| 1. |
- Chauvin, G., et al.
(författare)
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Discovery of a warm, dusty giant planet around HIP 65426
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 605
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. The SHINE program is a high-contrast near-infrared survey of 600 young, nearby stars aimed at searching for and characterizing new planetary systems using VLT/SPHERE's unprecedented high-contrast and high-angular-resolution imaging capabilities. It is also intended to place statistical constraints on the rate, mass and orbital distributions of the giant planet population at large orbits as a function of the stellar host mass and age to test planet-formation theories.Methods. We used the IRDIS dual-band imager and the IFS integral field spectrograph of SPHERE to acquire high-contrast coronagraphic differential near-infrared images and spectra of the young A2 star HIP 65426. It is a member of the similar to 17 Myr old Lower Centaurus-Crux association. Results. At a separation of 830 mas (92 au projected) from the star, we detect a faint red companion. Multi-epoch observations confirm that it shares common proper motion with HIP 65426. Spectro-photometric measurements extracted with IFS and IRDIS between 0.95 and 2.2 mu m indicate a warm, dusty atmosphere characteristic of young low-surface-gravity L5-L7 dwarfs. Hot-start evolutionary models predict a luminosity consistent with a 6-12 M-Jup, T-eff = 1300-1600K and R = 1.5 +/- 0.1 R-Jup giant planet. Finally, the comparison with Exo-REM and PHOENIX BT-Settl synthetic atmosphere models gives consistent effective temperatures but with slightly higher surface gravity solutions of log(g) = 4.0-5.0 with smaller radii (1.0-1.3 R-Jup).Conclusions. Given its physical and spectral properties, HIP 65426 b occupies a rather unique placement in terms of age, mass, and spectral-type among the currently known imaged planets. It represents a particularly interesting case to study the presence of clouds as a function of particle size, composition, and location in the atmosphere, to search for signatures of non-equilibrium chemistry, and finally to test the theory of planet formation and evolution.
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| 2. |
- Lagrange, A. -M., et al.
(författare)
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Post-conjunction detection of beta Pictoris b with VLT/SPHERE
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 621
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. With an orbital distance comparable to that of Saturn in the solar system, beta Pictoris b is the closest (semi-major axis similar or equal to 9 au) exoplanet that has been imaged to orbit a star. Thus it offers unique opportunities for detailed studies of its orbital, physical, and atmospheric properties, and of disk-planet interactions. With the exception of the discovery observations in 2003 with NaCo at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), all following astrometric measurements relative to beta Pictoris have been obtained in the southwestern part of the orbit, which severely limits the determination of the planet's orbital parameters.Aims. We aimed at further constraining beta Pictoris b orbital properties using more data, and, in particular, data taken in the northeastern part of the orbit.Methods. We used SPHERE at the VLT to precisely monitor the orbital motion of beta beta Pictoris b since first light of the instrument in 2014.Results. We were able to monitor the planet until November 2016, when its angular separation became too small (125 mas, i.e., 1.6 au) and prevented further detection. We redetected beta Pictoris b on the northeast side of the disk at a separation of 139 mas and a PA of 30 degrees in September 2018. The planetary orbit is now well constrained. With a semi-major axis (sma) of a = 9.0 +/- 0.5 au (1 sigma), it definitely excludes previously reported possible long orbital periods, and excludes beta Pictoris b as the origin of photometric variations that took place in 1981. We also refine the eccentricity and inclination of the planet. From an instrumental point of view, these data demonstrate that it is possible to detect, if they exist, young massive Jupiters that orbit at less than 2 au from a star that is 20 pc away.
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| 3. |
- Bonnefoy, M., et al.
(författare)
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The GJ 504 system revisited Combining interferometric, radial velocity, and high contrast imaging data
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The G-type star GJ504A is known to host a 3-35 M-Jup companion whose temperature, mass, and projected separation all contribute to making it a test case for planet formation theories and atmospheric models of giant planets and light brown dwarfs. Aims. We aim at revisiting the system age, architecture, and companion physical and chemical properties using new complementary interferometric, radial-velocity, and high-contrast imaging data. Methods. We used the CHARA interferometer to measure GJ504A's angular diameter and obtained an estimation of its radius in combination with the HIPPARCOS parallax. The radius was compared to evolutionary tracks to infer a new independent age range for the system. We collected dual imaging data with IRDIS on VLT/SPHERE to sample the near-infrared (1.02-2.25 mu m) spectral energy distribution (SED) of the companion. The SED was compared to five independent grids of atmospheric models (petitCODE, Exo-REM, BT-SETTL, Morley et al., and ATMO) to infer the atmospheric parameters of GJ 504b and evaluate model-to-model systematic errors. In addition, we used a specific model grid exploring the effect of different C/O ratios. Contrast limits from 2011 to 2017 were combined with radial velocity data of the host star through the MESS2 tool to define upper limits on the mass of additional companions in the system from 0.01 to 100 au. We used an MCMC fitting tool to constrain the companion's orbital parameters based on the measured astrometry, and dedicated formation models to investigate its origin. Results. We report a radius of 1.35 +/- 0.04 R-circle dot for GJ504A. The radius yields isochronal ages of 21 +/- 2 Myr or 4.0 +/- 1.8 Gyr for the system and line-of-sight stellar rotation axis inclination of 162.4(-4.3)(+3.8) degrees or 18.6(-3.8)(+4.3) degrees. We re-detect the companion in the Y2, Y3, J3, H2, and K1 dual-band images. The complete 1-4 mu m SED shape of GJ504b is best reproduced by T8-T9.5 objects with intermediate ages (<= 1.5Gyr), and/or unusual dusty atmospheres and/or super-solar metallicities. All atmospheric models yield T-eff = 550 +/- 50 K for GJ504b and point toward a low surface gravity (3.5-4.0 dex). The accuracy on the metallicity value is limited by model-to-model systematics; it is not degenerate with the C/O ratio. We derive log L/L-circle dot = 6.15 +/- 0.15 dex for the companion from the empirical analysis and spectral synthesis. The luminosity and T-eff yield masses of M = 1.3(-0.3)(+0.6) M-Jup and M = 23(-9)(+10) M-Jup for the young and old age ranges, respectively. The semi-major axis (sma) is above 27.8 au and the eccentricity is lower than 0.55. The posterior on GJ 504b's orbital inclination suggests a misalignment with the rotation axis of GJ 504A. We exclude additional objects (90% prob.) more massive than 2.5 and 30 M-Jup with semi-major axes in the range 0.01-80 au for the young and old isochronal ages, respectively. Conclusions. The mass and semi-major axis of GJ 504b are marginally compatible with a formation by disk-instability if the system is 4 Gyr old. The companion is in the envelope of the population of planets synthesized with our core-accretion model. Additional deep imaging and spectroscopic data with SPHERE and JWST should help to confirm the possible spin-orbit misalignment and refine the estimates on the companion temperature, luminosity, and atmospheric composition.
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| 4. |
- Lazzoni, C., et al.
(författare)
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The search for disks or planetary objects around directly imaged companions : a candidate around DH Tauri B
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 641
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. In recent decades, thousands of substellar companions have been discovered with both indirect and direct methods of detection. While the majority of the sample is populated by objects discovered using radial velocity and transit techniques, an increasing number have been directly imaged. These planets and brown dwarfs are extraordinary sources of information that help in rounding out our understanding of planetary systems.Aims. In this paper, we focus our attention on substellar companions detected with the latter technique, with the primary goal of investigating their close surroundings and looking for additional companions and satellites, as well as disks and rings. Any such discovery would shed light on many unresolved questions, particularly with regard to their possible formation mechanisms.Methods. To reveal bound features of directly imaged companions, whether for point-like or extended sources, we need to suppress the contribution from the source itself. Therefore, we developed a method based on the negative fake companion technique that first estimates the position in the field of view (FoV) and the flux of the imaged companion with high precision, then subtracts a rescaled model point spread function (PSF) from the imaged companion, using either an image of the central star or another PSF in the FoV. Next it performs techniques, such as angular differential imaging, to further remove quasi-static patterns of the star (i.e., speckle contaminants) that affect the residuals of close-in companions.Results. After testing our tools on simulated companions and disks and on systems that were chosen ad hoc, we applied the method to the sample of substellar objects observed with SPHERE during the SHINE GTO survey. Among the 27 planets and brown dwarfs we analyzed, most objects did not show remarkable features, which was as expected, with the possible exception of a point source close to DH Tau B. This candidate companion was detected in four different SPHERE observations, with an estimated mass of ~1MJup, and a mass ratio with respect to the brown dwarf of 1∕10. This binary system, if confirmed, would be the first of its kind, opening up interesting questions for the formation mechanism, evolution, and frequency of such pairs. In order to address the latter, the residuals and contrasts reached for 25 companions in the sample of substellar objects observed with SPHERE were derived. If the DH Tau Bb companion is real, the binary fraction obtained is ~7%, which is in good agreement with the results obtained for field brown dwarfs.Conclusions. While there may currently be many limitations affecting the exploration of bound features to directly imaged exoplanets and brown dwarfs, next-generation instruments from the ground and space (i.e., JWST, ELT, and LUVOIR) will be able to image fainter objects and, thus, drive the application of this technique in upcoming searches for exo-moons and circumplanetary disks.
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| 5. |
- Maire, A-L, et al.
(författare)
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Hint of curvature in the orbital motion of the exoplanet 51 Eridani b using 3 yr of VLT/SPHERE monitoring
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The 51 Eridani system harbors a complex architecture with its primary star forming a hierarchical system with the binary GJ 3305AB at a projected separation of 2000 au, a giant planet orbiting the primary star at 13 au, and a low-mass debris disk around the primary star with possible cold and warm components inferred from the spectral energy distribution. Aims. We aim to better constrain the orbital parameters of the known giant planet. Methods. We monitored the system over three years from 2015 to 2018 with the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VET). Results. We measure an orbital motion for the planet of similar to 130 mas with a slightly decreasing separation (similar to 10 mas) and find a hint of curvature. This potential curvature is further supported at 3 sigma significance when including literature Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) astrometry corrected for calibration systematics. Fits of the SPHERE and GPI data using three complementary approaches provide broadly similar results. The data suggest an orbital period of 32(-9)(+17) yr (i.e., 12(-2)(+4), au in semi-major axis), an inclination of 133(-7)(+1)(4) deg, an eccentricity of 0.45(-0.15)(+0.10), and an argument of periastron passage of 87(-30)(+34) deg [mod 180 degrees]. The time at periastron passage and the longitude of node exhibit bimodal distributions because we do not yet detect whether the planet is accelerating or decelerating along its orbit. Given the inclinations of the orbit and of the stellar rotation axis (134-144 degrees), we infer alignment or misalignment within 18 degrees for the star-planet spin-orbit. Further astrometric monitoring in the next 3-4 yr is required to confirm at a higher significance the curvature in the motion of the planet, determine if the planet is accelerating or decelerating on its orbit, and further constrain its orbital parameters and the star-planet spin-orbit.
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