WASP-14b: 7.3 MJ transiting planet in an eccentric orbit

We report the discovery of a 7.3 M _J exoplanet WASP-14b, one of the most massive transiting exoplanets observed to date. The planet orbits the 10th-magnitude F5V star USNO-B1 11118−0262485 with a period of 2.243 752 d and orbital eccentricity   e = 0.09  . A simultaneous fit of the transit light curve and radial velocity measurements yields a planetary mass of 7.3 ± 0.5 M _J and a radius of 1.28 ± 0.08 R _J. This leads to a mean density of about 4.6 g cm⁻³ making it the densest transiting exoplanets yet found at an orbital period less than 3 d. We estimate this system to be at a distance of  160 ± 20  pc. Spectral analysis of the host star reveals a temperature of  6475 ± 100 K, log  g = 4.07  cm s⁻² and   v sin  i = 4.9 ± 1.0  km s⁻¹, and also a high lithium abundance,  log  N (Li) = 2.84 ± 0.05  . The stellar density, effective temperature and rotation rate suggest an age for the system of about 0.5–1.0 Gyr.     

A Peculiar Broad Line Radio Galaxy 1938-155： VLA Observation at 90 cm

We observed 1938-155, a broad line radio galaxy (BLRG), with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 90cm with an angular resolution of 6.8\" × 4.0\". The source consists of two components separated by 4 arcsec (- 20kpc, for H0 = 65km s-1 Mpc-1, q0 = 0.5) along the SE-NW direction. Both components show steep-spectra with a similar spectral index α - 0.83 ± 0.07 (Sv ∝ v-α). The bright double components are surrounded by a low-brightness cocoon. The radio properties of the two bright components are consistent with the hot spots produced by twin jets. An upper limit of - 0.0008 for the core dominance parameter (R) is inferred, suggesting there is no prominent radio core in the source. Assuming a modest viewing angle 30f77, a jet velocity is estimated - 0.07 c, based on the jet to counter-jet brightness ratio (J). The lower limit in jet speed inferred is consistent with no Doppler beaming effect on the jet. The radio galaxy 1938-155 could be an exceptional BLRG with no prominent radio core or jet.     

Evolution of the Mesozoic Granites in the Xiong''''ershan-Waifangshan Region,Western Henan Province,China,and Its Tectonic Implications

Based on the new data of isotopic ages and geochemical analyses, three types of Mesozoic granites have been identified for the Xiong'ershan-Waifangshan region in western Henan Province: high-Ba-SrⅠ-type granite emplaced in the early stage (～160 Ma),Ⅰ-type granite in the middle stage (～130 Ma) and anorogenic A-type granite in the late stage (～115 Ma). Geochemical characteristics of the high-Ba-SrⅠ-type granite suggest that it may have been generated from the thickened lower crust by partial melting with primary residues of amphibole and garnet. Gradual increase of negative Eu anomaly and Sr content variations reflect progressive shallowing of the source regions of these granites from the early to late stage. New 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of the early-stage Wuzhangshan granite (156.0±1.1 Ma, amphibole) and middle-stage Heyu granite (131.8±0.7 Ma, biotite) are indistinguishable from their SHRIMP U-Pb ages previous published, indicating a rapid uplift and erosion in this region. The representative anorogenic A-type granite, Taishanmiao pluton, was emplaced at～115 Ma. The evolution of the granites in this region reveals a tectonic regime change from post-collisional to anorogenic between～160 Ma and～115 Ma. The genesis of the early- and middle-stageⅠ-type granites could be linked to delamination of subducted lithosphere of the Qiniing orogenic belt, while the late-stage A-type granites represent the onset of extension and the end of orogenic process. In fact, along the Qiniing -Dabie-Sulu belt, the Mesozoic granitoids in western Henan, Dabieshan and Jiaodong regions are comparable on the basis of these temporal evolutionary stages and their initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios, which may suggest a similar geodynamic process related to the collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons.     

Serendipitous Asteroid Lightcurve Survey Using SuperWASP

The SuperWASP project is an ultra-wide angle search for extra solar planetary transits. However, it can also serendipitously detect solar system objects, such as asteroids and comets. Each SuperWASP instrument consists of up to eight cameras, combined with high-quality peltier-cooled CCDs, which photometrically survey large numbers of stars in the magnitude range 7–15. Each camera covers a 7.8 × 7.8 degree field of view. Located on La Palma, the SuperWASP-I instrument has been observing the Northern Hemisphere with five cameras since its inauguration in April 2004.The ultra-wide angle field of view gives SuperWASP the possibility of discovering new fast moving (near to Earth) asteroids that could have been missed by other instruments. However, it provides an excellent opportunity to produce a magnitude-limited lightcurve survey of known main belt asteroids. As slow moving asteroids stay within a single SuperWASP field for several weeks, and may be seen in many fields, a survey of all objects brighter than magnitude 15 is possible. This will provide a significant increase in the total number of lightcurves available for statistical studies without the inherent bias against longer periods present in the current data sets.We present the methodology used in the automated collection of asteroid data from SuperWASP and some of the first examples of lightcurves from numbered asteroids.