Search for Planetary Mass Companions of Nearby Young Stars

Details Search for Planetary Mass Companions of Nearby Young Stars Search for Planetary Mass Companions of Nearby Young Stars

May 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011sptz.prop80071m&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #80071

Computer Science

Scientific paper

Our view of extrasolar planetary systems was revolutionized in late 2008, when the first images of planets orbiting 50-100 AU from HR 8799 and Fomalhaut were announced. These results revealed the existence of giant extrasolar planets orbiting their host stars at distances comparable to the size of protoplanetary disks (100-500 AU). Despite their importance to understand the dynamics of the Kuiper belts of extrasolar systems, their possible role in the creation of transient debris disks, and the effects that these bodies can have on the stability of inner planets, little is known about the characteristics of planets at distances of 100 AU or more. To fill this gap, we propose to search for planetary mass companions around 23 young nearby stars. Thanks to the young age (<1 Gyr) and limited distance (<15 pc) of our targets, we will be sensitive to planets with masses as low as 5 MJ at 150 AU from the host star, and <1 MJ at 300 AU or more orbital separation. These observations will increase by 2-3 magnitudes the sensitivity of previous IRAC searches for low mass companions, and probe smaller separations from the primary star. This project will provide a census of planetary mass objects, or strong limits on their existence, in a currently unexplored region of extrasolar planetary systems. The proposed observations represent one of the best remaining opportunities to directly image extrasolar planets in the Spitzer mission.

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