Kepler Observations of Transiting Hot Compact Objects
Jason F. Rowe (NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow, NASA Ames Research, Center), William J. Borucki (NASA Ames Research Center), David Koch (NASA, Ames Research Center), Steve B. Howell (National Optical Astronomy, Observatory), Gibor Basri (University of California, Berkeley)
TL;DR
Kepler observations uncovered two unusual transiting companions around early A and late B stars, revealing objects with deep occultations and high temperatures, suggesting they are hot compact objects or remnants.
Contribution
This study presents detailed photometry and modeling of two unique transiting companions, highlighting their unusual properties and proposing their nature as hot compact objects.
Findings
Deep occultations indicate high-temperature companions.
Companions have small radii relative to their host stars.
Photometric models suggest these objects are hot and compact.
Abstract
Kepler photometry has revealed two unusual transiting companions orbiting an early A-star and a late B-star. In both cases the occultation of the companion is deeper than the transit. The occultation and transit with follow-up optical spectroscopy reveal a 9400 K early A-star, KOI-74 (KIC 6889235), with a companion in a 5.2 day orbit with a radius of 0.08 Rsun and a 10000 K late B-star KOI-81 (KIC 8823868) that has a companion in a 24 day orbit with a radius of 0.2 Rsun. We infer a temperature of 12250 K for KOI-74b and 13500 K for KOI-81b. We present 43 days of high duty cycle, 30 minute cadence photometry, with models demonstrating the intriguing properties of these object, and speculate on their nature.
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