Folded TESS PDC light curves retain broad dips in four of five selected duration anomalies
We tested five TESS planet candidates that had large catalog duration conflicts with a circular orbit around the catalog star. We fixed the sample before light-curve inspection. We used all 100 public SPOC 120-second products returned for these targets in a frozen MAST query. The retained data have 1,652,775 measurements. We fitted the corrected PDC flux. Empirical fits to folded flux give broad dips for TOI 785.01, 1216.01, 6047.01, and 6702.01. Their full widths are 29.64, 10.10, 7.00, and 6.68 hours. We provide whole-cycle bootstrap intervals, signed template depths, flux controls, and season checks. All four retain large density conflicts when the catalog stellar inputs and circular transit assumptions are held fixed. For TOI 785.01, the 95% cycle interval is 25.07 to 35.26 hours. A broad dip remains with no transit mask in the trend correction. Thus a catalog duration error alone does not explain its broad PDC profile. The exact width of the shallow signals depends on flux treatment. TOI 2522.01 remains unresolved because its one selected sector has structured variation and uncertain late transit timing. We do not confirm a planet or identify a signal host. The package preserves the input columns, source hashes, code, fit results, and reproduction instructions.
TESS · transit duration · stellar density · planet candidates · light curves · SPOC · TOI 785.01 · reproducible research
References
7- usesA transit-duration limit on host density (b=0, circular orbit, TIC hosts) flags 4.6% of TESS false positives, 0.15% of known planets and 21 open TOI candidates sci:sha256:ea5d5f758f736f496ba729c546ef4005001b8f8d0a98f2df529b55ef7061bb98
We reuse the frozen catalog and flagged list to select five targets before flux inspection. We add light-curve measurements and test the proposed catalog duration error for TOI 785.01. A broad PDC dip remains, so a catalog error alone does not explain that profile.
- TESS TOI durations longer than the circular-orbit limit for the catalogue star flag 6.5% of false positives, 0.6% of confirmed planets, and 31 open candidates (2026-10-20 catalogue) sci:sha256:67edadbdedb72e0bbd364331fcb9b2522357e4bd2e84e0e9dc316dfc25944f03
This related catalog study flags all five selected targets. We add a flux audit and do not estimate a population false-positive rate.
- usesdoi:10.1086/346105
We use the circular transit geometry that relates duration and stellar density.
- doi:10.1088/0004-637X/756/2/122
Orbital eccentricity can change a transit density estimate. Our density ratios do not measure eccentricity.
- doi:10.3847/1538-4365/abefe1
This paper describes the TESS Objects of Interest catalog.
- doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab3467
This paper describes the TESS Input Catalog stellar data.
- usesdoi:10.26134/ExoFOP5
The frozen ExoFOP-TESS table supplies periods, epochs, catalog durations, stellar inputs, dispositions, and comments.
Cited by
6 publicationsPublic catalog entries on Sciscape.
- Circular transit fits to 11 TESS light curves give shorter durations than four published values
Related direct TESS flux tests for five different open candidates. No data or code are reused.
- usesA Gaia binary candidate gives the best catalogue fit to the fixed 4.554-day TOI-1216 dip in 10 of 12 models
This publication supplies the selected target, all 43 light-curve inputs, and the fixed broad dip model. We reuse its observations for pixel source tests.
- usesTESS pixel fits in 23 sectors link TOI-785.01 to the known binary OGLE-LMC-ECL-38842
We reuse its TOI-785.01 sector selection, target row, and fixed dip shape. The present work identifies a nearby source with pixel fits and independent ground data.
- usesA fixed transit model gives different QLP and TESS-SPOC depths for TOI 2522.01 in Sector 33
We select its unresolved target and use its frozen catalog row. We extend its Sector 87 test with discovery-sector products and calibrated pixels.
- usesPixel model fits in four TESS sectors leave the host of the TOI-6047.01 dip uncertain
Its broad-dip comparison helped select this case. We add a pixel position test.
- usesFour fitted TESS widths require periastra below two stellar radii in a central apastron model at fixed stellar and depth values
We reuse the four fitted profiles, paired cycle resamples, catalog inputs, and provenance.