K. Rice, L. Malavolta, A. W. Mayo, A. Mortier, L. A. Buchhave, L. Affer, A. Vanderburg, M. López-Morales, E. Poretti, L. Zeng, A. C. Cameron, M. Damasso, A. Coffinet, D. W. Latham, A. S. Bonomo, F. Bouchy, D. Charbonneau, X. Dumusque, P. Figueira, A. F. Martinez Fiorenziano, R. D. Haywood, J. A. Johnson, E. Lopez, C. Lovis, M. Mayor, G. Micela, E. Molinari, V. Nascimbeni, C. Nava, F. Pepe, D. F. Phillips, G. Piotto, D. Sasselov, D. Ségransan, A. Sozzetti, S. Udry, C. A. Watson
Abstract
Super-Earths belong to a class of planet not found in the Solar system, but which appear common in the Galaxy. Given that some super-Earths are rocky, while others retain substantial atmospheres, their study can provide clues as to the formation of both rocky and gaseous planets, and – in particular – they can help to constrain the role of photoevaporation in sculpting the exoplanet population. GJ 9827 is a system already known to host three super-Earths with orbital periods of 1.2, 3.6, and 6.2 d. Here, we use new HARPS-N radial velocity measurements, together with previously published radial velocities, to better constrain the properties of the GJ 9827 planets. Our analysis cannot place a strong constraint on the mass of GJ 9827 c, but does indicate that GJ 9827 b is rocky with a composition that is probably similar to that of the Earth, while GJ 9827 d almost certainly retains a volatile envelope. Therefore, GJ 9827 hosts planets on either side of the radius gap that appears to divide super-Earths into pre-dominantly rocky ones that have radii below ∼1.5R⊕, and ones that still retain a substantial atmosphere and/or volatile components, and have radii above ∼2R⊕. That the less heavily irradiated of the three planets still retains an atmosphere, may indicate that photoevaporation has played a key role in the evolution of the planets in this system.
Keywords
techniques: radial velocities; planets and satellites: composition; planets and satellites: detection; planets and satellites: fundamental parameters; planets and satellites: general; Stars: individual: GJ 9827 (2MASS J23270480-0117108; EPIC 246389858; HI
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume techn, Issue 3, Page 3731
2019 April
