The timing precision of transit light-curves

TL;DR

This paper optimizes an equation for estimating the timing precision of transit light-curves, aiding in the follow-up and observation planning of exoplanet transits from space telescopes like CoRoT and Kepler.

Contribution

It adapts a timing error equation originally for eclipsing binaries to CoRoT data, improving transit timing error predictions and observational probability assessments.

Findings

Optimized an equation for transit timing errors for CoRoT data.

Provided a method to estimate observation probabilities for transit events.

Enhanced reliability of follow-up observation planning.

Abstract

Reliable estimations of ephemeris errors are fundamental for the follow-up of CoRoT candidates. An equation for the precision of minimum times, originally developed for eclipsing binaries, has been optimized for CoRoT photometry and been used to calculate such errors. It may indicate expected timing precisions for transit events from CoRoT, as well as from Kepler. Prediction errors for transit events may also be used to calculate probabilities about observing entire or partial transits in any given span of observational coverage, leading to an improved reliability in deductions made from follow-up observations.