Publications (33)101.44 Total impact
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Article: Instrumental Methods for Professional and Amateur Collaborations in Planetary Astronomy
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ABSTRACT: Amateur contributions to professional publications have increased exponentially over the last decades in the field of Planetary Astronomy. Here we review the different domains of the field in which collaborations between professional and amateur astronomers are effective and regularly lead to scientific publications. We discuss the instruments, detectors, softwares and methodologies typically used by amateur astronomers to collect the scientific data in the different domains of interest. Amateur contributions to the monitoring of planets and interplanetary matter, characterization of asteroids and comets, as well as the determination of the physical properties of Kuiper Belt Objects and exoplanets are discussed.05/2013; -
Article: Flux and color variations of the doubly imaged quasar UM673
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ABSTRACT: With the aim of characterizing the flux and color variations of the multiple components of the gravitationally lensed quasar UM673 as a function of time, we have performed multi-epoch and multi-band photometric observations with the Danish 1.54m telescope at the La Silla Observatory. The observations were carried out in the VRi spectral bands during four seasons (2008--2011). We reduced the data using the PSF (Point Spread Function) photometric technique as well as aperture photometry. Our results show for the brightest lensed component some significant decrease in flux between the first two seasons (+0.09/+0.11/+0.05 mag) and a subsequent increase during the following ones (-0.11/-0.11/-0.10 mag) in the V/R/i spectral bands, respectively. Comparing our results with previous studies, we find smaller color variations between these seasons as compared with previous ones. We also separate the contribution of the lensing galaxy from that of the fainter and close lensed component.02/2013; -
Article: Asteroids' physical models from combined dense and sparse photometry and scaling of the YORP effect by the observed obliquity distribution
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ABSTRACT: The larger number of models of asteroid shapes and their rotational states derived by the lightcurve inversion give us better insight into both the nature of individual objects and the whole asteroid population. With a larger statistical sample we can study the physical properties of asteroid populations, such as main-belt asteroids or individual asteroid families, in more detail. Shape models can also be used in combination with other types of observational data (IR, adaptive optics images, stellar occultations), e.g., to determine sizes and thermal properties. We use all available photometric data of asteroids to derive their physical models by the lightcurve inversion method and compare the observed pole latitude distributions of all asteroids with known convex shape models with the simulated pole latitude distributions. We used classical dense photometric lightcurves from several sources and sparse-in-time photometry from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Catalina Sky Survey, and La Palma surveys (IAU codes 689, 703, 950) in the lightcurve inversion method to determine asteroid convex models and their rotational states. We also extended a simple dynamical model for the spin evolution of asteroids used in our previous paper. We present 119 new asteroid models derived from combined dense and sparse-in-time photometry. We discuss the reliability of asteroid shape models derived only from Catalina Sky Survey data (IAU code 703) and present 20 such models. By using different values for a scaling parameter cYORP (corresponds to the magnitude of the YORP momentum) in the dynamical model for the spin evolution and by comparing synthetics and observed pole-latitude distributions, we were able to constrain the typical values of the cYORP parameter as between 0.05 and 0.6.01/2013; -
Article: OGLE-2008-BLG-510: first automated real-time detection of a weak microlensing anomaly - brown dwarf or stellar binary?
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ABSTRACT: The microlensing event OGLE-2008-BLG-510 is characterised by an evident asymmetric shape of the peak, promptly detected by the ARTEMiS system in real time. The skewness of the light curve appears to be compatible both with binary-lens and binary-source models, including the possibility that the lens system consists of an M dwarf orbited by a brown dwarf. The detection of this microlensing anomaly and our analysis demonstrates that: 1) automated real-time detection of weak microlensing anomalies with immediate feedback is feasible, efficient, and sensitive, 2) rather common weak features intrinsically come with ambiguities that are not easily resolved from photometric light curves, 3) a modelling approach that finds all features of parameter space rather than just the `favourite model' is required, and 4) the data quality is most crucial, where systematics can be confused with real features, in particular small higher-order effects such as orbital motion signatures. It moreover becomes apparent that events with weak signatures are a silver mine for statistical studies, although not easy to exploit. Clues about the apparent paucity of both brown-dwarf companions and binary-source microlensing events might hide here.03/2012; -
Article: Flux and color variations of the quadruply imaged quasar HE 0435-1223
åp. 04/2011; 528:A42. -
Article: SDSS J162520.29+120308.7 - a new SU UMa star in the period gap
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ABSTRACT: We report results of an extensive world-wide observing campaign devoted to the recently discovered dwarf nova SDSS J162520.29+120308.7 (SDSS J1625). The data were obtained during the July 2010 eruption of the star and in August and September 2010 when the object was in quiescence. During the July 2010 superoutburst SDSS J1625 clearly displayed superhumps with a mean period of $P_{\rm sh}=0.095942(17)$ days ($138.16 \pm 0.02$ min) and a maximum amplitude reaching almost 0.4 mag. The superhump period was not stable, decreasing very rapidly at a rate of $\dot P = -1.63(14)\cdot 10^{-3}$ at the beginning of the superoutburst and increasing at a rate of $\dot P = 2.81(20)\cdot 10^{-4}$ in the middle phase. At the end of the superoutburst it stabilized around the value of $P_{\rm sh}=0.09531(5)$ day. During the first twelve hours of the superoutburst a low-amplitude double wave modulation was observed whose properties are almost identical to early superhumps observed in WZ Sge stars. The period of early superhumps, the period of modulations observed temporarily in quiescence and the period derived from radial velocity variations are the same within measurement errors, allowing us to estimate the most probable orbital period of the binary to be $P_{\rm orb}=0.09111(15)$ days ($131.20 \pm 0.22$ min). This value clearly indicates that SDSS J1625 is another dwarf nova in the period gap. Knowledge of the orbital and superhump periods allows us to estimate the mass ratio of the system to be $q\approx 0.25$. This high value poses serious problems both for the thermal and tidal instability (TTI) model describing the behaviour of dwarf novae and for some models explaining the origin of early superhumps.03/2011; -
Article: I. Flux and color variations of the quadruply imaged quasar HE 0435-1223
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ABSTRACT: aims: We present VRi photometric observations of the quadruply imaged quasar HE 0435-1223, carried out with the Danish 1.54m telescope at the La Silla Observatory. Our aim was to monitor and study the magnitudes and colors of each lensed component as a function of time. methods: We monitored the object during two seasons (2008 and 2009) in the VRi spectral bands, and reduced the data with two independent techniques: difference imaging and PSF (Point Spread Function) fitting.results: Between these two seasons, our results show an evident decrease in flux by ~0.2-0.4 magnitudes of the four lensed components in the three filters. We also found a significant increase (~0.05-0.015) in their V-R and R-i color indices. conclusions: These flux and color variations are very likely caused by intrinsic variations of the quasar between the observed epochs. Microlensing effects probably also affect the brightest "A" lensed component.01/2011; -
Article: Frequency of Solar-like Systems and of Ice and Gas Giants Beyond the Snow Line from High-magnification Microlensing Events in 2005-2008
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ABSTRACT: We present the first measurement of the planet frequency beyond the "snow line," for the planet-to-star mass-ratio interval –4.5 < log q < –2, corresponding to the range of ice giants to gas giants. We find at the mean mass ratio q = 5 × 10–4 with no discernible deviation from a flat (Öpik's law) distribution in log-projected separation s. The determination is based on a sample of six planets detected from intensive follow-up observations of high-magnification (A>200) microlensing events during 2005-2008. The sampled host stars have a typical mass M host ~ 0.5 M ☉, and detection is sensitive to planets over a range of planet-star-projected separations (s –1 max R E, s max R E), where R E ~ 3.5 AU(M host/M ☉)1/2 is the Einstein radius and s max ~ (q/10–4.3)1/3. This corresponds to deprojected separations roughly three times the "snow line." We show that the observations of these events have the properties of a "controlled experiment," which is what permits measurement of absolute planet frequency. High-magnification events are rare, but the survey-plus-follow-up high-magnification channel is very efficient: half of all high-mag events were successfully monitored and half of these yielded planet detections. The extremely high sensitivity of high-mag events leads to a policy of monitoring them as intensively as possible, independent of whether they show evidence of planets. This is what allows us to construct an unbiased sample. The planet frequency derived from microlensing is a factor 8 larger than the one derived from Doppler studies at factor ~25 smaller star-planet separations (i.e., periods 2-2000 days). However, this difference is basically consistent with the gradient derived from Doppler studies (when extrapolated well beyond the separations from which it is measured). This suggests a universal separation distribution across 2 dex in planet-star separation, 2 dex in mass ratio, and 0.3 dex in host mass. Finally, if all planetary systems were "analogs" of the solar system, our sample would have yielded 18.2 planets (11.4 "Jupiters," 6.4 "Saturns," 0.3 "Uranuses," 0.2 "Neptunes") including 6.1 systems with two or more planet detections. This compares to six planets including one two-planet system in the actual sample, implying a first estimate of 1/6 for the frequency of solar-like systems.The Astrophysical Journal 08/2010; 720(2):1073. · 6.02 Impact Factor -
Article: Realisation of a fully‐deterministic microlensing observing strategy for inferring planet populations
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ABSTRACT: Within less than 15 years, the count of known planets orbiting stars other than the Sun has risen from none to more than 400 with detections arising from four successfully applied techniques: Doppler-wobbles, planetary transits, gravitational microlensing, and direct imaging. While the hunt for twin Earths is on, a statistically well-defined sample of the population of planets in all their variety is required for probing models of planet formation and orbital evolution so that the origin of planets that harbour life, like and including ours, can be understood. Given the different characteristics of the detection techniques, a complete picture can only arise from a combination of their respective results. Microlensing observations are well-suited to reveal statistical properties of the population of planets orbiting stars in either the Galactic disk or bulge from microlensing observations, but a mandatory requirement is the adoption of strictly-deterministic criteria for selecting targets and identifying signals. Here, we describe a fully-deterministic strategy realised by means of the ARTEMiS (Automated Robotic Terrestrial Exoplanet Microlensing Search) system at the Danish 1.54-m telescope at ESO La Silla between June and August 2008 as part of the MiNDSTEp (Microlensing Network for the Detection of Small Terrestrial Exoplanets) campaign, making use of immediate feedback on suspected anomalies recognized by the SIGNALMEN anomaly detector. We demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of such an approach, and thereby the readiness for studying planet populations down to Earth mass and even below, with ground-based observations. While the quality of the real-time photometry is a crucial factor on the efficiency of the campaign, an impairment of the target selection by data of bad quality can be successfully avoided. With a smaller slew time, smaller dead time, and higher through-put, modern robotic telescopes could significantly outperform the 1.54-m Danish, whereas lucky-imaging cameras could set new standards for high-precision follow-up monitoring of microlensing events (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)Astronomische Nachrichten 06/2010; 331(7):671 - 691. · 1.01 Impact Factor -
Article: High‐precision photometry by telescope defocussing – II. The transiting planetary system WASP‐4★
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ABSTRACT: We present and analyse light curves of four transits of the Southern hemisphere extrasolar planetary system WASP-4, obtained with a telescope defocused so the radius of each point spread function was 17 arcsec (44 pixels). This approach minimizes both random and systematic errors, allowing us to achieve scatters of between 0.60 and 0.88 mmag per observation over complete transit events. The light curves are augmented by published observations and analysed using the jktebop code. The results of this process are combined with theoretical stellar model predictions to derive the physical properties of the WASP-4 system. We find that the mass and radius of the planet are Mb= 1.289+0.090−0.090+0.039−0.000 MJup and Rb= 1.371+0.032−0.035+0.021−0.000 RJup, respectively (statistical and systematic uncertainties). These quantities give a surface gravity and density of gb= 17.03+0.97−0.54 m s−2 and ρb= 0.500+0.032−0.021+0.000−0.008ρJup, and fit the trends for short-period extrasolar planets to have relatively high masses and surface gravities. WASP-4 is now one of the best-quantified transiting extrasolar planetary systems, and significant further progress requires improvements to our understanding of the physical properties of low-mass stars.Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 10/2009; 399(1):287 - 294. · 4.90 Impact Factor -
Article: Transiting planetary system WASP-4 (Southworth+, 2009)
VizieR Online Data Catalog. 10/2009; 739:90287. -
Article: Transiting planetary system WASP-5 (Southworth+, 2009)
VizieR Online Data Catalog. 10/2009; 739:61023. -
Article: High-precision photometry by telescope defocussing. II. The transiting planetary system WASP-4
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ABSTRACT: We present and analyse light curves of four transits of the Southern hemisphere extrasolar planetary system WASP-4, obtained with a telescope defocussed so the radius of each point spread function was 17 arcsec (44 pixels). This approach minimises both random and systematic errors, allowing us to achieve scatters of between 0.60 and 0.88 mmag per observation over complete transit events. The light curves are augmented by published observations and analysed using the JKTEBOP code. The results of this process are combined with theoretical stellar model predictions to derive the physical properties of the WASP-4 system. We find that the mass and radius of the planet are M_b = 1.289 {+0.090 -0.090} {+0.039 -0.000} MJup and R_b = 1.371 {+0.032 -0.035} {+0.021 -0.000} RJup, respectively (statistical and systematic uncertainties). These quantities give a surface gravity and density of g_b = 17.03 +0.97 -0.54 m/s2 and rho_b = 0.500 {+0.032 -0.021} {+0.000 -0.008} rhoJup, and fit the trends for short-period extrasolar planets to have relatively high masses and surface gravities. WASP-4 is now one of the best-quantified transiting extrasolar planetary systems, and significant further progress requires improvements to our understanding of the physical properties of low-mass stars. Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 8 pages plus appendix, 4 figures, 8 tables07/2009; -
Article: High‐precision photometry by telescope defocusing – I. The transiting planetary system WASP‐5★
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ABSTRACT: We present high-precision photometry of two transit events of the extrasolar planetary system WASP-5, obtained with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at European Southern Obseratory La Silla. In order to minimize both random and flat-fielding errors, we defocused the telescope so its point spread function approximated an annulus of diameter 40 pixel (16 arcsec). Data reduction was undertaken using standard aperture photometry plus an algorithm for optimally combining the ensemble of comparison stars. The resulting light curves have point-to-point scatters of 0.50 mmag for the first transit and 0.59 mmag for the second. We construct detailed signal-to-noise ratio calculations for defocused photometry, and apply them to our observations. We model the light curves with the jktebop code and combine the results with tabulated predictions from theoretical stellar evolutionary models to derive the physical properties of the WASP-5 system. We find that the planet has a mass of Mb= 1.637 ± 0.075 ± 0.033 MJup, a radius of Rb= 1.171 ± 0.056 ± 0.012 R Jup, a large surface gravity of gb= 29.6 ± 2.8 m s−2 and a density of ρb= 1.02 ± 0.14 ± 0.01 ρJup (statistical and systematic uncertainties). The planet's high equilibrium temperature of Teq= 1732 ± 80 K makes it a good candidate for detecting secondary eclipses.Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 06/2009; 396(2):1023 - 1031. · 4.90 Impact Factor -
Article: High-precision photometry by telescope defocussing. I. The transiting planetary system WASP-5
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ABSTRACT: We present high-precision photometry of two transit events of the extrasolar planetary system WASP-5, obtained with the Danish 1.54m telescope at ESO La Silla. In order to minimise both random and flat-fielding errors, we defocussed the telescope so its point spread function approximated an annulus of diameter 40 pixels (16 arcsec). Data reduction was undertaken using standard aperture photometry plus an algorithm for optimally combining the ensemble of comparison stars. The resulting light curves have point-to-point scatters of 0.50 mmag for the first transit and 0.59 mmag for the second. We construct detailed signal to noise calculations for defocussed photometry, and apply them to our observations. We model the light curves with the JKTEBOP code and combine the results with tabulated predictions from theoretical stellar evolutionary models to derive the physical properties of the WASP-5 system. We find that the planet has a mass of M_b = 1.637 +/- 0.075 +/- 0.033 Mjup, a radius of R_b = 1.171 +/- 0.056 +/- 0.012 Rjup, a large surface gravity of g_b = 29.6 +/- 2.8 m/s2 and a density of rho_b = 1.02 +/- 0.14 +/- 0.01 rhojup (statistical and systematic uncertainties). The planet's high equilibrium temperature of T_eq = 1732 +/- 80 K makes it a good candidate for detecting secondary eclipses.04/2009; -
Article: XO-3b: A Massive Planet in an Eccentric Orbit Transiting an F5 V Star
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ABSTRACT: We report the discovery of a massive planet (Mpsin i = 13.02 ± 0.64 MJ; total mass = 13.25 ± 0.64 MJ), large (1.95 ± 0.16 RJ) planet in a transiting, eccentric orbit (e = 0.260 ± 0.017) around a 10th magnitude F5 V star in the constellation Camelopardalis. We designate the planet XO-3b and the star XO-3, also known as GSC 03727–01064. The orbital period of XO-3b is 3.1915426 ± 0.00014 days. XO-3 lacks a trigonometric parallax; we estimate its distance to be 260 ± 23 pc. The radius of XO-3 is 2.13 ± 0.21 R☉, its mass is 1.41 ± 0.08 M☉, its vsin i = 18.54 ± 0.17 km s−1, and its metallicity is [ Fe/H ] = − 0.177 ± 0.027. This system is unusual for a number of reasons. XO-3b is one of the most massive planets discovered around any star for which the orbital period is less than 10 days. The mass is near the deuterium-burning limit of 13 MJ, which is a proposed boundary between planets and brown dwarfs. Although Burrows et al. propose that formation in a disk or formation in the interstellar medium in a manner similar to stars is a more logical way to differentiate planets and brown dwarfs, our current observations are not adequate to address this distinction. XO-3b is also unusual in that its eccentricity is large given its relatively short orbital period. Both the planetary radius and the inclination are functions of the spectroscopically determined stellar radius. Analysis of the transit light curve of XO-3b suggests that the spectroscopically derived parameters may be overestimated. Though relatively noisy, the light curves favor a smaller radius in order to better match the steepness of the ingress and egress. The light curve fits imply a planetary radius of 1.25 ± 0.15 RJ, which would correspond to a mass of 12.03 ± 0.46 MJ. A precise trigonometric parallax measurement or a very accurate light curve is needed to resolve the uncertainty in the planetary mass and radius.The Astrophysical Journal 12/2008; 677(1):657. · 6.02 Impact Factor -
Article: Inferring statistics of planet populations by means of automated microlensing searches
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ABSTRACT: (abridged) The study of other worlds is key to understanding our own, and not only provides clues to the origin of our civilization, but also looks into its future. Rather than in identifying nearby systems and learning about their individual properties, the main value of the technique of gravitational microlensing is in obtaining the statistics of planetary populations within the Milky Way and beyond. Only the complementarity of different techniques currently employed promises to yield a complete picture of planet formation that has sufficient predictive power to let us understand how habitable worlds like ours evolve, and how abundant such systems are in the Universe. A cooperative three-step strategy of survey, follow-up, and anomaly monitoring of microlensing targets, realized by means of an automated expert system and a network of ground-based telescopes is ready right now to be used to obtain a first census of cool planets with masses reaching even below that of Earth orbiting K and M dwarfs in two distinct stellar populations, namely the Galactic bulge and disk. The hunt for extra-solar planets acts as a principal science driver for time-domain astronomy with robotic-telescope networks adopting fully-automated strategies. Several initiatives, both into facilities as well as into advanced software and strategies, are supposed to see the capabilities of gravitational microlensing programmes step-wise increasing over the next 10 years. New opportunities will show up with high-precision astrometry becoming available and studying the abundance of planets around stars in neighbouring galaxies becoming possible. Finally, we should not miss out on sharing the vision with the general public, and make its realization to profit not only the scientists but all the wider society.08/2008; -
Article: XO-3b: A Massive Planet in an Eccentric Orbit Transiting an F5V Star
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ABSTRACT: We report the discovery of a massive (Mpsini = 13.02 +/- 0.64 Mjup; total mass 13.25 +/- 0.64 Mjup), large (1.95 +/- 0.16 Rjup) planet in a transiting, eccentric orbit (e = 0.260 +/- 0.017) around a 10th magnitude F5V star in the constellation Camelopardalis. We designate the planet XO-3b, and the star XO-3, also known as GSC 03727-01064. The orbital period of XO-3b is 3.1915426 +/- 0.00014 days. XO-3 lacks a trigonometric distance; we estimate its distance to be 260 +/- 23 pc. The radius of XO-3 is 2.13 +/- 0.21 Rsun, its mass is 1.41 +/- 0.08 Msun, its vsini = 18.54 +/- 0.17 km/s, and its metallicity is [Fe/H] = -0.177 +/- 0.027. This system is unusual for a number of reasons. XO-3b is one of the most massive planets discovered around any star for which the orbital period is less than 10 days. The mass is near the deuterium burning limit of 13 Mjup, which is a proposed boundary between planets and brown dwarfs. Although Burrows et al. (2001) propose that formation in a disk or formation in the interstellar medium in a manner similar to stars is a more logical way to differentiate planets and brown dwarfs, our current observations are not adequate to address this distinction. XO-3b is also unusual in that its eccentricity is large given its relatively short orbital period. Both the planetary radius and the inclination are functions of the spectroscopically determined stellar radius. Analysis of the transit light curve of XO-3b suggests that the spectroscopically derived parameters may be over estimated. Though relatively noisy, the light curves favor a smaller radius in order to better match the steepness of the ingress and egress. The light curve fits imply a planetary radius of 1.25 +/- 0.15 Rjup, which would correspond to a mass of 12.03 +/- 0.46 Mjup. Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures. Accepted by ApJ. Current version has several small corrections as a result of a bug in the fitting software12/2007; -
Article: XO-2b: Transiting Hot Jupiter in a Metal-rich Common Proper Motion Binary
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ABSTRACT: We report on a V=11.2 early K dwarf, XO-2 (GSC 03413-00005), that hosts a Rp=0.98+0.03/-0.01 Rjup, Mp=0.57+/-0.06 Mjup transiting extrasolar planet, XO-2b, with an orbital period of 2.615857+/-0.000005 days. XO-2 has high metallicity, [Fe/H]=0.45+/-0.02, high proper motion, mu_tot=157 mas/yr, and has a common proper motion stellar companion with 31" separation. The two stars are nearly identical twins, with very similar spectra and apparent magnitudes. Due to the high metallicity, these early K dwarf stars have a mass and radius close to solar, Ms=0.98+/-0.02 Msolar and Rs=0.97+0.02/-0.01 Rsolar. The high proper motion of XO-2 results from an eccentric orbit (Galactic pericenter, Rper<4 kpc) well confined to the Galactic disk (Zmax~100 pc). In addition, the phase space position of XO-2 is near the Hercules dynamical stream, which points to an origin of XO-2 in the metal-rich, inner Thin Disk and subsequent dynamical scattering into the solar neighborhood. We describe an efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm for calculating the Bayesian posterior probability of the system parameters from a transit light curve. Comment: 14 pages, 10 Figures, Accepted in ApJ. Negligible changes to XO-2 system properties. Removed Chi^2 light curve analysis section, and simplified MCMC light curve analysis discussionThe Astrophysical Journal 05/2007; · 6.02 Impact Factor -
Article: Minor Planet Observations [I10 CAOS-CampoCatino Austral Observatory Survey]
Minor Planet Circulars. 08/2006; 57588.
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2009
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INFN - Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Legnaro, Veneto, Italy
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2007
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Astronomical Observatory of Trieste
Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
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2003
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Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata"
- Dipartimento di Fisica
Roma, Latium, Italy
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