Equivalent Widths of 15 Extrasolar-Planet Host Stars

We present the equivalent widths of 15 extrasolar-planet host stars. These data were based on the high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with the 2.16m telescope at Xinglong station. The error in the Xinglong equivalent width is estimated by a comparison of these data with those given in previous studies of common stars.

Rotation Periods of Nine ROSAT Selected Solar-Type Stars

We monitored 16 X-ray selected young solar-type stars for light variation and found appreciable periodic light variability with amplitudes of a few hundredths of a magni- tude in nine of the objects. Using the method of Phase Dispersion Minimization （PDM） and Fourier analysis （software PERIOD04）, the rotation periods of these stars were determined from the photometric data. The rotation periods of all nine stars are shorter than about 3 days. It is suggested that, as with the Pleiades cluster, small amplitude light variations are quite common among young solar-type stars with rotation periods around 3 days or less. This gives further evidence for the spin up of solar-type stars predicted by models of angular momentum evolution of pre-main sequence stars.

Precise determination of fundamental parameters of six exoplanet host stars and their planets

The aim of this paper is to determinate the fundamental parameters of six exoplanet host （EH） stars and their planets. Because techniques for detecting exo- planets yield properties of the planet only as a function of the properties of the host star, we must accurately determine the parameters of the EH stars first. For this rea- son, we constructed a grid of stellar models including diffusion and rotation-induced extra-mixing with given ranges of input parameters （i.e. mass, metallicity and initial rotation rate）. In addition to the commonly used observational constraints such as the effective temperature Tell, luminosity L and metallicity [Fe/H], we added two obser- vational constraints, the lithium abundance log N （Li） and the rotational period Prot. These two additional observed parameters can set further constraints on the model due to their correlations with mass, age and other stellar properties. Hence, our estimations of the fundamental parameters for these EH stars and their planets have a higher preci- sion than previous works. Therefore, the combination of rotational period and lithium helps us to obtain more accurate parameters for stars, leading to an improvement in knowledge about the physical state of EH stars and their planets.

FGK 22 μm excess stars in LAMOST DR2 stellar catalog

Since the release of the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope（LAMOST）catalog, we have had the opportunity to use the LAMOST DR2 stellar catalog and the WISE All-Sky Data Release catalog to search for 22 μm excess candidates. In this paper, we present 10 FGK candidates which show an excess in the infrared at 22 μm. All the 10 sources are newly identified 22 μm excess candidates.Of these 10 stars, five stars are F type and five stars are G type. The criterion for selecting candidates is Ks[22].387. In addition, we present the spectral energy distributions covering wavelengths from the optic-≥0al to mid-infrared band. Most of them show an obvious excess from the 12 μm band and three candidates even show excess from 3.4 μm. To characterize the amount of dust, we also estimate the fractional luminosity of10 22 μm excess candidates.

High resolution spectroscopy of two young active late type stars within 20 parsecs of the Sun

We present high-resolution optical echell spectroscopy of HIP 544 and HIP 46843, two nearby solar like stars. The discovery of these young stars at such a close distance to the Sun is really a surprising phenomenon. It will help us to have a better understanding of the structure and evolutionary history of the Milky Way. The radial velocities （RV） of HIP 544 and HIP 46843 are measured to be -6.88±0.13km s^-1 and 8.30±0.16km s^-1, respectively, which are more accurate than before. The equivalent widths （EW） of the Li I 6707.8A absorption line of HIP 544 and HIP 46843 are measured to be 110±5 mA and 195±5 mA respectively. Based on these properties, HIP 544 is estimated to be 100-800Myr old and HIP 46843 30-100Myr old using three relatively creditable methods.

The debris disk candidates:eleven 24μm excess stars in the Spitzer SWIRE fields

We present the optical to mid-infrared SEDs of 11 debris disk candidates from Spitzer SWIRE fields. All the candidates are selected from SWIRE 24 μm sources matched with both the SDSS star catalog and the 2MASS point source catalog. They show an excess in the mid-infrared at 24 μm （Ks-[24]vega 〉 0.44）, indicating the presence of a circumstellar dust disk. The observed optical spectra show that they are all late-type main-sequence stars covering the spectral types of FGKM. Their fractional luminosities are well above 5× 10-5, even up to the high fractional luminosity of 1×10-3. The high galactic latitudes of SWIRE fields indicate that most of these candidates could belong to the oldest stars in the thick disk. Our results indicate that high fractional luminosity debris disks could exist in old solar-like star systems, though they are still quite rare. Their discovery at high galactic latitudes also provides an exellent opportunity for further study of the properties and evolution of debris disks in regions of the Galaxy with low densities of ISM, called ISM poor environments.

Planet Host Stars: Mass, Age and Kinematics

We determine the mass, age and kinematics of 51 extra-solar planet host stars. The results are then used to search for signs of connection of the data with metallicity and to investigate the population nature. We find that the increase in mean metallicity with stellar mass is similar to that in normal field stars, so it seems unsuitable to use this relation as a constraint on the theory of planet formation. The age and kinematic distributions seem to favour the metallicity of extra-solar planet host stars being initial. Although the kinematic data of these stars indicate their origin from two populations - the thin and the thick disks, kinematics may not help in the maintenance of the planet around the host. Stars with planets, brown dwarfs or stellar companions are sorted into three groups and re-investigated separately for their formation mechanism. The main results indicate that stars with M2 < 25M3 have [Fe/H] > 0.1 and a wide period range, but there are no other differences. Thus, there does not seem to be any physically distinguishable characteristics among the three star groups.

Chemical abundance analysis of 19 barium stars

We aim at deriving accurate atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances of 19 barium（Ba） stars, including both strong and mild Ba stars, based on the high signal-to-noise ratio and high resolution Echelle spectra obtained from the 2.16 m telescope at Xinglong station of National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The chemical abundances of the sample stars were obtained from an LTE, plane-parallel and line-blanketed atmospheric model by inputting the atmospheric parameters（effective temperatures Teff, surface gravities log g, metallicity [Fe/H] and microturbulence velocity ξt） and equivalent widths of stellar absorption lines. These samples of Ba stars are giants as indicated by atmospheric parameters, metallicities and kinematic analysis about UVW velocity. Chemical abundances of 17 elements were obtained for these Ba stars. Their Na, Al, α- and iron-peak elements（O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca,Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni） are similar to the solar abundances. Our samples of Ba stars show obvious overabundances of neutron-capture（n-capture） process elements relative to the Sun. Their median abundances of[Ba/Fe], [La/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] are 0.54, 0.65 and 0.40, respectively. The Y I and Zr I abundances are lower than Ba, La and Eu, but higher than the α- and iron-peak elements for the strong Ba stars and similar to the iron-peak elements for the mild stars. There exists a positive correlation between Ba intensity and [Ba/Fe].For the n-capture elements（Y, Zr, Ba, La）, there is an anti-correlation between their [X/Fe] and [Fe/H]. We identify nine of our sample stars as strong Ba stars with [Ba/Fe]〉0.6 where seven of them have Ba intensity Ba=2-5, one has Ba=1.5 and another one has Ba=1.0. The remaining ten stars are classified as mild Ba stars with 0.17〈[Ba/Fe]〈0.54.

Distribution of SiO and OH Maser Stars in the Galactic Plane

The observational results of the Nobeyama 45-m SiO maser survey and the Arecibo 305-m OH maser survey are assembled for an analysis of the distribution and kinematics of late-type stars in the Galactic plane. It is found that neither SiO maser stars nor OH maser stars show any concentration to the spiral arms, which imply that they do not belong to the arm population and quite possibly they are low-mass stars in late stage of evolution. A rotational curve is also derived for these objects and a few features which may be real are discussed and compared with those derived from planetary nebulae and AGB stars.

Searching for exoplanets with HEPS:I.detection probability of Earth-like planets in multiple systems

The astrometry method has great advantages in searching for exoplanets in the habitable zone around solar-like stars. However, the presence of multiple planets may cause a problem with degeneracy when trying to compute accurate planet parameters from observation data and reduce detectability. The degeneracy problem is extremely critical, especially in a space mission which has limited observation time and cadence. In this series of papers, we study the detectability of habitable Earth-mass planets in different types of multi-planet systems, aiming to find the most favorable targets for the potential space mission–Habitable ExoPlanet Survey(HEPS). In the first paper, we present an algorithm to find planets in the habitable zone around solar-like stars using astrometry. We find the detectability can be well described by planets' signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) and a defined parameter S = M2/(T1-T2)2, where M2 and T2are the mass and period of the second planet, respectively. T1 is the period of the planet in the habitable zone. The parameter S represents the influence of planetary architectures. We fit the detectability as a function of both the SNR of the planet in the habitable zone and the parameter S. An Earth-like planet in a habitable zone is harder to detect(with detectability PHP< 80%) in a system with a hot Jupiter or warm Jupiter(within2 AU), in which the parameter S is large. These results can be used in target selections and to determine the priority of target stars for HEPS, especially when we select and rank nearby planet hosts with a single planet.

Forming different planetary systems

With the increasing number of detected exoplanet samples, the statistical properties of planetary systems have become much clearer. In this review, we sum- marize the major statistical results that have been revealed mainly by radial velocity and transiting observations, and try to interpret them within the scope of the classical core-accretion scenario of planet formation, especially in the formation of different orbital architectures for planetary systems around main sequence stars. Based on the different possible formation routes for different planet systems, we tentatively classify them into three major catalogs： hot Jupiter systems, standard systems and distant giant planet systems. The standard systems can be further categorized into three sub-types under different circumstances： solar-like systems, hot Super-Earth systems, and sub- giant planet systems. We also review the theory of planet detection and formation in binary systems as well as planets in star clusters.

An Analysis of the Condensation Temperature of Elements of Extrasolar Planetary Systems

Using high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of extrasolar planet-hosting stars, we obtained the atmospheric parameters, accurate metallicities and the differential abundance for 15 elements （C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni and Ba）. In a search for possible signatures of metal-rich material accreting onto the parent stars, we found that, for a given element, there is no significant trend of increasing [X/H] with increasing condensation temperature To. In our sample of planet-harboring stars, the volatile and refractory elements behave similarly, and we can not confirm if there exists any significant dependence on the condensation temperature Tc.

Characterizing microlensing planetary system OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb with adaptive optics imaging

We constrain the host-star flux of the microlensing planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676 Lb using adaptive optics(AO)images taken by the Magellan and Keck telescopes.We measure the flux of the light blended with the microlensed source to be K=16.79±0.04 mag and J=17.76±0.03 mag.Assuming that the blend is the lens star,we find that the host is a 0.73_(-0.29)^(+0.14)M_(⊙)star at a distance of2.67_(-1.41)^(+0.77)kpc,where the relatively large uncertainty in angular Einstein radius measurement is the major source of uncertainty.With mass of M_(p)=3.68_(-1.44)^(+0.69)M_J,the planet is likely a"super Jupiter"at a projected separation of r_(⊥)=4.53_(-2.50)^(+1.49)AU,and a degenerate model yields a similar M_p=3.73_(-1.47)^(+0.73)M_(J)at a closer separation of r_(⊥)=2.56_(-1.41)^(+0.84)AU.Our estimates are consistent with the previous Bayesian analysis based on a Galactic model.OGLE-2014-BLG-0676 Lb belongs to a sample of planets discovered in a"secondgeneration"planetary microlensing survey and we attempt to systematically constrain host properties of this sample with high-resolution imaging to study the distribution of planets.

Magnetic interaction in ultra-compact binary systems

This article reviews the current works on ultra-compact double-degenerate binaries in the presence of magnetic interaction, in particular, unipolar induction. The orbital dynamics and evolution of compact white-dwarf pairs are discussed in detail. Models and predictions of electron cyclotron masers from unipolar-inductor compact binaries and unipolar-inductor white-dwarf planetary systems are presented. Einstein-Laub effects in compact binaries are briefly discussed.

A planetary companion orbiting the intermediate-mass G Giant HD 173416

The discovery of a planetary companion to the intermediate-mass late-type giant star HD173416 from precise Doppler surveys of G and K giants at Xinglong station and Okayama Astrophysical Observatory （OAO） is presented in this letter. The planet has a minimum mass of 2.7 MJ, an eccentricity of 0.21, a semimajor axis of 1.16 AU and an orbital period of 324 days.

The dynamical architecture and habitable zones of the quintuplet planetary system 55 Cancri

We perform numerical simulations to study the secular orbital evolution and dynamical structure of the quintuplet planetary system 55 Cancri with the self-consistent orbital solutions by Fischer and coworkers. In the simulations, we show that this system can be stable for at least 108 yr. In addition, we extensively investigate the planetary configuration of four outer companions with one terrestrial planet in the wide region of 0.790AU 〈 a 〈 5.900AU to examine the existence of potential asteroid structure and Habitable Zones （HZs）. We show that there are unstable regions for orbits about 4：1, 3：1 and 5：2 mean motion resonances （MMRs） of the outermost planet in the system, and several stable orbits can remain at 3：2 and 1：1 MMRs, which resembles the asteroid belt in the solar system. From a dynamical viewpoint, proper HZ candidates for the existence of more potential terrestrial planets reside in the wide area between 1.0 AU and 2.3 AU with relatively low eccentricities.

From Solar System to Exoplanets:What can we learn from Planetary Spectroscopy?

The purpose of this paper is to address the question:Using our knowledge of infrared planetary spectroscopy,what can we learn about the atmospheres of exoplanets?In a first part,a simplified classification of exoplanets,assuming thermochemical equilibrium,is presented,based on their masses and their equilibrium temperatures,in order to propose some possible estimations about their atmospheric composition.In the second part,infrared spectra of planets are discussed,in order to see what lessons can be drawn for exoplanetary spectroscopy.In the last part,we consider the solar system as it would appear from a star located in the ecliptic plane.It first appears that the solar system(except in a few specific cases)would not be seen as a multiple system,because,contrary to many exoplanetary systems,the planets are too far from the Sun and the inclinations of their orbits with respect to the ecliptic plane are too high.Primary transit synthetic spectra of solar system planets are used to discuss the relative merits of transmission and direct emission spectroscopy for probing exoplanetary atmospheres.

Detection of TiO and VO in the Atmosphere of WASP-121b and Evidence For its Temporal Variation

We report the transit observations of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b using the Goodman High Throughput Spectrograph at the 4 m ground-based Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope,covering the wavelength range502-900 nm.By dividing the target and reference star into 19 spectroscopic passbands and applying differential spectrophotometry,we derive spectroscopic transit light curves and fit them using a Gaussian process framework to determine transit depths for every passband.The obtained optical transmission spectrum shows a steep increased slope toward the blue wavelength,which seems to be too steep to be accounted for by Rayleigh scattering alone.We note that the transmission spectrum from this work and other works differ obviously from each other,which was pointed out previously by Wilson et al.as evidence for temporal atmospheric variation.We perform a free chemistry retrieval analysis on the optical transmission spectra from this work and the literature HST/WFC3 NIR spectrum.We determine TiO,VO and H_(2)O with abundances of-5.95_(-0.42)^(+0.47)dex,-6.72_(-1.79)^(+0.51)dex and-4.13_(-0.46)^(+0.63)dex,respectively.We compare the abundances of all three of these molecules derived from this work and previous works,and find that they are not consistent with each other,indicating the chemical compositions of the terminator region may change over long timescales.Future multi-epoch and high-precision transit observations are required to further confirm this phenomenon.We note that when combining the transmission spectra in the optical and in NIR in retrieval analysis,the abundances of V and VO,the NIR-to-optical offset and the cloud deck pressure may be coupled with each other.

Using Intermediate-Luminosity Optical Transients(ILOTs) to reveal extended extra-solar Kuiper belt objects

We suggest that in the rare case of an Intermediate-Luminosity Optical Transient（ILOT） event,evaporation of extra-solar Kuiper belt objects（Extra KBOs） at distances of dth to a few years, enough d≈500ust mig-10 000 AU from the ILOT can be detected. If the ILOT lasts for 1 monht be ejected from the Extra KBOs for the infrared（IR） emission to be detected. Because of the large distance of the Extra KBOs,tens of years will pass before the ILOT wind disperses the dust. We suggest that after an ILOT outburst,there is a period of months to several years during which IR excess emission might hint at the existence of a Kuiper belt analog（Extra K-Belt）.

Fallback in bipolar planetary nebulae?

The subclass of bipolar Planetary Nebulae(PNe)exhibits well-defined low-power outflows and some shows shock-related equatorial spiderweb structures and hourglass structures surrounding these outflows.These structures are distinctly different from the phenomena associated with spherical and elliptical PNe and suggest a non-standard way to simultaneously energise both kinds of structures.This paper presents evidence from the published literature on bipolar PN Hb 12 and other sources in support of an alternative scenario for energising these structures by means of accretion from material shells deposited during earlier post-AGB and pre-PNe evolutionary stages.In addition to energising the bipolar outflow,a sub-Eddington accretion scenario could hydrodynamically explain the spiderweb and outer hourglass structures as oblique shockwaves for guiding the accreting material into the equatorial region of the source.Estimates of the accretion rate resulting from fallback-related spherical accretion could indeed help to drive a low-power outflow and contribute to the total luminosity of these sources.