BD+48 740—Li Overabundant Giant Star with a Planet: A Case of Recent Engulfment?

Adamów, M.; Niedzielski, A.; Villaver, E.; Nowak, G.; Wolszczan, A.
Bibliographical reference

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 754, Issue 1, article id. L15, 5 pp. (2012).

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7
2012
Number of authors
5
IAC number of authors
0
Citations
58
Refereed citations
53
Description
We report the discovery of a unique object, BD+48 740, a lithium overabundant giant with A(Li) = 2.33 ± 0.04 (where A(Li) = log n Li/n H + 12), that exhibits radial velocity (RV) variations consistent with a 1.6 MJ companion in a highly eccentric, e = 0.67 ± 0.17, and extended, a = 1.89 AU (P = 771 days), orbit. The high eccentricity of the planet is uncommon among planetary systems orbiting evolved stars and so is the high lithium abundance in a giant star. The ingestion by the star of a putative second planet in the system originally in a closer orbit could possibly allow for a single explanation to these two exceptional facts. If the planet candidate is confirmed by future RV observations, it might represent the first example of the remnant of a multiple planetary system recently affected by stellar evolution.
Type