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Photoevaporation is a potential explanation for several features within exoplanet demographics. Atmospheric escape observed in young Neptune-sized exoplanets can provide insight into and characterize which mechanisms drive this evolution and at what times they dominate. AU Mic b is one such exoplanet, slightly larger than Neptune (4.19 Earth radii). It closely orbits a 23 Myr pre-Main Sequence M dwarf with a period of 8.46 days. We obtained two visits of AU Mic b at Lyman-alpha with HST/STIS. One flare within the first HST visit is characterized and removed from our search for a planetary transit. We present a non-detection in our first visit followed by the detection of escaping neutral hydrogen ahead of the planet in our second visit. The outflow absorbed about 30% of the star's Lyman-alpha blue-wing 2.5 hours before the planet's white-light transit. We estimate the highest velocity escaping material has a column density of 10^13.96 cm^-2 and is moving 61.26 km/s away from the host star. AU Mic b's large high energy irradiation could photoionize its escaping neutral hydrogen in 44 minutes, rendering it temporarily unobservable. Our time-variable Lyman-alpha transit ahead of AU Mic b could also be explained by an intermediate stellar wind strength from AU Mic that shapes the escaping material into a leading tail. Future Lyman-alpha observations of this system will confirm and characterize the unique variable nature of its Lyman-alpha transit, which combined with modeling will tune the importance of stellar wind and photoionization.

The Spitzer Space Telescope operated for over 16 years in an Earth-trailing solar orbit, returning not only a wealth of scientific data but, as a by-product, spacecraft and instrument engineering data which will be of interest to future mission planners. These data will be particularly useful because Spitzer operated in an environment essentially identical to that at the L2 LaGrange point where many future astrophysics missions will operate. In particular, the radiative cooling demonstrated by Spitzer has been adopted by other infrared space missions, from JWST to SPHEREx. This paper aims to facilitate the utility of the Spitzer engineering data by collecting the more unique and potentially useful portions into a single, readily-accessible publication. We avoid discussion of less unique systems, such as the telecom, flight software, and electronics systems and do not address the innovations in mission and science operations which the Spitzer team initiated. These and other items of potential interest are addressed in references supplied in an appendix to this paper.

We investigate differences in Spitzer/IRAC 3.6 and 4.5micron photometry that depend on observing strategy. Using archival calibration data we perform an in-depth examination of the measured flux densities (\"fluxes\") of ten calibration stars, observed with all the possible observing strategies. We then quantify differences in the measured fluxes as a function of 1) array mode (full or subarray), 2) exposure time, and 3) dithering versus staring observations. We find that the median fluxes measured for sources observed using the full array are 1.6% and 1% lower than those observed with the subarray at [3.6] and [4.5], respectively. Additionally, we found a dependence on the exposure time such that for [3.6] observations the long frame times are measured to be lower than the short frame times by a median value of 3.4% in full array and 2.9% in subarray. For [4.5] observations the longer frame times are 0.6% and 1.5% in full and subarray respectively. These very small variations will likely only affect science users who require high-precision photometry from multiple different observing modes. We find no statistically significant difference for fluxes obtained with dithered and staring-modes. When considering all stars in the sample, the fractional well depth of the pixel is correlated with the different observed fluxes. We speculate the cause to be a small non-linearity in the pixels at the lowest well depths where deviations from linearity were previously assumed to be negligible.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar energetic particles (SEPs) are two phenomena that can cause severe space weather effects throughout the heliosphere. The evolution of CMEs, especially in terms of their magnetic structure, and the configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) that influences the transport of SEPs are currently areas of active research. These two aspects are not necessarily independent of each other, especially during solar maximum when multiple eruptive events can occur close in time. Accordingly, we present the analysis of a CME that erupted on 2012 May 11 (SOL2012-05-11) and an SEP event following an eruption that took place on 2012 May 17 (SOL2012-05-17). After observing the May 11 CME using remote-sensing data from three viewpoints, we evaluate its propagation through interplanetary space using several models. Then, we analyse in-situ measurements from five predicted impact locations (Venus, Earth, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Mars Science Laboratory en route to Mars, and Mars) in order to search for CME signatures. We find that all in-situ locations detect signatures of an SEP event, which we trace back to the May 17 eruption. These findings suggest that the May 11 CME provided a direct magnetic connectivity for the efficient transport of SEPs. We discuss the space weather implications of CME evolution, regarding in particular its magnetic structure, and CME-driven IMF preconditioning that facilitates SEP transport. Finally, this work remarks the importance of using data from multiple spacecraft, even those that do not include space weather research as their primary objective.

We explore the transit timing variations (TTVs) of the young (22 Myr) nearby AU Mic planetary system. For AU Mic b, we introduce three Spitzer (4.5 \\(\\mu\\)m) transits, five TESS transits, 11 LCO transits, one PEST transit, one Brierfield transit, and two transit timing measurements from Rossiter-McLaughlin observations; for AU Mic c, we introduce three TESS transits. We present two independent TTV analyses. First, we use EXOFASTv2 to jointly model the Spitzer and ground-based transits and to obtain the midpoint transit times. We then construct an O--C diagram and model the TTVs with Exo-Striker. Second, we reproduce our results with an independent photodynamical analysis. We recover a TTV mass for AU Mic c of 10.8\\(^{+2.3}_{-2.2}\\) M\\(_{E}\\). We compare the TTV-derived constraints to a recent radial-velocity (RV) mass determination. We also observe excess TTVs that do not appear to be consistent with the dynamical interactions of b and c alone, and do not appear to be due to spots or flares. Thus, we present a hypothetical non-transiting \"middle-d\" candidate exoplanet that is consistent with the observed TTVs, the candidate RV signal, and would establish the AU Mic system as a compact resonant multi-planet chain in a 4:6:9 period commensurability. These results demonstrate that the AU Mic planetary system is dynamically interacting producing detectable TTVs, and the implied orbital dynamics may inform the formation mechanisms for this young system. We recommend future RV and TTV observations of AU Mic b and c to further constrain the masses and to confirm the existence of possible additional planet(s).

HD106906b is an ~11\\(M_{\\mathrm{Jup}}\\), ~15Myr old directly-imaged exoplanet orbiting at an extremely large distance from its host star. The wide separation (7.11 arcsec) between HD106906b and its host star greatly reduces the difficulty in direct-imaging observations, making it one of the most favorable directly-imaged exoplanets for detailed characterization. In this paper, we present HST/WFC3/IR time-resolved observations of HD106906b in the F127M, F139M, and F153M bands. We have achieved ~1% precision in the lightcurves in all three bands. The F127M lightcurve demonstrates marginally-detectable (\\(2.7\\sigma\\) significance) variability with a best-fitting period of 4 hr, while the lightcurves in the other two bands are consistent with flat lines. We construct primary-subtracted deep images and use these images to exclude additional companions to HD106906 that are more massive than 4\\(M_{\\mathrm{Jup}}\\) and locate at projected distances of more than ~500 au. We measure the astrometry of HD106906b in two HST/WFC3 epochs and achieve precisions better than 2.5 mas. The position angle and separation measurements do not deviate from those in the 2004 HST/ACS/HRC images for more than \\(1\\sigma\\) uncertainty. We provide the HST/WFC3 astrometric results for 25 background stars that can be used as reference sources in future precision astrometry studies. Our observations also provide the first 1.4-micron water band photometric measurement for HD106906b. HD106906b's spectral energy distribution and the best-fitting BT-Settl model have an inconsistency in the 1.4-micron water absorption band, which highlights the challenges in modeling atmospheres of young planetary-mass objects.

Among the greatest challenges in understanding ultra-cool brown dwarf and exoplanet atmospheres is the evolution of cloud structure as a function of temperature and gravity. In this study, we present the rotational modulations of GU Psc b -- a rare mid-T spectral type planetary-mass companion at the end of the L/T spectral type transition. Based on the HST/WFC3 1.1-1.67\\(\\rm\\, \\mu m\\) time-series spectra, we observe a quasi-sinusoidal light curve with a peak-to-trough flux variation of 2.7 % and a minimum period of eight hours. The rotation-modulated spectral variations are weakly wavelength-dependent, or largely gray between 1.1-1.67\\(\\rm\\,\\mu\\)m. The gray modulations indicate that heterogeneous clouds are present in the photosphere of this low-gravity mid-T dwarf. We place the color and brightness variations of GU Psc b in the context of rotational modulations reported for mid-L to late-T dwarfs. Based on these observations, we report a tentative trend: mid-to-late T dwarfs become slightly redder in \\(J-H\\) color with increasing \\(J\\)-band brightness, while L dwarfs become slightly bluer with increasing brightness. If this trend is verified with more T-dwarf samples, it suggests that in addition to the mostly gray modulations, there is a second-order spectral-type dependence on the nature of rotational modulations.

We use the Wide Field Camera 3 on the {\\sl Hubble Space Telescope} to spectrophotometrically monitor the young L7.5 companion HD~203030B. Our time series reveal photometric variability at 1.27\\,\\(\\mu\\)m and 1.39\\,\\(\\mu\\)m on time scales compatible with rotation. We find a rotation period of \\(7.5^{+0.6}_{-0.5}\\) h: comparable to those observed in other brown dwarfs and planetary-mass companions younger than 300 Myr. We measure variability amplitudes of \\(1.1\\pm0.3\\%\\) (1.27\\,\\(\\mu\\)m) and \\(1.7\\pm0.4\\%\\) (1.39\\,\\(\\mu\\)m), and a phase lag of 56\\(^\\circ\\pm\\)28\\(^\\circ\\) between the two light curves. We attribute the difference in photometric amplitudes and phases to a patchy cloud layer that is sinking below the level where water vapor becomes opaque. HD 203030B and the few other known variable young late-L dwarfs are unlike warmer (earlier-type and/or older) L dwarfs, for which variability is much less wavelength-dependent across the 1.1--1.7\\(\\mu\\)m region. We further suggest that a sinking of the top-most cloud deck below the level where water or carbon monoxide gas become opaque may also explain the often enhanced variability amplitudes of even earlier-type low-gravity L dwarfs. Because these condensate and gas opacity levels are already well-differentiated in T dwarfs, we do not expect the same variability amplitude enhancement in young vs.\\ old T dwarfs.

Measurements of photometric variability at different wavelengths provide insights into the vertical cloud structure of brown dwarfs and planetary-mass objects. In seven Hubble Space Telescope consecutive orbits, spanning \\(\\sim\\)10 h of observing time}, we obtained time-resolved spectroscopy of the planetary-mass T8-dwarf Ross 458C using the near-infrared Wide Field Camera 3. We found spectrophotometric variability with a peak-to-peak signal of 2.62\\(\\pm\\)0.02 % (in the 1.10-1.60~\\(\\mu\\)m white light curve). Using three different methods, we estimated a rotational period of 6.75\\(\\pm\\)1.58~h for the white light curve, and similar periods for narrow \\(J\\)- and \\(H\\)- band light curves. Sine wave fits to the narrow \\(J\\)- and \\(H\\)-band light curves suggest a tentative phase shift between the light curves with wavelength when we allow different periods between both light curves. If confirmed, this phase shift may be similar to the phase shift detected earlier for the T6.5 spectral type 2MASS J22282889-310262. We find that, in contrast with 2M2228, the variability of Ross~458C shows evidence for a {color trend} within the narrow \\(J\\)-band, but gray variations in the narrow \\(H\\)-band. The spectral time-resolved variability of Ross 458C might be potentially due to heterogeneous sulfide clouds in the atmosphere of the object. Our discovery extends the study of spectral modulations of condensate clouds to the coolest T dwarfs, planetary-mass companions.

Directly-imaged planetary-mass companions offer unique opportunities in atmospheric studies of exoplanets. They share characteristics of both brown dwarfs and transiting exoplanets, therefore, are critical for connecting atmospheric characterizations for these objects. Rotational phase mapping is a powerful technique to constrain the condensate cloud properties in ultra-cool atmospheres. Applying this technique to directly-imaged planetary-mass companions will be extremely valuable for constraining cloud models in low mass and surface gravity atmospheres and for determining the rotation rate and angular momentum of substellar companions. Here, we present Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 near-infrared time-resolved photometry for three planetary-mass companions, AB Pic B, 2M0122B, and 2M1207b. Using two-roll differential imaging and hybrid point spread function modeling, we achieve sub-percent photometric precision for all three observations. We find tentative modulations (\\(<\\!\\!2\\sigma\\)) for AB Pic B and 2M0122B but cannot reach conclusive results on 2M1207b due to strong systematics. The relatively low significance of the modulation measurements cannot rule out the hypothesis that these planetary-mass companions have the same vertical cloud structures as brown dwarfs. Our rotation rate measurements, combined with archival period measurements of planetary-mass companions and brown dwarfs do not support a universal mass-rotation relation. The high precision of our observations and the high occurrence rates of variable low-surface gravity objects encourage high-contrast time-resolved observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.