HATS-43b, HATS-44b, HATS-45b, and HATS-46b: Four Short Period Transiting Giant Planets in the Neptune-Jupiter Mass Range

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of four short-period transiting giant exoplanets with diverse densities, orbiting moderately bright stars, and highlights their potential for atmospheric studies through transmission spectroscopy.

Contribution

The discovery of four new short-period giant exoplanets with detailed characterization of their properties and potential for atmospheric follow-up.

Findings

Planets have masses from 0.26 to 0.90 M_J.

All planets have radii close to Jupiter's.

HATS-43b and HATS-46b are ideal for atmospheric characterization.

Abstract

We report the discovery of four short period extrasolar planets transiting moderately bright stars from photometric measurements of the HATSouth network coupled to additional spectroscopic and photometric follow-up observations. While the planet masses range from 0.26 to 0.90 M$_J$, the radii are all approximately a Jupiter radii, resulting in a wide range of bulk densities. The orbital period of the planets range from 2.7d to 4.7d, with HATS-43b having an orbit that appears to be marginally non-circular (e= 0.173$\pm$0.089). HATS-44 is notable for a high metallicity ([Fe/H]= 0.320$\pm$0.071). The host stars spectral types range from late F to early K, and all of them are moderately bright (13.3<V<14.4), allowing the execution of future detailed follow-up observations. HATS-43b and HATS-46b, with expected transmission signals of 2350 ppm and 1500 ppm, respectively, are particularly well suited targets for atmospheric characterisation via transmission spectroscopy.