TESS-Keck Survey. V. Twin Sub-Neptunes Transiting the Nearby G Star HD 63935

DOI: 
10.3847/1538-3881/ac18cb
Publication date: 
24/11/2021
Main author: 
Scarsdale, Nicholas
IAA authors: 
Luque, Rafael
Authors: 
Scarsdale, Nicholas;Murphy, Joseph M. Akana;Batalha, Natalie M.;Crossfield, Ian J. M.;Dressing, Courtney D.;Fulton, Benjamin;Howard, Andrew W.;Huber, Daniel;Isaacson, Howard;Kane, Stephen R.;Petigura, Erik A.;Robertson, Paul;Roy, Arpita;Weiss, Lauren M.;Beard, Corey;Behmard, Aida;Chontos, Ashley;Christiansen, Jessie L.;Ciardi, David R.;Claytor, Zachary R.;Collins, Karen A.;Collins, Kevin I.;Dai, Fei;Dalba, Paul A.;Dragomir, Diana;Fetherolf, Tara;Fukui, Akihiko;Giacalone, Steven;Gonzales, Erica J.;Hill, Michelle L.;Hirsch, Lea A.;Jensen, Eric L. N.;Kosiarek, Molly R.;de Leon, Jerome P.;Lubin, Jack;Lund, Michael B.;Luque, Rafael;Mayo, Andrew W.;Močnik, Teo;Mori, Mayuko;Narita, Norio;Nowak, Grzegorz;Pallé, Enric;Rabus, Markus;Rosenthal, Lee J.;Rubenzahl, Ryan A.;Schlieder, Joshua E.;Shporer, Avi;Stassun, Keivan G.;Twicken, Joe;Wang, Gavin;Yahalomi, Daniel A.;Jenkins, Jon;Latham, David W.;Ricker, George R.;Seager, S.;Vanderspek, Roland;Winn, Joshua N.
Journal: 
The Astronomical Journal
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
162
Pages: 
215
Abstract: 
We present the discovery of two nearly identically sized sub-Neptune transiting planets orbiting HD 63935, a bright (V = 8.6 mag), Sun-like (T<SUB>eff</SUB> = 5560 K) star at 49 pc. TESS identified the first planet, HD 63935 b (TOI-509.01), in Sectors 7 and 34. We identified the second signal (HD 63935 c) in Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer and Lick Automated Planet Finder radial velocity data as part of our follow-up campaign. It was subsequently confirmed with TESS photometry in Sector 34 as TOI-509.02. Our analysis of the photometric and radial velocity data yielded a robust detection of both planets with periods of 9.0600 ± 0.007 and 21.40 ± 0.0019 days, radii of 2.99 ± 0.14 and 2.90 ± 0.13 R<SUB>⊕</SUB>, and masses of 10.8 ± 1.8 and 11.1 ± 2.4 M<SUB>⊕</SUB>. We calculated densities for planets b and c consistent with a few percent of the planet mass in hydrogen/helium envelopes. We also describe our survey's efforts to choose the best targets for James Webb Space Telescope atmospheric follow-up. These efforts suggest that HD 63935 b has the most clearly visible atmosphere of its class. It is the best target for transmission spectroscopy (ranked by the transmission spectroscopy metric, a proxy for atmospheric observability) in the so far uncharacterized parameter space comprising sub-Neptune-sized (2.6 R<SUB>⊕</SUB> &lt; R<SUB>p</SUB> &lt; 4 R<SUB>⊕</SUB>), moderately irradiated (100 F<SUB>⊕</SUB> &lt; F<SUB>p</SUB> &lt; 1000 F<SUB>⊕</SUB>) planets around G stars. Planet c is also a viable target for transmission spectroscopy, and given the indistinguishable masses and radii of the two planets, the system serves as a natural laboratory for examining the processes that shape the evolution of sub-Neptune planets.
Database: 
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2021AJ....162..215S/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2021AJ....162..215S
Keywords: 
Mini Neptunes;Radial velocity;Transit photometry;Exoplanet atmospheres;1063;1332;1709;487;Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics