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Earth and Planets Laboratory

facilityWashington, United States

Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from Earth and Planets Laboratory. Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
111
Citations
2.3K
h-index
29
i10-index
59
Also known as
Earth & Planets LaboratoryEarth and Planets Laboratory

Top-cited papers from Earth and Planets Laboratory

High Tide or Riptide on the Cosmic Shoreline? A Water-rich Atmosphere or Stellar Contamination for the Warm Super-Earth GJ 486b from JWST Observations
Sarah E. Moran, Kevin B. Stevenson, David K. Sing, Ryan J. MacDonald +4 more
2023· The Astrophysical Journal Letters167doi:10.3847/2041-8213/accb9c

Abstract Planets orbiting M-dwarf stars are prime targets in the search for rocky exoplanet atmospheres. The small size of M dwarfs renders their planets exceptional targets for transmission spectroscopy, facilitating atmospheric characterization. However, it remains unknown whether their host stars’ highly variable extreme-UV radiation environments allow atmospheres to persist. With JWST, we have begun to determine whether or not the most favorable rocky worlds orbiting M dwarfs have detectable atmospheres. Here, we present a 2.8–5.2 μ m JWST NIRSpec/G395H transmission spectrum of the warm (700 K, 40.3× Earth’s insolation) super-Earth GJ 486b (1.3 R ⊕ and 3.0 M ⊕ ). The measured spectrum from our two transits of GJ 486b deviates from a flat line at 2.2 σ − 3.3 σ , based on three independent reductions. Through a combination of forward and retrieval models, we determine that GJ 486b either has a water-rich atmosphere (with the most stringent constraint on the retrieved water abundance of H 2 O &gt; 10% to 2 σ ) or the transmission spectrum is contaminated by water present in cool unocculted starspots. We also find that the measured stellar spectrum is best fit by a stellar model with cool starspots and hot faculae. While both retrieval scenarios provide equal quality fits ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>ν</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.0</mml:mn> </mml:math> ) to our NIRSpec/G395H observations, shorter wavelength observations can break this degeneracy and reveal if GJ 486b sustains a water-rich atmosphere.

Double Trouble: Two Transits of the Super-Earth GJ 1132 b Observed with JWST NIRSpec G395H
Erin May, Ryan J. MacDonald, Katherine A. Bennett, Sarah E. Moran +4 more
2023· The Astrophysical Journal Letters96doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad054f

Abstract The search for rocky planet atmospheres with JWST has focused on planets transiting M dwarfs. Such planets have favorable planet-to-star size ratios, enhancing the amplitude of atmospheric features. Since the expected signal strength of atmospheric features is similar to the single-transit performance of JWST, multiple observations are required to confirm any detection. Here, we present two transit observations of the rocky planet GJ 1132 b with JWST NIRSpec G395H, covering 2.8–5.2 μ m. Previous Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 observations of GJ 1132 b were inconclusive, with evidence reported for either an atmosphere or a featureless spectrum based on analyses of the same data set. Our JWST data exhibit substantial differences between the two visits. One transit is consistent with either an H 2 O-dominated atmosphere containing ∼1% CH 4 and trace N 2 O ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>ν</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.13</mml:mn> </mml:math> ) or stellar contamination from unocculted starspots ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>ν</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.36</mml:mn> </mml:math> ). However, the second transit is consistent with a featureless spectrum. Neither visit is consistent with a previous report of HCN. Atmospheric variability is unlikely to explain the scale of the observed differences between the visits. Similarly, our out-of-transit stellar spectra show no evidence of changing stellar inhomogeneity between the two visits—observed 8 days apart, only 6.5% of the stellar rotation rate. We further find no evidence of differing instrumental systematic effects between visits. The most plausible explanation is an unlucky random noise draw leading to two significantly discrepant transmission spectra. Our results highlight the importance of multivisit repeatability with JWST prior to claiming atmospheric detections for these small, enigmatic planets.

The effect of stellar contamination on low-resolution transmission spectroscopy: needs identified by NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Study Analysis Group 21
Benjamin V. Rackham, Néstor Espinoza, S. V. Berdyugina, H. Korhonen +4 more
2023· RAS Techniques and Instruments85doi:10.1093/rasti/rzad009

Abstract Study Analysis Group 21 (SAG21) of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group was organized to study the effect of stellar contamination on space-based transmission spectroscopy, a method for studying exoplanetary atmospheres by measuring the wavelength-dependent radius of a planet as it transits its star. Transmission spectroscopy relies on a precise understanding of the spectrum of the star being occulted. However, stars are not homogeneous, constant light sources but have temporally evolving photospheres and chromospheres with inhomogeneities like spots, faculae, plages, granules, and flares. This SAG brought together an interdisciplinary team of more than 100 scientists, with observers and theorists from the heliophysics, stellar astrophysics, planetary science, and exoplanetary atmosphere research communities, to study the current research needs that can be addressed in this context to make the most of transit studies from current NASA facilities like Hubble Space Telescope and JWST. The analysis produced 14 findings, which fall into three science themes encompassing (i) how the Sun is used as our best laboratory to calibrate our understanding of stellar heterogeneities (‘The Sun as the Stellar Benchmark’), (ii) how stars other than the Sun extend our knowledge of heterogeneities (‘Surface Heterogeneities of Other Stars’), and (iii) how to incorporate information gathered for the Sun and other stars into transit studies (‘Mapping Stellar Knowledge to Transit Studies’). In this invited review, we largely reproduce the final report of SAG21 as a contribution to the peer-reviewed literature.

Diving Beneath the Sea of Stellar Activity: Chromatic Radial Velocities of the Young AU Mic Planetary System
Bryson Cale, Michael Reefe, Peter Plavchan, Angelle Tanner +4 more
2021· The Astronomical Journal71doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac2c80

Abstract We present updated radial-velocity (RV) analyses of the AU Mic system. AU Mic is a young (22 Myr) early-M dwarf known to host two transiting planets— P b ∼ 8.46 days, <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>b</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>4.38</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.18</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.18</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mspace width="0.33em"/> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>⊕</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> , P c ∼ 18.86 days, <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>c</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>3.51</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.16</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.16</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mspace width="0.33em"/> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>⊕</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> . With visible RVs from Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exo-earths with Near-infrared and optical echelle Spectrographs (CARMENES)-VIS, CHIRON, HARPS, HIRES, M inerva -Australis, and Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph, as well as near-infrared (NIR) RVs from CARMENES-NIR, CSHELL, IRD, iSHELL, NIRSPEC, and SPIRou, we provide a 5 σ upper limit to the mass of AU Mic c of M c ≤ 20.13 M ⊕ and present a refined mass of AU Mic b of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>b</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>20.12</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.57</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.72</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mspace width="0.33em"/> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>⊕</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> . Used in our analyses is a new RV modeling toolkit to exploit the wavelength dependence of stellar activity present in our RVs via wavelength-dependent Gaussian processes. By obtaining near-simultaneous visible and near-infrared RVs, we also compute the temporal evolution of RV “color” and introduce a regressional method to aid in isolating Keplerian from stellar activity signals when modeling RVs in future works. Using a multiwavelength Gaussian process model, we demonstrate the ability to recover injected planets at 5 σ significance with semi-amplitudes down to ≈10 m s −1 with a known ephemeris, more than an order of magnitude below the stellar activity amplitude. However, we find that the accuracy of the recovered semi-amplitudes is ∼50% for such signals with our model.

The young HD 73583 (TOI-560) planetary system: two 10-M⊕ mini-Neptunes transiting a 500-Myr-old, bright, and active K dwarf
Oscar Barragán, D. J. Armstrong, D. Gandolfi, I. Carleo +4 more
2022· Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society50doi:10.1093/mnras/stac638

ABSTRACT We present the discovery and characterization of two transiting planets observed by TESS in the light curves of the young and bright (V = 9.67) star HD73583 (TOI-560). We perform an intensive spectroscopic and photometric space- and ground-based follow-up in order to confirm and characterize the system. We found that HD73583 is a young (∼500 Myr) active star with a rotational period of 12.08 ± 0.11 d, and a mass and radius of 0.73 ± 0.02 M⊙ and 0.65 ± 0.02 R⊙, respectively. HD 73583 b (Pb = $6.3980420 _{ - 0.0000062 } ^ { + 0.0000067 }$ d) has a mass and radius of $10.2 _{ - 3.1 } ^ { + 3.4 }$ M⊕ and 2.79 ± 0.10 R⊕, respectively, which gives a density of $2.58 _{ - 0.81 } ^ { + 0.95 }$ ${\rm g\, cm^{-3}}$. HD 73583 c (Pc = $18.87974 _{ - 0.00074 } ^ { + 0.00086 }$ d) has a mass and radius of $9.7 _{ - 1.7 } ^ { + 1.8 }$ M⊕ and $2.39 _{ - 0.09 } ^ { + 0.10 }$ R⊕, respectively, which translates to a density of $3.88 _{ - 0.80 } ^ { + 0.91 }$ ${\rm g\, cm^{-3}}$. Both planets are consistent with worlds made of a solid core surrounded by a volatile envelope. Because of their youth and host star brightness, they both are excellent candidates to perform transmission spectroscopy studies. We expect ongoing atmospheric mass-loss for both planets caused by stellar irradiation. We estimate that the detection of evaporating signatures on H and He would be challenging, but doable with present and future instruments.

Keck/NIRSPEC Studies of He i in the Atmospheres of Two Inflated Hot Gas Giants Orbiting K Dwarfs: WASP-52b and WASP-177b
James Kirk, Leonardo A. Dos Santos, Mercedes López‐Morales, Munazza K. Alam +4 more
2022· The Astronomical Journal47doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac722f

Abstract We present the detection of neutral helium at 10833 Å in the atmosphere of WASP-52b and tentative evidence of helium in the atmosphere of the grazing WASP-177b, using high-resolution observations acquired with the NIRSPEC instrument on the Keck II telescope. We detect excess absorption by helium in WASP-52b’s atmosphere of 3.44% ± 0.31% (11 σ ), or equivalently 66 ± 5 atmospheric scale heights. This absorption is centered on the planet’s rest frame (Δ v = 0.00 ± 1.19 km s −1 ). We model the planet’s escape using a 1D Parker wind model and calculate its mass-loss rate to be ∼1.4 × 10 11 g s −1 , or equivalently 0.5% of its mass per gigayear. For WASP-177b, we see evidence for redshifted (Δ v = 6.02 ± 1.88 km s −1 ) helium-like absorption of 1.28% ± 0.29% (equal to 23 ± 5 atmospheric scale heights). However, due to residual systematics in the transmission spectrum of similar amplitude, we do not interpret this as significant evidence for He absorption in the planet’s atmosphere. Using a 1D Parker wind model, we set a 3 σ upper limit on WASP-177b’s escape rate of 7.9 × 10 10 g s −1 . Our results, taken together with recent literature detections, suggest the tentative relation between XUV irradiation and He i absorption amplitude may be shallower than previously suggested. Our results highlight how metastable helium can advance our understanding of atmospheric loss and its role in shaping the exoplanet population.

Prospects for Galactic and stellar astrophysics with asteroseismology of giant stars in the <i>TESS</i> continuous viewing zones and beyond
J. Ted Mackereth, A. Miglio, Y. Elsworth, B. Mosser +4 more
2021· Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society47doi:10.1093/mnras/stab098

ABSTRACT The NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (NASA-TESS) mission presents a treasure trove for understanding the stars it observes and the Milky Way, in which they reside. We present a first look at the prospects for Galactic and stellar astrophysics by performing initial asteroseismic analyses of bright (G &amp;lt; 11) red giant stars in the TESS southern continuous viewing zone (SCVZ). Using three independent pipelines, we detect νmax and Δν in 41 per cent of the 15 405 star parent sample (6388 stars), with consistency at a level of $\sim \! 2{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ in νmax and $\sim \! 5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ in Δν. Based on this, we predict that seismology will be attainable for ∼3 × 105 giants across the whole sky and at least 104 giants with ≥1 yr of observations in the TESS-CVZs, subject to improvements in analysis and data reduction techniques. The best quality TESS-CVZ data, for 5574 stars where pipelines returned consistent results, provide high-quality power spectra across a number of stellar evolutionary states. This makes possible studies of, for example, the asymptotic giant branch bump. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mixed ℓ = 1 modes and rotational splitting are cleanly observed in the 1-yr data set. By combining TESS-CVZ data with TESS-HERMES, SkyMapper, APOGEE, and Gaia, we demonstrate its strong potential for Galactic archaeology studies, providing good age precision and accuracy that reproduces well the age of high [α/Fe] stars and relationships between mass and kinematics from previous studies based on e.g. Kepler. Better quality astrometry and simpler target selection than the Kepler sample makes this data ideal for studies of the local star formation history and evolution of the Galactic disc. These results provide a strong case for detailed spectroscopic follow-up in the CVZs to complement that which has been (or will be) collected by current surveys.

JWST/NIRCam Transmission Spectroscopy of the Nearby Sub-Earth GJ 341b
James Kirk, Kevin B. Stevenson, Guangwei Fu, Jacob Lustig‐Yaeger +4 more
2024· The Astronomical Journal45doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad19df

Abstract We present a JWST/Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) transmission spectrum from 3.9 to 5.0 μ m of the recently validated sub-Earth GJ 341b ( R P = 0.92 R ⊕ , T eq = 540 K) orbiting a nearby bright M1 star ( d = 10.4 pc, K mag = 5.6). We use three independent pipelines to reduce the data from the three JWST visits and perform several tests to check for the significance of an atmosphere. Overall, our analysis does not uncover evidence of an atmosphere. Our null hypothesis tests find that none of our pipelines’ transmission spectra can rule out a flat line, although there is weak evidence for a Gaussian feature in two spectra from different pipelines (at 2.3 and 2.9 σ ). However, the candidate features are seen at different wavelengths (4.3 μ m versus 4.7 μ m), and our retrieval analysis finds that different gas species can explain these features in the two reductions (CO 2 at 3.1 σ compared to O 3 at 2.9 σ ), suggesting that they are not real astrophysical signals. Our forward-model analysis rules out a low-mean-molecular-weight atmosphere (&lt;350× solar metallicity) to at least 3 σ , and disfavors CH 4 -dominated atmospheres at 1–3 σ , depending on the reduction. Instead, the forward models find our transmission spectra are consistent with no atmosphere, a hazy atmosphere, or an atmosphere containing a species that does not have prominent molecular bands across the NIRCam/F444W bandpass, such as a water-dominated atmosphere. Our results demonstrate the unequivocal need for two or more transit observations analyzed with multiple reduction pipelines, alongside rigorous statistical tests, to determine the robustness of molecular detections for small exoplanet atmospheres.

Stabilization of pentazolate anions in the high-pressure compounds Na<sub>2</sub>N<sub>5</sub>and NaN<sub>5</sub>and in the sodium pentazolate framework NaN<sub>5</sub>·N<sub>2</sub>
Maxim Bykov, Elena Bykova, Stella Chariton, Vitali B. Prakapenka +3 more
2021· Dalton Transactions45doi:10.1039/d1dt00722j

Synthesis and characterization of nitrogen-rich materials is important for the design of novel high energy density materials due to extremely energetic low-order nitrogen-nitrogen bonds. The balance between the energy output and stability may be achieved if polynitrogen units are stabilized by resonance as in cyclo-N5- pentazolate salts. Here we demonstrate the synthesis of three oxygen-free pentazolate salts Na2N5, NaN5 and NaN5·N2 from sodium azide NaN3 and molecular nitrogen N2 at ∼50 GPa. NaN5·N2 is a metal-pentazolate framework (MPF) obtained via a self-templated synthesis method with nitrogen molecules being incorporated into the nanochannels of the MPF. Such self-assembled MPFs may be common in a variety of ionic pentazolate compounds. The formation of Na2N5 demonstrates that the cyclo-N5 group can accommodate more than one electron and indicates the great accessible compositional diversity of pentazolate salts.

Formation of Tridymite and Evidence for a Hydrothermal History at Gale Crater, Mars
A. S. Yen, R. V. Morris, D. W. Ming, S. P. Schwenzer +4 more
2020· Journal of Geophysical Research Planets44doi:10.1029/2020je006569

Abstract In August 2015, the Curiosity Mars rover discovered tridymite, a high‐temperature silica polymorph, in Gale crater. The existing model for its occurrence suggests erosion and detrital sedimentation from silicic volcanic rocks in the crater rim or central peak. The chemistry and mineralogy of the tridymite‐bearing rocks, however, are not consistent with silicic volcanic material. Using data from Curiosity, including chemical composition from the Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer, mineralogy from the CheMin instrument, and evolved gas and isotopic analyses from the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument, we show that the tridymite‐bearing rocks exhibit similar chemical patterns with silica‐rich alteration halos which crosscut the stratigraphy. We infer that the tridymite formed in‐place through hydrothermal processes and show additional chemical and mineralogical results from Gale crater consistent with hydrothermal activity occurring after sediment deposition and lithification.

Depressed 660-km discontinuity caused by akimotoite–bridgmanite transition
Artem Chanyshev, Takayuki Ishii, Dmitry Bondar, Shrikant Bhat +4 more
2022· Nature43doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04157-z

Abstract The 660-kilometre seismic discontinuity is the boundary between the Earth’s lower mantle and transition zone and is commonly interpreted as being due to the dissociation of ringwoodite to bridgmanite plus ferropericlase (post-spinel transition) 1–3 . A distinct feature of the 660-kilometre discontinuity is its depression to 750 kilometres beneath subduction zones 4–10 . However, in situ X-ray diffraction studies using multi-anvil techniques have demonstrated negative but gentle Clapeyron slopes (that is, the ratio between pressure and temperature changes) of the post-spinel transition that do not allow a significant depression 11–13 . On the other hand, conventional high-pressure experiments face difficulties in accurate phase identification due to inevitable pressure changes during heating and the persistent presence of metastable phases 1,3 . Here we determine the post-spinel and akimotoite–bridgmanite transition boundaries by multi-anvil experiments using in situ X-ray diffraction, with the boundaries strictly based on the definition of phase equilibrium. The post-spinel boundary has almost no temperature dependence, whereas the akimotoite–bridgmanite transition has a very steep negative boundary slope at temperatures lower than ambient mantle geotherms. The large depressions of the 660-kilometre discontinuity in cold subduction zones are thus interpreted as the akimotoite–bridgmanite transition. The steep negative boundary of the akimotoite–bridgmanite transition will cause slab stagnation (a stalling of the slab’s descent) due to significant upward buoyancy 14,15 .

Origin of pressure-induced band gap tuning in tin halide perovskites
Mauro Coduri, Thomas B. Shiell, Timothy A. Strobel, Arup Mahata +4 more
2020· Materials Advances37doi:10.1039/d0ma00731e

Structural and optical high-pressure study of FASnBr<sub>3</sub> revealed a cubic to orthorhombic phase transition near 1.4 GPa accompanied by a huge band gap red-shift from 2.4 to 1.6 eV, which is followed by a blue-shift of ∼0.2 eV upon further pressure increase.

Detection of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere of WASP-39b Applying Standard Cross-correlation Techniques to JWST NIRSpec G395H Data
E. Esparza-Borges, Mercedes López‐Morales, Jéa Adams Redai, Ε. Πάλλη +4 more
2023· The Astrophysical Journal Letters36doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acf27b

Abstract Carbon monoxide was recently reported in the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter WASP-39b using the NIRSpec PRISM transit observation of this planet, collected as part of the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Program. This detection, however, could not be confidently confirmed in the initial analysis of the higher-resolution observations with NIRSpec G395H disperser. Here we confirm the detection of CO in the atmosphere of WASP-39b using the NIRSpec G395H data and cross-correlation techniques. We do this by searching for the CO signal in the unbinned transmission spectrum of the planet between 4.6 and 5.0 μ m, where the contribution of CO is expected to be higher than that of other anticipated molecules in the planet’s atmosphere. Our search results in a detection of CO with a cross-correlation function (CCF) significance of 6.6 σ when using a template with only 12 C 16 O lines. The CCF significance of the CO signal increases to 7.5 σ when including in the template lines from additional CO isotopologues, with the largest contribution being from 13 C 16 O. Our results highlight how cross-correlation techniques can be a powerful tool for unveiling the chemical composition of exoplanetary atmospheres from medium-resolution transmission spectra, including the detection of isotopologues.

The First Near-infrared Transmission Spectrum of HIP 41378 f, A Low-mass Temperate Jovian World in a Multiplanet System
Munazza K. Alam, James Kirk, Courtney D. Dressing, Mercedes López‐Morales +4 more
2022· The Astrophysical Journal Letters36doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac559d

Abstract We present a near-infrared transmission spectrum of the long-period ( P = 542 days), temperate ( T eq = 294 K) giant planet HIP 41378 f obtained with the Wide-Field Camera 3 instrument aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). With a measured mass of 12 ± 3 M ⊕ and a radius of 9.2 ± 0.1 R ⊕ , HIP 41378 f has an extremely low bulk density (0.09 ± 0.02 g cm −3 ). We measure the transit depth with a median precision of 84 ppm in 30 spectrophotometric channels with uniformly sized widths of 0.018 μ m. Within this level of precision, the spectrum shows no evidence of absorption from gaseous molecular features between 1.1 and 1.7 μ m. Comparing the observed transmission spectrum to a suite of 1D radiative-convective-thermochemical-equilibrium forward models, we rule out clear, low-metallicity atmospheres and find that the data prefer high-metallicity atmospheres or models with an additional opacity source, such as high-altitude hazes and/or circumplanetary rings. We explore the ringed scenario for HIP 41378 f further by jointly fitting the K2 and HST light curves to constrain the properties of putative rings. We also assess the possibility of distinguishing between hazy, ringed, and high-metallicity scenarios at longer wavelengths with the James Webb Space Telescope. HIP 41378 f provides a rare opportunity to probe the atmospheric composition of a cool giant planet spanning the gap in temperature, orbital separation, and stellar irradiation between the solar system giants, directly imaged planets, and the highly irradiated hot Jupiters traditionally studied via transit spectroscopy.

Novel experimental setup for megahertz X-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell at the High Energy Density (HED) instrument of the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (EuXFEL)
Hanns‐Peter Liermann, Zuzana Konôpková, Karen Appel, Clemens Prescher +4 more
2021· Journal of Synchrotron Radiation34doi:10.1107/s1600577521002551

The high-precision X-ray diffraction setup for work with diamond anvil cells (DACs) in interaction chamber 2 (IC2) of the High Energy Density instrument of the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser is described. This includes beamline optics, sample positioning and detector systems located in the multipurpose vacuum chamber. Concepts for pump-probe X-ray diffraction experiments in the DAC are described and their implementation demonstrated during the First User Community Assisted Commissioning experiment. X-ray heating and diffraction of Bi under pressure, obtained using 20 fs X-ray pulses at 17.8 keV and 2.2 MHz repetition, is illustrated through splitting of diffraction peaks, and interpreted employing finite element modeling of the sample chamber in the DAC.

Astrobiological Potential of Rocks Acquired by the Perseverance Rover at a Sedimentary Fan Front in Jezero Crater, Mars
Tanja Bosak, David L. Shuster, Eva L. Scheller, Sandra Siljeström +4 more
2024· AGU Advances33doi:10.1029/2024av001241

Abstract The Perseverance rover has collected seven oriented samples of sedimentary rocks, all likely older than the oldest signs of widespread life on Earth, at the exposed base of the western fan in Jezero crater, Mars. The samples include a sulfate‐ and clay‐bearing mudstone and sandstone, a fluvial sandstone from a stratigraphically low position at the fan front, and a carbonate‐bearing sandstone deposited above the sulfate‐bearing strata. All samples contain aqueously precipitated materials and most or all were aqueously deposited. Although the rover instruments have not confidently detected organic matter in the rocks from the fan front, the much more sensitive terrestrial instruments will still be able to search for remnants of prebiotic chemistries and past life, and study Mars's past habitability in the samples returned to Earth. The hydrated, sulfate‐bearing mudstone has the highest potential to preserve organic matter and biosignatures, whereas the carbonate‐bearing sandstones can be used to constrain when and for how long Jezero crater contained liquid water. Returned sample science analyses of sulfate, carbonate, clay, phosphate and igneous minerals as well as trace metals and volatiles that are present in the samples acquired at the fan front would provide transformative insights into past habitable environments on Mars, the evolution of its magnetic field, atmosphere and climate and the past and present cycling of atmospheric and crustal water, sulfur and carbon.

Structure of Aluminosilicate Melts
Bjørn O. Mysen
2021· ISIJ International33doi:10.2355/isijinternational.isijint-2021-100

In peralkaline and meta-aluminous melts, essentially all Al3+ (>95%) occupy tetrahedral coordination, whereas for peraluminous melts, complex mixtures of aluminum triclusters with 4-fold coordinated Al3+ and Al3+ in 5- and 6-fold coordination with oxygen describe the structure. Aluminum in tetrahedral coordination requires electrical charge-balance. With alkali metals (M+) in this role, the proportions are M+=Al3+. The overall structure is dominated by three-dimensionally interconnected tetrahedra to form 6-membered rings of tetrahedra. The Al/(Al+Si) of these tetrahedra are simple positive functions of the bulk melt Al/(Al+Si). When tetrahedrally-coordinated Al3+ is charge-balanced by divalent cations, the M2+ cation charge-balances 2Al3+ tetrahedrally coordinated cations. This structure is dominated by SiO4, (Si,Al)O4, and AlO4 entities.

TOI-1130: A photodynamical analysis of a hot Jupiter in resonance with an inner low-mass planet
J. Korth, D. Gandolfi, J. Šubjak, Saburo Howard +4 more
2023· Astronomy and Astrophysics32doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202244617

The TOI-1130 is a known planetary system around a K-dwarf consisting of a gas giant planet, TOI-1130 c on an 8.4-day orbit that is accompanied by an inner Neptune-sized planet, TOI-1130 b, with an orbital period of 4.1 days. We collected precise radial velocity (RV) measurements of TOI-1130 with the HARPS and PFS spectrographs as part of our ongoing RV follow-up program. We performed a photodynamical modeling of the HARPS and PFS RVs, along with transit photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP). We determined the planet masses and radii of TOI-1130 b and TOI-1130 c to be M b = 19.28 ± 0.97 M ⊕ and R b = 3.56 ± 0.13 R ⊕ , and M c = 325.59 ± 5.59 M ⊕ and R c = 13.32 −1.41 +1.55 R ⊕ , respectively. We have spectroscopically confirmed the existence of TOI-1130 b, which had previously only been validated. We find that the two planets have orbits with small eccentricities in a 2:1 resonant configuration. This is the first known system with a hot Jupiter and an inner lower mass planet locked in a mean-motion resonance. TOI-1130 belongs to the small, yet growing population of hot Jupiters with an inner low-mass planet that poses a challenge to the pathway scenario for hot Jupiter formation. We also detected a linear RV trend that is possibly due to the presence of an outer massive companion.

Revealing the Complex Nature of Bonding in the Binary High-Pressure Compound <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>FeO</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>
Egor Koemets, I. Leonov, Maxim Bykov, Elena Bykova +4 more
2021· Physical Review Letters28doi:10.1103/physrevlett.126.106001

Extreme pressures and temperatures are known to drastically affect the chemistry of iron oxides, resulting in numerous compounds forming homologous series nFeOmFe_{2}O_{3} and the appearance of FeO_{2}. Here, based on the results of in situ single-crystal x-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and density-functional theory+dynamical mean-field theory calculations, we demonstrate that iron in high-pressure cubic FeO_{2} and isostructural FeO_{2}H_{0.5} is ferric (Fe^{3+}), and oxygen has a formal valence less than 2. Reduction of oxygen valence from 2, common for oxides, down to 1.5 can be explained by a formation of a localized hole at oxygen sites.

Impact of Correlated Noise on the Mass Precision of Earth-analog Planets in Radial Velocity Surveys
Jacob K. Luhn, Eric B. Ford, Zhao Guo, Christian Gilbertson +4 more
2023· The Astronomical Journal27doi:10.3847/1538-3881/acad08

Abstract Characterizing the masses and orbits of near-Earth-mass planets is crucial for interpreting observations from future direct imaging missions (e.g., HabEx, LUVOIR). Therefore, the Exoplanet Science Strategy report recommended further research so future extremely precise radial velocity surveys could contribute to the discovery and/or characterization of near-Earth-mass planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars prior to the launch of these future imaging missions. Newman et al. (2023) simulated such 10 yr surveys under various telescope architectures, demonstrating they can precisely measure the masses of potentially habitable Earth-mass planets in the absence of stellar variability. Here, we investigate the effect of stellar variability on the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the planet mass measurements in these simulations. We find that correlated noise due to active regions has the largest effect on the observed mass S/N, reducing the S/N by a factor of ∼5.5 relative to the no-variability scenario; granulation reduces by a factor of ∼3, while p-mode oscillations has little impact on the proposed survey strategies. We show that in the presence of correlated noise, 5 cm s −1 instrumental precision offers little improvement over 10 cm s −1 precision, highlighting the need to mitigate astrophysical variability. With our noise models, extending the survey to 15 yr doubles the number of Earth-analogs with mass S/N &gt; 10, and reaching this threshold for any Earth-analog orbiting a star &gt;0.76 M ⊙ in a 10 yr survey would require an increase in the number of observations per star from that in Newman et al. (2023).