Astrometric Search for Exoplanets

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

AST-0507590Bernard BurkeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyAstrometric Search for ExoplanetsABTSRACTAn observing program dedicated to a search for extrasolar planets around 50 nearby/bright binarystars will be carried out. Key here is the use of the Palomar Testbed Interferometer, which is theonly dual beam optical interferometer in existence. Using the nearby companion in each binary as areference, astrometric precision of 10-20 micro-arcseconds will be possible (almost 100 times betterthan is possible with a single dish optical system). Saturn-Jupiter mass planets with periods of a fewyears will therefore be detectable (possibly even Uranus-Neptune mass if 10 micro-arcseconds canbe reached over long periods). Such a search of close binaries would be extremely difficult usingtraditional spectroscopic techniques and any planets found here will be of great value inconstraining planet formation theories. A secondary outcome of this work is improved (by factors of10-100) orbits of dozens of close binaries from the target list, which when combined with radialvelocities will lead to higher precision masses.A graduate student will be supported and be trained in interferometric techniques. This is a rapidlygrowing field and a significant demand for expertise is expected in the future.