HD 106906 is a young, binary stellar system, located at ~103.3 parsecs away in the Lower Centaurus Crux (LCC) group. This system is completely unique among known systems in that it contains an asymmetrical debris disk, as well as an 11 M(Jup) planet companion, at a separation of ~735 AU. Only 4 other systems are known to contain both a disk and detected planet, where HD 106906 is the only one in which the planet has apparently been ejected. Furthermore, the debris disk is nearly edge on, and extends roughly from 70 AU to >500 AU, where previous polarimetric studies with HST have shown the outer regions to have high asymmetry. The presence of a planet companion sparks questions about the origin of this asymmetry. To better understand the structure and composition of the disk, deeper data have been taken with the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), which we have used to perform a deep polarimetric study of HD 106906’s asymmetrical debris disk. The data were taken in the H-band, and were supplemented with both J- and K1-band polarimetric data which have been obtained through one of GPI’s Large and Long Programs (LLP). Polarimetry is important in the study of debris disks in scattered light, as it helps us constrain their dust grain characteristics, as well as allowing us to obtain high-contrast images. Modelling the disk, along with an empirical analysis of our data, supports a disk that is asymmetrical in surface brightness and structure, as well as a disk that is highly eccentric. These results will be discussed in terms of possible sources of asymmetry, such as dynamical interaction with the planet companion HD 106906b. / Graduate / 2021-07-26

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Context. For over 12 yr, we have carried out a precise radial velocity (RV) survey of a sample of 373 G- and K-giant stars using the Hamilton Echelle Spectrograph at the Lick Observatory. There are, among others, a number of multiple planetary systems in our sample as well as several planetary candidates in stellar binaries. Aims. We aim at detecting and characterizing substellar and stellar companions to the giant star HD 59686 A (HR 2877, HIP 36616). Methods. We obtained high-precision RV measurements of the star HD 59686 A. By fitting a Keplerian model to the periodic changes in the RVs, we can assess the nature of companions in the system. To distinguish between RV variations that are due to non-radial pulsation or stellar spots, we used infrared RVs taken with the CRIRES spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. Additionally, to characterize the system in more detail, we obtained high-resolution images with LMIRCam at the Large Binocular Telescope. Results. We report the probable discovery of a giant planet with a mass of m(p) sin i = 6.92(-0.24)(+0.18) M-Jup orbiting at a(p) = 1.0860(-0.0007)(+0.0006) aufrom the giant star HD 59686 A. In addition to the planetary signal, we discovered an eccentric (e(B) = 0.729(-0.003)(+0.004)) binary companionwith a mass of m(B) sin i = 0.5296(-0.0008)(+0.0011) M-circle dot orbiting at a close separation from the giant primary with a semi-major axis of a(B) = 13.56(-0.14)(+0.18) au. Conclusions. The existence of the planet HD 59686 Ab in a tight eccentric binary system severely challenges standard giant planet formation theories and requires substantial improvements to such theories in tight binaries. Otherwise, alternative planet formation scenarios such as second-generation planets or dynamical interactions in an early phase of the system's lifetime need to be seriously considered to better understand the origin of this enigmatic planet.

We present a new analysis of multi-epoch, H-band, scattered light images of the AB Aur system. We use a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code to simultaneously model the system's spectral energy distribution (SED) and H-band polarized intensity (PI) imagery. We find that a disk-dominated model, as opposed to one that is envelope-dominated, can plausibly reproduce AB Aur's SED and near-IR imagery. This is consistent with previous modeling attempts presented in the literature and supports the idea that at least a subset of AB Aur's spirals originate within the disk. In light of this, we also analyzed the movement of spiral structures in multi-epoch H-band total light and PI imagery of the disk. We detect no significant rotation or change in spatial location of the spiral structures in these data, which span a 5.8-year baseline. If such structures are caused by disk-planet interactions, the lack of observed rotation constrains the location of the orbit of planetary perturbers to be >47 au.

Stellar companions can influence the formation and evolution of planetary systems, but there are currently few observational constraints on the properties of planet-hosting binary star systems. We search for stellar companions around 77 transiting hot Jupiter systems to explore the statistical properties of this population of companions as compared to field stars of similar spectral type. After correcting for survey incompleteness, we find that 47% +/- 7% of hot Jupiter systems have stellar companions with semimajor axes between 50 and 2000 au. This is 2.9 times larger than the field star companion fraction in this separation range, with a significance of 4.4 sigma. In the 1-50 au range, only 3.9(-2.0)(+4.5)% of hot Jupiters host stellar companions, compared to the field star value of 16.4% +/- 0.7%, which is a 2.7 sigma difference. We find that the distribution of mass ratios for stellar companions to hot Jupiter systems peaks at small values and therefore differs from that of field star binaries which tend to be uniformly distributed across all mass ratios. We conclude that either wide separation stellar binaries are more favorable sites for gas giant planet formation at all separations, or that the presence of stellar companions preferentially causes the inward migration of gas giant planets that formed farther out in the disk via dynamical processes such as Kozai-Lidov oscillations. We determine that less than 20% of hot Jupiters have stellar companions capable of inducing Kozai-Lidov oscillations assuming initial semimajor axes between 1 and 5 au, implying that the enhanced companion occurrence is likely correlated with environments where gas giants can form efficiently.

We present new 3.6 and 4.5 mu m Spitzer phase curves for the highly irradiated hot Jupiter WASP-33b and the unusually dense Saturn-mass planet HD 149026b. As part of this analysis, we develop a new variant of pixel-level decorrelation that is effective at removing intrapixel sensitivity variations for long observations (>10 hr) where the position of the star can vary by a significant fraction of a pixel. Using this algorithm, we measure eclipse depths, phase amplitudes, and phase offsets for both planets at 3.6 and 4.5 mu m. We use a simple toy model to show that WASP-33b's phase offset, albedo, and heat recirculation efficiency are largely similar to those of other hot Jupiters despite its very high irradiation. On the other hand, our fits for HD 149026b prefer a very high albedo. We also compare our results to predictions from general circulation models, and we find that while neither planet matches the models well, the discrepancies for HD 149026b are especially large. We speculate that this may be related to its high bulk metallicity, which could lead to enhanced atmospheric opacities and the formation of reflective cloud layers in localized regions of the atmosphere. We then place these two planets in a broader context by exploring relationships between the temperatures, albedos, heat transport efficiencies, and phase offsets of all planets with published thermal phase curves. We find a striking relationship between phase offset and irradiation temperature: the former drops with increasing temperature until around 3400 K and rises thereafter. Although some aspects of this trend are mirrored in the circulation models, there are notable differences that provide important clues for future modeling efforts.

Les systèmes multi-planétaires détectés par la mission Kepler présentent un excès de paires de planètes proches de résonances de moyen mouvement d'ordre un (e.g. 2:1, 3:2) mais avec un rapport de périodes légèrement supérieur à la valeur résonante (e.g. Pext/Pint = 2.02 au lieu de 2). Différents mécanismes ont été proposés pour expliquer cette observation. Dans cette thèse, nous étudions la possibilité que ces systèmes étaient initialement en résonance et ont atteint leur configuration actuelle à cause de la dissipation par effet de marée dans les planètes. De manière plus générale, nous établissons des critères analytiques permettant de prévoir l'évolution à long terme de systèmes en résonance d'ordre quelconque en présence de dissipation de marée. Nous montrons que cette évolution dépend de l'importance relative de la dissipation dans chacune des deux planètes. L'état final d'un système n'est pas le même suivant que la planète subissant la plus forte dissipation est la planète interne ou la planète externe. Ainsi, à partir de la configuration actuellement observée et plus spécifiquement du rapport de périodes de deux planètes proches d'une résonance, on peut déduire quelle planète a subi la dissipation la plus importante. Cela donne des contraintes importantes sur la nature des planètes considérées, car il est communément admis que les planètes rocheuses dissipent plus fortement par effet de marée que les planètes gazeuses. / Multi-planetary systems discovered by the Kepler mission present an excess of planet pairs close to first-order mean-motion resonances (e.g. 2:1, 3:2) but with a period ratio slightly higher than the resonant value (e.g. Pout/Pin = 2.02 instead of 2). Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this observation. In this thesis, we investigate the possibility that these systems were initially in resonance and reached their current configuration due to tidal dissipation in the planets. More generally, we establish analytical criteria for predicting the long term evolution of systems locked in resonances of any order undergoing tidal dissipation. We show that this evolution depends on the relative importance of the dissipation in each of both planets. The final state of a system depends on whether the planet undergoing the stronger dissipation is the inner or the outer planet. Therefore, from the currently observed configuration and more specifically the period ratio of two planets close to a resonance, one can deduce which of both planet underwent the strongest dissipation. This provides important constraints on the nature of the considered planets, since it is commonly accepted that rocky planets dissipate more strongly by tidal effect than gaseous planets.

Dans le cadre de ma thèse, j’ai analysé les spectres de neuf étoiles Kepler obtenus avec les relevés de vitesse radiale (VR). Cela a permis la caractérisation de leur compagnons planétaires. J’ai analysé les spectres de 21 autres étoiles CoRoT et Kepler, probablement hôtes de naines M à faible masse. Cela a permis d’'élargir l'échantillon des étoiles à faible masse avec masse et rayon mesurés. J’ai calculé l’indice d’activité chromosphérique de 31 étoiles observées avec SOPHIE/OHP, en aidant l’étude des interactions étoile-planète. J’ai étudié le comportement de SOPHIE à bas signal à bruit (S/B). J’ai déterminé l’intervalle de S/B dans lequel un spectre stellaire est fiable pour la mesure des paramètres stellaires.Dans le cadre du consortium SOPHIE, j’ai suivi l’analyse complète du système Kepler-117. Ce système multi-planétaire montre variations des périodes orbitaux dues aux échanges dynamiques entre les planètes (TTV). Pour déterminer les paramètres du système, un approche spécifique a été développé pour l’ajustement simultané de transits, VR et TTV (Bruno et al. 2015).Finalement, je me suis intéressé à l’activité stellaire dans la photométrie de transit. J’ai impl ́ementé deux logiciels de modélisation de tâches stellaires dans un code MCMC, en ajoutant l’évolution des tâches dans l’un d’eux. J’ai appliqué les logiciels au Soleil, à CoRoT-7 et à CoRoT-2. J’ai amené un étude détaillé de la courbe de lumière de CoRoT-2, et exploré les effets des tâches dans les paramètres du transit (Bruno et al., en prep.). Avec la méthode FF’ (Aigrain et al. 2012), j’ai contribué à l’exploration du lien entre la signature des tâches de CoRoT-7 et dans la photométrie et dans les VR. / During my PhD, I analyzed the spectra of nine Kepler stars obtained by radial velocity (RV) observations. This allowed the characterization of their planetary companions. I analyzed the spectra of twenty-one other CoRoT and Kepler stars, likely orbited by low-mass M dwarfs. This helped widening the sample of low-mass stars with measured mass and radius. I calculated the chromospheric activity indfex of thirty-one stars observed with SOPHIE/OHP, helping the study of star-planet interactions. I studied the behavior of SOPHIE in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. I determinhed the SNR range in which a stellar spectrum is reliable for the measure of the stellar parameters.Within the SOPHIE consortium, I followed the complete analysis of the Kepler-117 system. This multi-planetary system presents variations in the planetary orbital periods due to their mutual dynamical interacion (TTVs). To fit the system parameters, a specific fitting approach including TTV modeling was developed. We derived the system parameters by the simultaneous fit of transits, RVs, and TTVs (Bruno et al. 2015).Finally, I addressed the problem of stellar activity in transit photometry. I implemented two starspot modeling codes into an MCMC algorithm, adding spot evolution to oneof them. I applied the codes to the Sun, CoRoT-7, and CoRoT-2. I carried an extensive study on the light curve of CoRoT-2, and explored the effects of the spots on the transit parameters (Bruno et al., in prep.). With the FF’ method (Aigrain et al. 2012), I contributed to explore the connection between the photometric and RV signature of starspots in CoRoT-7.

We have imaged GM Aurigae with the Hubble Space Telescope, detected its disk in scattered light at 1400 and 1650 angstrom, and compared these with observations at 3300 angstrom, 5550 angstrom, 1.1 mu m, and 1.6 mu m. The scattered light increases at shorter wavelengths. The radial surface brightness profile at 3300 angstrom shows no evidence of the 24 au radius cavity that has been previously observed in submillimeter observations. Comparison with dust grain opacity models indicates that. the surface of the entire disk is populated with submicron grains. We have compiled a. spectral energy distribution from 0.1 mu m to 1 mm. and used it to constrain a model of the star + disk system that includes the submillimeter cavity using the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code by Barbara Whitney. The best-fit model image indicates that the cavity should be detectable in the F330W bandpass if the cavity has been cleared of both large and small dust grains, but we do not detect it. The lack of an observed cavity can be explained by the presence of submicron grains interior to the submillimeter cavity wall. We suggest one explanation for this that. could be due to a planet of mass <9 M-J interior to 24 au. A unique cylindrical structure is detected in the far-UV data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys/ Solar Blind Channel. It is aligned along the system semiminor axis, but does not resemble an accretion-driven jet. The structure is limb. brightened and extends 190 +/- 35 au above the disk midplane. The inner radius of the limb. brightening is 40 +/- 10 au, just beyond the submillimeter cavity wall.

In this licentiate thesis, I consider debris disks from an observational, astronomical viewpoint, but also discuss a potential astrobiological application. Debris disks are essentially disks of dust and rocks around main-sequence stars, analogue to the Kuiper- or the asteroid belt in our solar system. Their observation and theoretical modeling can help to constrain planet formation models and help in the understanding of the history of the solar system. After a general introduction into the field of debris disks and some basic debris disk physics, the thesis concentrates on the observation of gas in debris disks. The possible origins of this gas and its dynamics are discussed and it is considered what it can tell us about the physical conditions in the disk and possibly about the dust composition. In this way, the paper associated with this thesis (dealing with the gas in the β Pic debris disk) is set into context. More in detail, we observed the CII emission originating from the carbon-rich β Pic disk with Herschel HIFI and attempted to constrain the spatial distribution of the gas from the shape of the emission line. This is necessary since the gas production mechanism is currently unknown, but can be constraint by obtaining information about the spatial profile of the gas. The last part of the thesis describes our preliminary studies of the possibility of a debris disk containing biomarkers, created by a giant impact on a life-bearing exoplanet.