Gilles P. P. L. Otten

Discovered almost ten years ago, the giant planet 51 Eridani b is one of the least separated (≈0.2″) and faintest ( J ≈ 19.74 mag) directly imaged exoplanets known to date. Its atmospheric properties have been thoroughly investigated through low- and medium-resolution spectroscopic observations, enabling the robust characterization of the planet’s bulk parameters. However, the planet’s intrinsically high contrast renders high-resolution spectroscopic observations difficult, despite their potential to yield key measurements essential for a more comprehensive characterization. This study sought to constrain the planet’s radial velocity, enabling a full 3D orbital solution when integrated with previous measurements. We obtained four high-contrast, high-resolution ( R ≈ 140 000) spectroscopic datasets of the planet, collected over a two-year interval with the HiRISE visitor instrument at the VLT to derive the planet’s radial velocity. Using self-consistent models of atmosphere, we were able to derive the radial velocity of the planet at each of the four epochs. These radial-velocity measurements were then used in combination with all existing relative astrometry in order to constrain the orbit of the planet. Our radial velocity measurements allowed us to break the degeneracy along the line of sight, making the unambiguous interpretation of the phase curve of the companion possible. We further constrained the orbital parameters, and particularly the eccentricity, for which we derive e = 0.55 ^+0.03 _−0.07 . The relatively high eccentricity indicates that the system has experienced dynamical interactions induced by an external perturber. We place constraints on the mass and semimajor axis of a hypothetical, unseen outer planet capable of producing the observed high eccentricities.

Context . This study presents the first application of high-precision astrometry to search for exomoons around substellar companions, as this field remains largely unexplored. Aims . We investigate whether the orbital motion of the companion HD 206893 B exhibits astrometric residuals consistent with the gravitational influence of an exomoon or binary planet. Methods . Using the VLTI/GRAVITY instrument, we monitored the astrometric positions of HD 206893 B and c on short (days to months) and long (yearly) timescales. This enabled us to isolate potential residual wobbles in the motion of component B attributable to an orbiting moon. Results . Our analysis reveals tentative astrometric residuals in the HD 206893 B orbit. If interpreted as an exomoon signature, these residuals correspond to a candidate (HD 206893 B I) with an orbital period of approximately 0.76 years and a mass of ~0.4 Jupiter masses. However, the origin of these residuals remains ambiguous and could be due to systematics. Complementing the astrometry, our analysis of GRAVITY R = 4000 spectroscopy for HD 206893 B confirms a clear detection of water, but no CO was found using cross-correlation. We also found that AF Lep b, and β Pic b are the best short-term candidates to look for moons with GRAVITY+. Conclusions . Our observations demonstrate the transformative potential of high-precision astrometry in the search for exomoons and proves the feasibility of the technique to detect moons with masses lower than Jupiter and potentially down to less than Neptune in optimistic cases. Crucially, further high-precision astrometric observations with VLTI/GRAVITY are essential to verify the reality and nature of this signal and apply this technique to a range of planetary systems.

Context. Characterizations of giant exoplanets such as β Pictoris b (hereafter β Pic b) are now routinely performed with multiple spectrographs and imagers exploring different spectral bandwidths and resolutions, allowing for atmospheric retrieval of spectra with or without the conservation of the planet spectral continuum. The accounting of data multimodality in the analysis could provide a more comprehensive determination of the planets physical and chemical properties and inform on their formation history. Aims. We present the first VLTI observations at R _λ ∼4000 of β Pic b obtained for an exoplanet with GRAVITY at such a high resolution. We upgraded the forward modelling code ForMoSA to account for the data multimodality, including low-, medium-, and high-resolution spectroscopy based on both a direct model-data comparison and an analysis of cross-correlation signals. We used the ForMoSA code to refine the constraints on the atmospheric properties of the exoplanet and evaluated the sensitivity of the retrieved values to the input dataset. Methods. We obtained four high-signal-to-noise (S/N ∼ 20) spectra of β Pic b in the K band with GRAVITY at R _λ ∼4000 conserving both the pseudo-continuum and the pattern of molecular absorptions. We used ForMoSA with four grids of self-consistent forward models (Exo-REM, ATMO, BT-Settl, and Sonora) to explore different T _{e ff} , log(g), metallicity, C/O, and ¹² CO/ ¹³ CO ratio values. We then combined the GRAVITY spectra with published 1–5 µm photometry (NaCo, VisAO, NICI, and SPHERE), low-to-mediumresolution ( R _λ ≤ 700 broadband, 0.9–7 µm) spectra, and echelle spectra covering narrower bandwidths ( R _λ ∼ 100 000, 2.1–5.2 µm). Results. Sonora and Exo-REM are statistically preferred among all four models, regardless of the dataset used. Exo-REM predicts T _eff = 1607.45 _−6.20 ^+4.85 K and log(g) = 4.46 _−0.04 ^+0.02 dex when using only the GRAVITY epochs, whereas we have T _eff = 1502.74 _−2.14 ^+2.32 K log(g) = 4.00 ± 0.01 dex when incorporating all available datasets. The inclusion of archival data significantly affects all retrieved posteriors. When using all datasets, C/O mostly remains solar (0.552 _−0.002 ^+0.003 ), while [M/H] reaches super-solar values (0.50 ± 0.01). We report the first tentative constraint on the isotopic ratio log( ¹² CO/ ¹³ CO) = 1.12 _−0.08 ^+0.11 in β Pic b’s atmosphere; however, we note that this detection remains inconclusive due to telluric residuals affecting both the GRAVITY and SINFONI data. Additionally, we estimated the bolometric luminosity as log(L/L _⊙ ) = −4.01 _−0.05 ^+0.04 dex. Using a system age of 23 ± 3 Myr, along with this bolometric luminosity and the constraints on the dynamical mass of β Pic b, we were able to constrain the maximum of heavy element content of the planet to be on the order of 5% (20–80 M _Earth ). Conclusions. The joint access to the pseudo-continuum and molecular lines in the K band provided by GRAVITY have a significant impact on the retrieved metallicity, possibly owing to the collision-induced absorption driving the continuum shape of the K band. The echelle spectra do not dominate the final fit with respect to lower resolution data covering a broader portion of the spectral energy distribution and the latter keeps encapsulating more robust information on T _eff . Future multimodal frameworks should include a weighting scheme to account for the bandwidth and central wavelength of the observations.

Context . Direct observations of exoplanet and brown dwarf companions with near-infrared interferometry, first enabled by the dualfield mode of VLTI/GRAVITY, provide unique measurements of the objects’ orbital motions and atmospheric compositions. Aims . Here we compile a homogeneous library of all exoplanet and brown dwarf K -band spectra observed by GRAVITY thus far. This ExoGRAVITY Spectral Library is made publicly available online. Methods . We re-reduced all the available GRAVITY dual-field high-contrast data in a uniform and highly automated way and, where companions were detected, extracted their ~2.0-2.4 μm K -band contrast spectra. We then derived stellar model atmospheres for all the employed flux references (either the host star or the swap calibrator), which we used to convert the companion contrast into companion flux spectra. Solely from the resulting GRAVITY K -band flux spectra, we extracted spectral types, spectral indices, and bulk physical properties for all the companions. Finally, and with the help of age constraints from the literature, we also derived isochronal masses for most of the companions using evolutionary models. Results . The resulting library contains R ~ 500 GRAVITY K -band spectra of 39 substellar companions from late M to late T spectral types, including the entire L-T transition. Throughout this transition, a shift from CO-dominated late M- and L-type dwarfs to CH ₄ -dominated T-type dwarfs can be observed in the K -band. The GRAVITY spectra alone constrain the objects’ bolometric luminosity to typically within ±0.15 dex. The derived isochronal masses agree with dynamical masses from the literature where available, except for HD 4113 c for which we confirm its previously reported potential underluminosity. Conclusions . Medium-resolution spectroscopy of substellar companions with GRAVITY provides insight into the carbon chemistry and the cloudiness of these objects’ atmospheres. It also constrains these objects’ bolometric luminosities, which can yield measurements of their formation entropy if combined with dynamical masses, for instance from Gaia and GRAVITY astrometry.

Aims. We wish to confirm the nature of YSES 2b, a purportedly faint companion of the young star YSES 2. Methods. We used on-sky observations from SPHERE and GRAVITY to measure the astrometric position of 2b with respect to the star YSES 2, and examined the competing hypotheses of (i) a bound substellar companion versus (ii) a distant unrelated background source with a non-zero proper motion. Results. YSES 2b appears to be a late-type M-dwarf star over 2 kiloparsecs behind the star YSES 2. It has a transverse velocity of ∼300 km s⁻¹ and is located within one of the spiral arms of the Galaxy. The main discriminant was multiple epochs of GRAVITY astrometry that identified the sub-milliarcsecond parallactic motion of the star.

The dusty interstellar medium (ISM) of the Milky Way is distributed in a complex, cloudy structure. It is fundamental to the radiation balance within the Milky Way, provides a reaction surface to form complex molecules, and is the feedstock for future generations of stars and planets. The life cycle of interstellar dust is not completely understood, and neither are its structure nor composition. The abundance, composition, and structure of dust in the diffuse ISM can be determined by combining infrared, optical, and ultraviolet spectroscopy. JWST enables measurement of the faint absorption of ISM dust grains against bright stars at kiloparsec distances across the infrared spectrum. Here we present an overview of the project “Webb Investigation of Silicates, Carbons, and Ices” (WISCI) along with interpretation of two targets, GSC 08152-02121 and CPD-59 5831. Observations of 12 WISCI target stars were taken by JWST, the Hubble Space Telescope, Himalayan Chandra Telescope, and the Very Large Telescope. We use these to characterize the targets’ spectral types and calculate their line-of-sight extinction parameters, A _V and R _V. We find absorption in the JWST spectra of GSC 08152-02121 and CPD-59 5831 associated with carbonaceous dust around 3.4 and 6.2 μm and amorphous silicates at 9.7 μm. In GSC 08152-02121, we also find indications of absorption by trapped water around 3 μm. This first look from WISCI demonstrates the line-of-sight variability within the sample, and the program’s potential to identify and correlate features across ultraviolet to mid-infrared wavelengths.

Context. Since the recent discovery of the directly imaged super-Jovian planet AF Lep b, several studies have been conducted to characterize its atmosphere and constrain its orbital parameters. AF Lep b has a measured dynamical mass of 3.68 ± 0.48 M_Jup, radius of 1.3 ± 0.15 R_Jup, nearly circular orbit in spin-orbit alignment with the host star, relatively high metallicity, and near-solar to super-solar C/O ratio. However, key parameters such as the rotational velocity and radial velocity have not been estimated thus far, as they require high-resolution spectroscopic data that are impossible to obtain with classical spectrographs. Aims. AF Lep b was recently observed with the new HiRISE visitor instrument at the VLT, with the goal of obtaining high-resolution (R ≈ 140 000) spectroscopic observations to better constrain the orbital and atmospheric parameters of the young giant exoplanet. Methods. We compared the extracted spectrum of AF Lep b to self-consistent atmospheric models using ForMoSA, a forward modeling tool based on Bayesian inference methods. We used our measurements of the planet’s radial velocity to offer new constraints on its orbit. Results. From the forward modeling, we find a C/O ratio that aligns with previous low-resolution analyses and we confirm its supersolar metallicity. We also unambiguously confirm the presence of methane in the atmosphere of the companion. Based on all available relative astrometry and radial velocity measurements of the host star, we show that two distinct orbital populations are possible for the companion. We derived the radial velocity of AF Lep b to be 10.51 ± 1.03 km s⁻¹ and show that this value is in good agreement with one of the two orbital solutions, allowing us to rule out an entire family of orbits. Additionally, assuming that the rotation and orbit are coplanar, the derived planet’s rotation rate is consistent with the observed trend of increasing spin velocity with higher planet mass.

We investigate the detectability of extended mid-infrared (MIR) emission associated with FU-Ori type objects (FUors) using the METIS coronagraphs on the 39-m Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The imaging simulations were made for three representative filters ($λ$=3.8, 4.8, and 11.3 micron) of the METIS instrument. We demonstrate that the detectability of the extended MIR emission using these coronagraphs is highly dependent on the uncertain nature of the central FUor and its circumstellar environment in various contexts. These contexts are: (A) whether the central radiation source is either a flat self-luminous accretion disk or a star at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths, (B) the size of the accretion disk for the bright central MIR emission at milliarcsecond scales, (C) whether the extended emission is due to either an optically thick disk or an optically thin envelope, and (D) dust grain models. Observations at $λ$=3.8 micron will allow us to detect the extended emission in many cases, while the number of cases with detection may significantly decrease toward longer wavelengths due to the fainter nature of the extended emission and high thermal background noise. In some cases, the presence of a binary companion can significantly hamper detections of the extended MIR emission. NIR and MIR imaging observations at existing 8-m class telescopes, prior to the METIS observations, will be useful for (1) reducing the many model uncertainties and (2) searching for binary companions associated with FUors, therefore determining the best observing strategy using METIS.

We investigate the detectability of extended mid-infrared (MIR) emission associated with FU-Ori type objects (FUors) using the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS) coronagraphs on the 39 m Extremely Large Telescope. The imaging simulations were made for three representative filters (λ = 3.8, 4.8, and 11.3 μm) of the METIS instrument. We demonstrate that the detectability of the extended MIR emission using these coronagraphs is highly dependent on the uncertain nature of the central FUor and its circumstellar environment in various contexts. These contexts are: (A) whether the central radiation source is either a flat self-luminous accretion disk or a star at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths, (B) the size of the accretion disk for the bright central MIR emission at milliarcsecond scales, (C) whether the extended emission is due to either an optically thick disk or an optically thin envelope, and (D) dust grain models. Observations at λ = 3.8 μm will allow us to detect the extended emission in many cases, while the number of cases with detection may significantly decrease toward longer wavelengths due to the fainter nature of the extended emission and high thermal background noise. In some cases, the presence of a binary companion can significantly hamper detections of the extended MIR emission. NIR and MIR imaging observations at existing 8 m class telescopes, prior to the METIS observations, will be useful for (1) reducing the many model uncertainties and (2) searching for binary companions associated with FUors, therefore determining the best observing strategy using METIS.

Precise mass constraints are vital for the characterisation of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Here we present how the combination of data obtained by Gaia and GRAVITY can help enlarge the sample of substellar companions with measured dynamical masses. We show how the Non-Single-Star (NSS) two-body orbit catalogue contained in Gaia DR3 can be used to inform high-angular-resolution follow-up observations with GRAVITY. Applying the method presented in this work to eight Gaia candidate systems, we detect all eight predicted companions, seven of which were previously unknown and five are of a substellar nature. Among the sample is Gaia DR3 2728129004119806464 B, which – detected at an angular separation of (34.01 ± 0.15) mas from the host – is the closest substellar companion ever imaged. In combination with the system’s distance and the orbital elements, this translates to a semi-major axis of (0.938 ± 0.023) AU. WT 766 B, detected at a greater angular separation, was confirmed to be on an orbit exhibiting an even smaller semi-major axis of (0.676 ± 0.008) AU. The GRAVITY data were then used to break the host-companion mass degeneracy inherent to the Gaia NSS orbit solutions as well as to constrain the orbital solutions of the respective target systems. Knowledge of the companion masses enabled us to further characterise them in terms of their ages, effective temperatures, and radii via the application of evolutionary models. The inferred ages exhibit a distinct bias towards values younger than what is to be expected based on the literature. The results serve as an independent validation of the orbital solutions published in the NSS two-body orbit catalogue and show that the combination of astrometric survey missions and high-angular-resolution direct imaging holds great promise for efficiently increasing the sample of directly imaged companions in the future, especially in the light of Gaia’s upcoming DR4 and the advent of GRAVITY+.