2025ApJ...993L..29G


Query : 2025ApJ...993L..29G

2025ApJ...993L..29G - Astrophys. J., 993, L29 (2025/November-1)

TESS Discovers a Second System of Transiting Exocomets in the Extreme Debris Disk of RZ Psc.

GIBSON A., MacGREGOR M.A., HOWARD W.S., CODY A.M., SWAIN M., BURT J.A., VENUTI L., SHKOLNIK E., TURNER N.J., DIDION A., NASTAL J. and MAKOWSKI D.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovery of only the second system of transiting exocomets with a sufficient number of events to measure the size distribution in the RZ Psc system, enabling comparisons with the β Pictoris and solar system size distributions. Twenty-four transits with absorption depths (ADs) of 1%-20% were observed across three TESS sectors of the 20-50 Myr K0V star, detected as part of our TESS survey of extreme debris disks identified by their IR excess. We discover that the ADs (and hence exocomet radii) follow a broken power-law cumulative frequency distribution not previously seen in extrasolar contexts but similar to that observed in solar system Kuiper Belt object sizes, with power-law slopes above and below the break of γAD>break​​ = 2.32 ± 0.12 and γAD<break = 0.11 ± 0.04, respectively. We derive size distributions of 1-7 km from two independent lines of evidence. We use the RZ Psc exocomet rate to predict exocomet yields for the Early eVolution Explorer (EVE) NASA astrophysics Small Explorer mission concept to obtain simultaneous photometry of 104 young stars in near-ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared bands. Assuming occurrence rates scaled from RZ Psc, EVE would detect 590 exocomets from ≈70 young systems in the optical band, with ≈120 simultaneous 5σ detections in all three bands. These data would enable grain sizes of 200-700 nm and graphite-olivine compositions of dozens of events to be distinguished at 2.5σ-3σ, as well as a 4σ determination of the accuracy of the Herschel-derived M debris disk fraction.

Abstract Copyright: © 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.

Journal keyword(s): Observational astronomy - Planet formation - Debris disks - Exocomets - Interstellar objects

Simbad objects: 6

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Number of rows : 6
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA
ICRS (J2000)
DEC
Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026
#notes
1 V* RZ Psc Ae* 01 09 42.0521542224 +27 57 01.910757240   12.20 11.29     G8V 79 0
2 NAME CAS-TAU ASS MGr 04 16 +27.6           ~ 86 1
3 V* UX Ori Ae* 05 04 29.9878898040 -03 47 14.286732072 10.25 10.93 8.70 9.62 9.43 A4IVe 379 1
4 * bet Pic PM* 05 47 17.0876901 -51 03 59.441135 4.13 4.03 3.86 3.74 3.58 A6V 2087 1
5 * 5 Vul * 19 26 13.2462108768 +20 05 51.844661412   5.585 5.591     A0V 90 0
6 NAME Galactic Bulge reg ~ ~           ~ 4794 0

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