Transit-timing measurements with the model-independent barycenter method: Application to the LHS 6343 system

TL;DR

The paper introduces a model-independent barycenter method for calculating mid-transit times using light-curve symmetry, applicable to various transiting systems, offering comparable precision with fewer assumptions and faster computation.

Contribution

It presents a novel barycenter technique for transit timing that does not rely on system parameters, demonstrated on known systems including LHS 6343, improving efficiency and simplicity.

Findings

Achieves similar precision to existing methods for symmetric transits.

Faster computation with fewer assumptions.

Provides constraints on potential additional perturbers.

Abstract

We present a model-independent technique for calculating the time of mid-transits. This technique, named "barycenter method", uses the light-curve's symmetry to determine the transit timing by calculating the transit light-curve barycenter. Unlike the other methods of calculating mid-transit timing, this technique does not depend on the parameters of the system and central star. We demonstrate the capabilities of the barycenter method by applying this technique to some known transiting systems including several \emph{Kepler} confirmed planets. Results indicate that for complete and symmetric transit lightcurves, the barycenter method achieves the same precision as other techniques, but with fewer assumptions and much faster. Among the transiting systems studied with the barycenter method, we focus in particular on LHS 6343C, a brown dwarf that transits a member of an M+M binary system, LHS 6343AB. We present the results of our analysis, which can be used to set an upper limit on the period and mass of a possible second small perturber.