Influence of Stellar Multiplicity On Planet Formation. IV. Adaptive Optics Imaging of Kepler Stars With Multiple Transiting Planet Candidates

Creators: Wang, Ji; Fischer, Debra A.; Xie, Ji-Wei; Ciardi, David R.

Abstract

The Kepler mission provides a wealth of multiple transiting planet systems (MTPSs). The formation and evolution of multi-planet systems are likely to be influenced by companion stars given the abundance of multiple stellar systems. We study the influence of stellar companions by measuring the stellar multiplicity rate of MTPSs. We select 138 bright (KP < 13.5) Kepler MTPSs and search for stellar companions with adaptive optics (AO) imaging data and archival radial velocity data. We obtain new AO images for 73 MTPSs. Other MTPSs in the sample have archival AO imaging data from the Kepler Community Follow-up Observation Program. From these imaging data, we detect 42 stellar companions around 35 host stars. For stellar separation 1 AU < ɑ < 100 AU, the stellar multiplicity rate is 5.2 ± 5.0% for MTPSs, which is 2.8σ lower than 21.1 ± 2.8% for the control sample, i.e., the field stars in the solar neighborhood. We identify two origins for the deficit of stellar companions within 100 AU of MTPSs: (1) a suppressive planet formation and (2) the disruption of orbital coplanarity due to stellar companions. To distinguish between the two origins, we compare the stellar multiplicity rates of MTPSs and single transiting planet systems (STPSs). However, current data are not sufficient for this purpose. For 100 AU < a < 2000 AU, the stellar multiplicity rates are comparable for MTPSs (8.0 ± 4.0%), STPSs (6.4 ± 5.8%), and the control sample (12.5 ± 2.8%).

Additional Information

© 2015 American Astronomical Society. Received 2015 August 5; accepted 2015 October 6; published 2015 November 6. The authors thank the anonymous referee for constructive comments and suggestions that greatly improved the paper. We would like to thank the telescope operators and supporting astronomers at the Palomar Observatory and the Keck Observatory. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation. The research is made possible by the data from the Kepler Community Follow-up Observing Program (CFOP). The authors acknowledge all the CFOP users who uploaded the AO and RV data used in the paper. This research has made use of the NASA Exoplanet Archive, which is operated by the California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under the Exoplanet Exploration Program. J.W.X. acknowledges support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 11333002 and 11403012), the Key Development Program of Basic Research of China (973 program, Grant No. 2013CB834900) and the Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation (FANEDD) of PR China. J.W. acknowledges the travel fund from the Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University).

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