astronomy (21/09/2020)

PY - 2020/9/21

Y1 - 2020/9/21

N2 - About one out of 200 Sun-like stars has a planet with an orbital period shorter than one day: an ultra-short-period planet (Sanchis-ojeda et al. 2014; Winn et al. 2018). All of the previously known ultra-short-period planets are either hot Jupiters, with sizes above 10 Earth radii (Re), or apparently rocky planets smaller than 2 Re. Such lack of planets of intermediate size (the "hot Neptune desert") has been interpreted as the inability of low-mass planets to retain any hydrogen/helium (H/He) envelope in the face of strong stellar irradiation. Here, we report the discovery of an ultra-short-period planet with a radius of 4.6 Re and a mass of 29 Me, firmly in the hot Neptune desert. Data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Ricker et al. 2015) revealed transits of the bright Sun-like star LTT9779, every 0.79 days. The planet's mean density is similar to that of Neptune, and according to thermal evolution models, it has a H/He-rich envelope constituting 9.0^(+2.7)_(-2.9)% of the total mass. With an equilibrium temperature around 2000 K, it is unclear how this "ultra-hot Neptune" managed to retain such an envelope. Follow-up observations of the planet's atmosphere to better understand its origin and physical nature will be facilitated by the star's brightness (Vmag=9.8).

AB - About one out of 200 Sun-like stars has a planet with an orbital period shorter than one day: an ultra-short-period planet (Sanchis-ojeda et al. 2014; Winn et al. 2018). All of the previously known ultra-short-period planets are either hot Jupiters, with sizes above 10 Earth radii (Re), or apparently rocky planets smaller than 2 Re. Such lack of planets of intermediate size (the "hot Neptune desert") has been interpreted as the inability of low-mass planets to retain any hydrogen/helium (H/He) envelope in the face of strong stellar irradiation. Here, we report the discovery of an ultra-short-period planet with a radius of 4.6 Re and a mass of 29 Me, firmly in the hot Neptune desert. Data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Ricker et al. 2015) revealed transits of the bright Sun-like star LTT9779, every 0.79 days. The planet's mean density is similar to that of Neptune, and according to thermal evolution models, it has a H/He-rich envelope constituting 9.0^(+2.7)_(-2.9)% of the total mass. With an equilibrium temperature around 2000 K, it is unclear how this "ultra-hot Neptune" managed to retain such an envelope. Follow-up observations of the planet's atmosphere to better understand its origin and physical nature will be facilitated by the star's brightness (Vmag=9.8).

KW - astro-ph.EP

KW - astro-ph.SR

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z

DO - 10.1038/s41550-020-1142-z

M3 - Article

SN - 2397-3366

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

ER -

An Ultra-Hot Neptune in the Neptune desert

Abstract

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