A Matched Filter Method for Ground-Based Sub-Noise Detection of Terrestrial Extrasolar Planets in Eclipsing Binaries: Application to CM Draconis

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

30

Scientific paper

The photometric detection of extrasolar planets by transits in eclipsing binary systems can be significantly improved by cross-correlating the observational light curves with synthetic models of possible planetary transit features, essentially a matched filter approach. We demonstrate the utility and application of this transit detection algorithm for ground-based detections of terrestrial-sized (Earth-to-Neptune radii) extrasolar planets in the dwarf M-star eclipsing binary system CM Draconis. Preliminary photometric observational data of this system demonstrate that the observational noise is well characterized as white and Gaussian at the observational time steps required for precision photometric measurements. Depending on planet formation scenarios, terrestrial-sized planets may form quite close to this low-luminosity system. We demonstrate, for example, that planets as small as 1.4 Earth radii with periods on the order of a few months in the CM Draconis system could be detected at the 99.9% confidence level in less than a year using 1-m class telescopes from the ground. This result contradicts commonly held assumptions limiting present ground-based efforts to, at best, detections of gas giant planets after several years of observation. This method can be readily extended to a number of other larger star systems with the utilization of larger telescopes and longer observing times. Its extension to spacecraft observations should also allow the determination of the presence of terrestrial-sized planets in nearly 100 other known eclipsing binary systems.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

A Matched Filter Method for Ground-Based Sub-Noise Detection of Terrestrial Extrasolar Planets in Eclipsing Binaries: Application to CM Draconis does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with A Matched Filter Method for Ground-Based Sub-Noise Detection of Terrestrial Extrasolar Planets in Eclipsing Binaries: Application to CM Draconis, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A Matched Filter Method for Ground-Based Sub-Noise Detection of Terrestrial Extrasolar Planets in Eclipsing Binaries: Application to CM Draconis will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-854080

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.