55 Cancri e’s occultation captured with CHEOPS

DOI
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Past occultation and phase-curve observations of the ultra-short period super-Earth 55 Cnc e obtained at visible and infrared wave-lengths have been challenging to reconcile with a planetary reflection and emission model. In this study, we analyse a set of 41 occultations obtained over a two-year timespan with the CHEOPS satellite. We report the detection of 55 Cnc e’s occultation with an average depth of 12 ± 3 ppm. We derive a corresponding 2σ upper limit on the geometric albedo of Ag < 0.55 once decontaminated from the thermal emission measured by Spitzer at 4.5 μm. CHEOPS’s photometric performance enables, for the first time, the detection of individual occultations of this super-Earth in the visible and identifies short-timescale photometric corrugations likely induced by stellar granulation. We also find a clear 47.3-day sinusoidal pattern in the time-dependent occultation depths that we are unable to relate to stellar noise, nor instrumental systematics, but whose planetary origin could be tested with upcoming JWST occultation observations of this iconic super-Earth.
Date Issued
2023-01
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Demory, B.-O.
Sulis, S.
Delrez, L.
Brandeker, A.
Billot, N.
Fortier, A.
Hoyer, S.
Sousa, S. G.
Heng, K.
Lendl, M.
Krenn, A.
Morris, B. M.
Patel, J. A.
Alibert, Y.
Alonso, R.
Anglada, G.
Bárczy, T.
Barrado, D.
Barros, S. C. C.
Baumjohann, W.
Beck, M.
Beck, T.
Benz, W.
Bonfils, X.
Broeg, C.
Buder, M.
Cabrera, J.
Charnoz, S.
Collier Cameron, A.
Cottard, H.
Csizmadia, Sz.
Davies, M. B.
Deleuil, M.
Demangeon, O. D. S.
Ehrenreich, D.
Erikson, A.
Fossati, L.
Fridlund, M.
Gandolfi, D.
Gillon, M.
Güdel, M.
Isaak, K. G.
Kiss, L. L.
Laskar, J.
Lecavelier des Etangs, A.
Lovis, C.
Luntzer, A.
Magrin, D.
Marafatto, L.
Maxted, P. F. L.
Nascimbeni, V.
Olofsson, G.
Ottensamer, R.
Pagano, I.
Pallé, E.
Peter, G.
Piotto, G.
Pollacco, D.
Queloz, D.
Ragazzoni, R.
Rando, N.
Ratti, F.
Rauer, H.
Ribas, I.
Santos, N. C.
Scandariato, G.
Ségransan, D.
Simon, A. E.
Smith, A. M. S.
Steller, M.
Szabó, Gy. M.
Thomas, N.
Udry, S.
Van Grootel, V.
Walton, N. A.
Additional Credits
Journal
Astronomy and astrophysics
Publisher
EDP Sciences
ISSN
0004-6361
Access(Rights)
open.access
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