We present the discovery of a new Jovian-sized planet, TOI-3757 b, the lowest-density transiting planet known to orbit an M dwarf (M0V). This planet was discovered around a solar-metallicity M dwarf, using Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry and confirmed with precise radial velocities from the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF) and NEID. With a planetary radius of 12.0
R⊕ and mass of 85.3
M⊕, not only does this object add to the small sample of gas giants (∼10) around M dwarfs, but also its low density (
g cm−3) provides an opportunity to test theories of planet formation. We present two hypotheses to explain its low density; first, we posit that the low metallicity of its stellar host (∼0.3 dex lower than the median metallicity of M dwarfs hosting gas giants) could have played a role in the delayed formation of a solid core massive enough to initiate runaway accretion. Second, using the eccentricity estimate of 0.14 ± 0.06, we determine it is also plausible for tidal heating to at least partially be responsible for inflating the radius of TOI-3757b b. The low density and large scale height of TOI-3757 b makes it an excellent target for transmission spectroscopy studies of atmospheric escape and composition (transmission spectroscopy measurement of ∼ 190). We use HPF to perform transmission spectroscopy of TOI-3757 b using the helium 10830 Å line. Doing this, we place an upper limit of 6.9% (with 90% confidence) on the maximum depth of the absorption from the metastable transition of He at ∼10830 Å, which can help constraint the atmospheric mass-loss rate in this energy-limited regime.
Article
TOI-3757 b: A Low-density Gas Giant Orbiting a Solar-metallicity M Dwarf
Public Deposited
https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/articles/q811km19w
- Abstract
- Creator
- Date Issued
- 2022
- Academic Affiliation
- Journal Title
- Journal Issue/Number
- 3
- Journal Volume
- 164
- Last Modified
- 2023-08-31
- Resource Type
- Rights Statement
- License
- DOI
- ISSN
- 1538-3881
- Language
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