A photospheric and chromospheric activity analysis of the quiescent retrograde-planet host ν Octantis A

The single-lined spectroscopic binary nu Octantis provided evidence of the first conjectured circumstellar planet demanding an orbit retrograde to the stellar orbits. The planet-like behaviour is now based on 1437 radial velocities (RVs) acquired from 2001 to 2013. nu Oct's semimajor axis is on...

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Main Authors: Ramm, David J. (Author) , Robertson, P (Author) , Reffert, Sabine (Author) , Gunn, F (Author) , Trifonov, T (Author) , Pollard, K (Author) , Cantalloube, F (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2021 January 15
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Year: 2021, Volume: 502, Issue: 2, Pages: 2793-2806
ISSN:1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/stab078
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab078
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Author Notes:D.J. Ramm, P. Robertson, S. Reffert, F. Gunn, T. Trifonov, K. Pollard and F. Cantalloube
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Summary:The single-lined spectroscopic binary nu Octantis provided evidence of the first conjectured circumstellar planet demanding an orbit retrograde to the stellar orbits. The planet-like behaviour is now based on 1437 radial velocities (RVs) acquired from 2001 to 2013. nu Oct's semimajor axis is only 2.6 au with the candidate planet orbiting about mid-way between. These details seriously challenge our understanding of planet formation and our decisive modelling of orbit reconfiguration and stability scenarios. However, all non-planetary explanations are also inconsistent with numerous qualitative and quantitative tests including previous spectroscopic studies of bisectors and line-depth ratios, photometry from Hipparcos and the more recent space missions TESS and Gaia (whose increased parallax classifies closer still to a subgiant, similar to K1IV). We conducted the first large survey of 's chromosphere: 198 H-line and 1160 indices using spectra from a previous RV campaign (2009-2013). We also acquired 135 spectra (2018-2020) primarily used for additional line-depth ratios, which are extremely sensitive to the photosphere's temperature. We found no significant RV-correlated variability. Our line-depth ratios indicate temperature variations of only +/- 4 K, as achieved previously. Our atypical analysis models the indices in terms of S/N and includes covariance significantly in their errors. The indices have a quasi-periodic variability that we demonstrate is due to telluric lines. Our new evidence provides further multiple arguments realistically only in favour of the planet.
Item Description:Gesehen am 28.02.2022
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/stab078