stars: planetary systems; stars: low-mass; brown-dwarfs; Sun: fundamental parameters
Abstract :
[en] Context: The CoRoT space mission routinely provides high-precision photometric measurements of thousands of stars that have been continuously observed for months. Aims: The discovery and characterization of the first very massive transiting planetary companion with a short orbital period is reported. Methods: A series of 34 transits was detected in the CoRoT light curve of an F3V star, observed from May to October 2007 for 152 days. The radius was accurately determined and the mass derived for this new transiting, thanks to the combined analysis of the light curve and complementary ground-based observations: high-precision radial-velocity measurements, on-off photometry, and high signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations. Results: CoRoT-Exo-3b has a radius of 1.01 ± 0.07 R_Jup and transits around its F3-type primary every 4.26 days in a synchronous orbit. Its mass of 21.66 ± 1.0 M_Jup, density of 26.4 ± 5.6 g cm[SUP]-3[/SUP], and surface gravity of logg = 4.72 clearly distinguish it from the regular close-in planet population, making it the most intriguing transiting substellar object discovered so far. Conclusions: With the current data, the nature of CoRoT-Exo-3b is ambiguous, as it could either be a low-mass brown-dwarf or a member of a new class of ``superplanets''. Its discovery may help constrain the evolution of close-in planets and brown-dwarfs better. Finally, CoRoT-Exo-3b confirms the trend that massive transiting giant planets (M >= 4 M_Jup) are found preferentially around more massive stars than the Sun. The CoRoT space mission, launched on December 27th 2006, has been developed and is operating by CNES, with the contribution of Austria, Belgium, Brasil, ESA, Germany and Spain. The first CoRoT data will be available to the public in February 2009 from the CoRoT archive: http://idoc-corot.ias.u-psud.fr/ Table of the COROT photometry is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/491/889
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Deleuil, M.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Deeg, H. J.; Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, C. via Lactea S/N, 38200 La Laguna, Spain
Alonso, R.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Bouchy, F.; Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, UMR7095 CNRS, Université Pierre & Marie Curie, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014 Paris, France
Rouan, D.; LESIA, CNRS UMR 8109, Observatoire de Paris, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
Auvergne, M.; LESIA, CNRS UMR 8109, Observatoire de Paris, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
Baglin, A.; LESIA, CNRS UMR 8109, Observatoire de Paris, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
Aigrain, S.; School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
Almenara, J. M.; Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, C. via Lactea S/N, 38200 La Laguna, Spain
Barbieri, M.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Barge, P.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Bruntt, H.; School of Physics A28, University of Sydney, Australia
Bordé, P.; IAS, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, France
Collier Cameron, A.; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, UK
Csizmadia, Szilard; Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
de La Reza, R.; Observatório Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Dvorak, R.; Institute for Astronomy, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstrasse 17, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Erikson, A.; Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
Fridlund, M.; Research and Scientific Support Department, European Space Agency, ESTEC, 2200 Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Hébrard, G.; Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, UMR7095 CNRS, Université Pierre & Marie Curie, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014 Paris, France
Jorda, L.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Lammer, H.; Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
Léger, A.; IAS, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, France
Llebaria, A.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Loeillet, B.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France ; Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, UMR7095 CNRS, Université Pierre & Marie Curie, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014 Paris, France
Mayor, M.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Mazeh, T.; School of Physics and Astronomy, R. and B. Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Moutou, C.; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (UMR 6110), Technopole de Marseille-Étoile, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France
Ollivier, M.; IAS, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, France
Pätzold, M.; Rheinisches Institut für Umweltforschung, Universität zu Köln, Abt. Planetenforschung, Aachener Str. 209, 50931 Köln, Germany
Pont, F.; School of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
Queloz, D.; Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
Rauer, H.; Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany ; Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, TU Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Schneider, J.; LUTH, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
Shporer, A.; School of Physics and Astronomy, R. and B. Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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