An algorithm for correcting CoRoT raw light curves

TL;DR

The paper presents CDA, an automated algorithm for detrending CoRoT stellar light curves that effectively removes jumps and trends, enabling better detection of exoplanets and other signals.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, fully automatic detrending algorithm for CoRoT data based on three simple assumptions, improving data quality for exoplanet detection.

Findings

Successfully removes jumps and trends from CoRoT light curves

Detects a new exoplanet candidate in a previously raw light curve

Provides an analytical description and examples of the algorithm's effectiveness

Abstract

We introduce the CoRoT detrend algorithm (CDA) for detrending CoRoT stellar light curves. The algorithm CDA has the capability to remove random jumps and systematic trends encountered in typical CoRoT data in a fully automatic fashion. Since enormous jumps in flux can destroy the information content of a light curve, such an algorithm is essential. From a study of 1030 light curves in the CoRoT IRa01 field, we developed three simple assumptions which upon CDA is based. We describe the algorithm analytically and provide some examples of how it works. We demonstrate the functionality of the algorithm in the cases of CoRoT0102702789, CoRoT0102874481, CoRoT0102741994, and CoRoT0102729260. Using CDA in the specific case of CoRoT0102729260, we detect a candidate exoplanet around the host star of spectral type G5, which remains undetected in the raw light curve, and estimate the planetary parameters to be Rp=6.27Re and P=1.6986 days.