Parent Stars of Extrasolar Planets. XV. Host Star Rotation Revisited with {\it Kepler} Data

TL;DR

This study uses Kepler data to confirm that stars hosting planets generally rotate more slowly than stars without known planets, across various planet types, with stronger evidence than previous studies.

Contribution

The paper provides robust evidence from Kepler data that planet-hosting stars tend to have slower rotation rates, expanding previous findings to include stars with all types of planets.

Findings

Stars with planets rotate more slowly than stars without known planets.

The slow rotation trend applies to stars with all types of planets.

Kepler data significantly strengthens previous evidence of slower stellar rotation in planet hosts.

Abstract

We employed published rotation periods of {\it Kepler} field stars to test whether stars hosting planets tend to rotate more slowly than stars without known planets. Spectroscopic vsini observations of nearby stars with planets have indicated that they tend to have smaller visni values. We employ data for {\it Kepler} Objects of Interest (KOIs) from the first 16 quarters of its original mission; stellar parameters are based on the analysis of the first 17 quarters. We confirm that KOI stars rotate more slowly with much greater confidence than we had previously found for nearby stars with planets. Furthermore, we find that stars with planets of all types rotate more slowly, not just stars with giant planets.