Two Potential Exoplanets around A-type Stars Selected from 18 Planetary Candidates

TL;DR

This study evaluates 18 exoplanet candidates around A-type stars from TESS data, identifying two promising candidates with low false-positive probabilities and minimal contamination, advancing the search for exoplanets around hot stars.

Contribution

The paper presents a systematic analysis of 18 TESS exoplanet candidates around A-type stars, highlighting two promising candidates with low false-positive probabilities.

Findings

Two candidates have FPP <15%, indicating high likelihood of being real exoplanets.

One candidate shows a shallow transit but has a very low FPP and minimal contamination.

Another candidate exhibits a clear planetary transit shape with low FPP and contamination.

Abstract

We screen and analyze exoplanet candidates around A-type stars (defined as Teff between 7500 and 10,000 K) observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to evaluate their likelihood of being genuine exoplanets. Our analysis involves transit signal searches, light-curve detrending, estimation of nearby-source contamination, and calculation of false-positive probabilities (FPPs). Among the 18 candidates analyzed, four exhibit relatively low FPP values (<15%). Two candidates are excluded from further analysis due to the lack of stellar parameter data. Six candidates show no clearly detectable transit signals, likely due to shallow or weak features, while six candidates exhibit relatively high FPP values, leaving their authenticity uncertain. Among the four low-FPP targets, two-TIC 48031665 and TIC 259230140-stand out as the most promising. TIC 48031665 shows a very shallow transit signal but has a very low FPP and minimal nearby starlight contamination. TIC 259230140 displays a clear U-shaped transit light curve typical of planetary transits, along with slightly higher yet still low FPP and contamination levels. These two objects are therefore considered the most promising candidates identified in this study.