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Characterizing K2 Candidate Planetary Systems Orbiting Low-Mass Stars. II. Planetary Systems Observed During Campaigns 1-7We recently used near-infrared spectroscopy to improve the characterization of 76 low-mass stars around which K2 had detected 79 candidate transiting planets. 29 of these worlds were new discoveries that had not previously been published. We calculate the false positive probabilities that the transit-like signals are actually caused by non-planetary astrophysical phenomena and reject five new transit-like events and three previously reported events as false positives. We also statistically validate 17 planets (7 of which were previously unpublished), confirm the earlier validation of 22 planets, and announce 17 newly discovered planet candidates. Revising the properties of the associated planet candidates based on the updated host star characteristics and refitting the transit photometry, we find that our sample contains 21 planets or planet candidates with radii smaller than 1.25 solar radii, 18 super-Earths (1.25-2 solar radii), 21 small Neptunes (2-4 solar radii), three large Neptunes (4-6 solar radii), and eight giant planets (greater than 6 solar radii). Most of these planets are highly irradiated, but EPIC 206209135.04 (K2-72e, 1.29 from plus 0.19 to minus 0.18 solar radii), EPIC 211988320.01 (perihelion radius equals 2.86 from plus 0.16 to minus 0.15 solar radii), and EPIC 212690867.01 (2.20 from plus 0.19 to minus 0.18 solar radii) orbit within optimistic habitable zone boundaries set by the "recent Venus" inner limit and the "early Mars" outer limit. In total, our planet sample includes eight moderately irradiated 1.5-3 solar radii planet candidates (planetary flux greater than or approximately 20 times Earth's flux) orbiting brighter stars (Ks less than 11) that are well-suited for atmospheric investigations with the Hubble, Spitzer, and/or James Webb Space Telescopes. Five validated planets orbit relatively bright stars (Kp less than 12.5) and are expected to yield radial velocity semi-amplitudes of at least 2 meters per second. Accordingly, they are possible targets for radial velocity mass measurement with current facilities or the upcoming generation of red optical and near-infrared high-precision RV (Radial Velocity) spectrographs.
Document ID
20180004018
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Dressing, Courtney D.
(California Inst. of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Vanderburg, Andrew
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Cambridge, MA, United States)
Schlieder, Joshua E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Crossfield, Ian J. M.
(California Univ. Santa Cruz, CA, United States)
Knutson, Heather A.
(California Inst. of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Newton, Elisabeth R.
(Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, United States)
Ciardi, David R.
(California Inst. of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Fulton, Benjamin J.
(Hawaii Univ. Honolulu, HI, United States)
Gonzales, Erica J.
(Notre Dame Univ. Notre Dame, IN, United States)
Howard, Andrew W.
(California Inst. of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Isaacson, Howard
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Livingston, John
(Tokyo Univ. Japan)
Petigura, Erik A.
(California Inst. of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Sinukoff, Evan
(Hawaii Univ. Honolulu, HI, United States)
Everett, Mark
(National Optical Astronomy Observatories Tucson, AZ, United States)
Horch, Elliott
(Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, CT, United States)
Howell, Steve B.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
July 25, 2018
Publication Date
November 3, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: The Astronomical Journal
Publisher: American Astronomical Society, IOP
Volume: 154
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0004-6256
e-ISSN: 1538-3881
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN56741
ISSN: 0004-6256
Report Number: GSFC-E-DAA-TN56741
E-ISSN: 1538-3881
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH14CK55B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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