Jean-Baptiste Delisle

The forthcoming data releases from the Gaia space telescope are expected to yield thousands to tens of thousands of newly detected exoplanets, as well as detection and 3D orbital constraints on binary stars and black holes. Many of these systems will warrant in-depth analyses of the astrometric data and radial velocity follow-up. This will require dedicated tools to exploit this wealth of data. We provide open-source software to analyse epoch astrometric data from Gaia , both independently and jointly with radial velocities. We add two models to the open-source orbit-fitting codebase kima and test these on both real and simulated data. This code uses diffusive nested sampling to explore the parameter space, calculate evidence for model comparison, and perform parameter estimation. We show that the results are consistent with published and expected values, validating the use of kima for the analysis of Gaia data. We explore various attributes of kima ’s Gaia model, including its potential to distinguish genuine orbital signals from scan-angle-dependent signals.

The K2-138 system consists of a K-dwarf transited by six planets in the sub-Neptune regime, with radii ranging from 1.5 to 3.4 R_⊕ and orbital periods of between 2.3 and 42 days. The five innermost planets form a chain of zero-order three-body resonances, while the outermost planet is suspected to be linked to the chain through a first-order three-body resonances. The transit timing variations induced by the resonant configuration enable a precise determination of the system's architecture. The fine-tuning and fragility of K2-138 and other resonant chains ensure that no significant scattering or collision event has taken place since the formation and migration of the planets in the protoplanetary disc, and hence provide important anchors for planet formation models. We aim to improve the characterisation of the architecture of this system, in particular the planetary masses and its resonant configuration. In addition, we place this system in context with other resonant chains, and expand on the recent finding that resonant sub-Neptunes are puffier than non-resonant ones by deriving a mass-radius relationship for each population. We performed a global analysis of all available photometry and radial velocity data for K2-138 using photo-dynamical modelling of the light curve. We also tried different sets of priors on the masses and eccentricity, as well as different stellar activity models, to study their effects on the masses estimated by transit timing variations and radial velocities. We show that our joint photo-dynamical and radial velocity analysis resulted in a robust mass determination for planets b to f, with a precision of ∼ 15% for the mass of planet f, and better than 10% for planets b to e. We also show that K2-138 is indeed currently locked in the resonant configuration, the five inner planets librating around an equilibrium of the chain; however, existing data are not sufficient to verify if the outer triplet is librating in a first-order three-body resonance. Finally, we demonstrate that the mass-radius relationship of resonant sub-Neptunes is well described by M=2.54,R^0.84, which is less dense than the non-resonant population, for which we found M=2.78,R^1.32. We also found that the resonant population has a smaller spread around its mass-radius relationship than the non-resonant population, pointing towards an inter-system similarity in the composition of the resonant sub-Neptunes.

Tracing the compositional link between terrestrial super-Earths and their host stars provides clues about their dominant formation pathway. By constraining the stellar abundances of refractory elements, we can predict the core mass fractions (CMFs) of their super-Earths. The level of agreement between this prediction and the planetary CMF derived from their masses and radii can reveal past formation processes, such as mantle stripping and water-rich formation plus sequestration in the planet core. We present the first results from the Near Infrared Planet Searcher (NIRPS) GTO CMF subprogram: an intensive radial velocity campaign to refine masses and compute host stellar abundances of three hot super-Earths around M dwarfs (GJ1132 b, GJ1252 b, and LTT 3780 b). We calculated masses of 1.69 ± 0.15 M _⊕ , 1.54 ± 0.18 M _⊕ , and 2.34 ± 0.10 M _⊕ respectively. We measured the CMFs of these and six further hot super-Earths with masses already available in the literature to a precision of 10–15%. We compared them to CMF predictions made from measuring the Fe, Mg, and Si abundances of their host stars measured from the NIRPS spectra. The CMFs of these planets are smaller than expected from their host stellar abundances to a statistically significant degree. This discrepancy is suggestive of significant reservoirs of water, and while these planets are too hot to harbor surface water, they likely have interior water mass fractions of ~1%.

Les systèmes multi-planétaires détectés par la mission Kepler présentent un excès de paires de planètes proches de résonances de moyen mouvement d'ordre un (e.g. 2:1, 3:2) mais avec un rapport de périodes légèrement supérieur à la valeur résonante (e.g. Pext/Pint = 2.02 au lieu de 2). Différents mécanismes ont été proposés pour expliquer cette observation. Dans cette thèse, nous étudions la possibilité que ces systèmes étaient initialement en résonance et ont atteint leur configuration actuelle à cause de la dissipation par effet de marée dans les planètes. De manière plus générale, nous établissons des critères analytiques permettant de prévoir l'évolution à long terme de systèmes en résonance d'ordre quelconque en présence de dissipation de marée. Nous montrons que cette évolution dépend de l'importance relative de la dissipation dans chacune des deux planètes. L'état final d'un système n'est pas le même suivant que la planète subissant la plus forte dissipation est la planète interne ou la planète externe. Ainsi, à partir de la configuration actuellement observée et plus spécifiquement du rapport de périodes de deux planètes proches d'une résonance, on peut déduire quelle planète a subi la dissipation la plus importante. Cela donne des contraintes importantes sur la nature des planètes considérées, car il est communément admis que les planètes rocheuses dissipent plus fortement par effet de marée que les planètes gazeuses.

We present an updated characterization of the planetary system orbiting the nearby M2 dwarf GJ 3090 (TOI-177; d =22 pc), based on new high-precision radial velocity (RV) observations from NIRPS and HARPS. With an orbital period of 2.85 d, the transiting sub-Neptune GJ 3090 b has a mass we refine to 4.52 ± 0.47 M _⊕ , which, combined with our derived radius of 2.18 ± 0.06 R _⊕ , yields a density of 2.40 _−0.30 ^+0.33 g∉cm ⁻³ . The combined interior structure and atmospheric constraints indicate that GJ 3090 b is a compelling water-world candidate, with a volatile-rich envelope in which water likely represents a significant fraction. We also confirm the presence of a second planet, GJ 3090 c, a sub-Neptune with a 15.9 d orbit and a minimum mass of 10.0 ± 1.3 M _⊕ , which does not transit. Despite its proximity to the star’s 18 d rotation period, our joint analysis using a multidimensional Gaussian process (GP) model that incorporates TESS photometry and differential stellar temperature measurements distinguishes this planetary signal from activity-induced variability. In addition, we place new constraints on a non-transiting planet candidate with a period of 12.7 d, suggested in earlier RV analyses. This candidate remains a compelling target for future monitoring. These results highlight the crucial role of multidimensional GP modelling in disentangling planetary signals from stellar activity, enabling the detection of a planet near the stellar rotation period that could have remained undetected with traditional approaches.

We introduce a new method to infer the posterior distribution for planet occurrence rates from radial velocity (RV) observations. The approach combines posterior samples from the analysis of individual RV datasets of several stars, using importance sampling to re-weight them appropriately. This eliminates the need for injection-recovery tests to compute detection limits and avoids the explicit definition of a detection threshold. We validate the method on simulated RV datasets and show that it yields unbiased estimates of the occurrence rate in different regions with increasing precision as more stars are included in the analysis.

We report the confirmation and initial characterization of a compact and dynamically rich multiple giant planet system orbiting the solar analog TOI-7510. The system was recently identified as a candidate two-planet system in a machine-learning search of the TESS light curves. Using TESS data and photometric follow-up observations with ASTEP, CHEOPS, and EulerCam, we show that one transit was initially misattributed and that the system consists of three transiting giant planets with orbital periods of 11.5, 22.6, and 48.9 days. The planets have radii of 0.65, 0.96, and 0.94 R _J , making them the largest known trio of transiting planets. The system architecture lies near a 4:2:1 mean motion resonant chain, inducing large transit timing variations for all three planets. Photodynamical modeling gives mass estimates of 0.057, 0.41, and 0.60 M _J and favors low eccentricities and mutual inclinations. TOI-7510 is an interesting system for investigating the dynamical interactions and formation histories of compact systems of giant planets.

Understanding the link between outer giant planets (OGPs) and inner light planets (ILPs) is key to understanding planetary system formation and architecture. The correlation between these two populations of planets is debated both theoretically – different formation models predict either a correlation or an anticorrelation – and observationally. Several recent attempts to constrain this correlation have yielded contradictory results, due to small-number statistics and heterogeneous samples. We present an ongoing long-term observational effort with CORALIE, HARPS, and ESPRESSO to probe the ILP occurrence in systems with and without OGP. In this first article of a series, we discuss how, from the design to the observations, we ensured the homogeneity of the samples, both in terms of stellar properties and observing strategy. We also present the first three detections of ILPs in our OGP host sample. We find a 8.3 m _⊕ planet at 5.75 d around HD 23079, a 10.4 m _⊕ planet at 4.6 d around HD 196067, and we confirm the 7.5 m _⊕ planet at 3.98 d around HD 86226. While a rigorous statistical analysis of our samples will be performed in subsequent studies, the relatively low number of detections in our sample seems to contradict previous studies that found a strong OGP-ILP correlation.

Context. The Near InfraRed Planet Searcher (NIRPS) joined HARPS on the 3.6-m ESO telescope at La Silla Observatory in April 2023, dedicating part of its Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO) program to the radial velocity follow-up of TESS planet candidates to confirm and characterize transiting planets around M dwarfs. Aims. We present the “Sub-Neptunes” subprogram of the NIRPS-GTO, aimed at investigating the composition and formation of sub-Neptunes orbiting M dwarfs. We report the first results of this program with the characterization of the TOI-756 system, which consists of TOI-756 b, a transiting sub-Neptune candidate detected by TESS, as well as TOI-756 c, an additional non-transiting planet discovered by NIRPS and HARPS. Methods. We analyzed TESS and ground-based photometry, high-resolution imaging, and high-precision radial velocities (RVs) from NIRPS and HARPS to characterize the two newly discovered planets orbiting TOI-756, as well as to derive the fundamental properties of the host star. A dedicated approach was employed for the NIRPS RV extraction to mitigate telluric contamination, particularly when the star’s systemic velocity was shown to overlap with the barycentric Earth radial velocity. Results. TOI-756 is a M1V-type star with an effective temperature of T_eff ~ 3657 K and a super-solar metallicity ([Fe/H]) of 0.20±0.03 dex. TOI-756 b is a 1.24-day period sub-Neptune with a radius of 2.81 ± 0.10 R_⊕ and a mass of 9.8_−1.6^+1.8 M_⊕. TOI-756 c is a cold eccentric (e_c = 0.45 ± 0.01) giant planet orbiting with a period of 149.6 days around its star with a minimum mass of 4.05 ± 0.11 M_Jup. Additionally, a linear trend of 146 m s⁻¹ yr⁻¹ is visible in the radial velocities, hinting at a third component, possibly in the planetary or brown dwarf regime. Conclusions. We present the discovery and characterization of the transiting sub-Neptune TOI-756 b and the non-transiting eccentric cold giant TOI-756 c. This system is unique in the exoplanet landscape, standing as the first confirmed example of such a planetary architecture around an M dwarf. With a density of 2.42 ± 0.49 g cm⁻³, the inner planet, TOI-756 b, is a volatile-rich sub-Neptune. Assuming a pure H/He envelope, we inferred an atmospheric mass fraction of 0.023 and a core mass fraction of 0.27, which is well constrained by stellar refractory abundances derived from NIRPS spectra. It falls within the still poorly explored radius cliff and at the lower boundary of the Neptune desert, making it a prime target for a future atmospheric characterization with JWST to improve our understanding of this population.