A systematic validation of hot Neptunes in TESS data

TL;DR

This paper systematically validates hot Neptune candidates in TESS data, identifying and confirming two new hot Neptunes, thereby expanding the known population and providing promising targets for future follow-up observations.

Contribution

The study introduces a comprehensive validation approach combining DAVE, TRICERATOPS, and follow-up analysis to confirm hot Neptune candidates in TESS data, including two newly validated planets.

Findings

Validated 2 hot Neptunes with high confidence

Identified 18 hot Neptune candidates in TESS data

Expanded the known hot Neptune population

Abstract

We statistically validated a sample of hot Neptune candidates applying a two-step vetting technique using DAVE and TRICERATOPS. We performed a systematic validation of 250 transit-like events in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) archive in the parameter region defined by $P\leq 4$ d and $3R_\oplus\leq R\leq 5R_\oplus$. Through our analysis, we identified 18 hot Neptune-sized candidates, with a false positive probability $<50\%$. Nine of these planet candidates still need to be confirmed. For each of the nine targets we retrieved the stellar parameters using ARIADNE and derived constraints on the planetary parameters by fitting the lightcurves with the juliet package. Within this sample of nine candidates, we statistically validated (i.e, with false positive probability < $0.3\%$) two systems (TOI-277 b and TOI-1288 b) by re-processing the candidates with TRICERATOPS along with follow-up observations. These new validated exoplanets expand the known hot Neptunes population and are high-priority targets for future radial velocities follow-up.