The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. Two temperate Earth-mass planet candidates around Teegarden's Star
Abstract
Context. Teegarden's Star is the brightest and one of the nearest ultra-cool dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood. For its late spectral type (M7.0 V), the star shows relatively little activity and is a prime target for near-infrared radial velocity surveys such as CARMENES.
Aims: As part of the CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs, we obtained more than 200 radial-velocity measurements of Teegarden's Star and analysed them for planetary signals.
Methods: We find periodic variability in the radial velocities of Teegarden's Star. We also studied photometric measurements to rule out stellar brightness variations mimicking planetary signals.
Results: We find evidence for two planet candidates, each with 1.1 M⊕ minimum mass, orbiting at periods of 4.91 and 11.4 d, respectively. No evidence for planetary transits could be found in archival and follow-up photometry. Small photometric variability is suggestive of slow rotation and old age.
Conclusions: The two planets are among the lowest-mass planets discovered so far, and they are the first Earth-mass planets around an ultra-cool dwarf for which the masses have been determined using radial velocities.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- July 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201935460
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1906.07196
- Bibcode:
- 2019A&A...627A..49Z
- Keywords:
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- methods: data analysis;
- planetary systems;
- stars: late-type;
- stars: individual: Teegarden's Star;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- A&
