arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jian Ge.
To achieve maximum planet yield for a given radial velocity survey, the observing strategy must be carefully considered. In particular, the adopted cadence can greatly affect the sensitivity to exoplanetary parameters such as period and eccentricity. Here we describe simulations which aim to maximise detections based upon the target parameter space of the survey.
Radial velocity surveys for extra-solar planets generally require substantial amounts of large telescope time in order to monitor a sufficient number of stars. Two of the aspects which can limit such surveys are the single-object capabilities of the spectrograph, and an inefficient observing strategy for a given observing window. In addition, the detection rate of extra-solar planets using the radial velocity method has thus far been relatively linear with time. With the development of various multi-object Doppler survey instruments, there is growing potential to dramatically increase the detection rate using the Doppler method. Several of these instruments have already begun usage in large scale surveys for extra-solar planets, such as FLAMES on the VLT and Keck ET on the Sloan 2.5m wide-field telescope. In order to plan an effective observing strategy for such a program, one must examine the expected results based on a given observing window and target selection. We present simulations of the expected results from a generic multi-object survey based on calculated noise models and sensitivity for the instrument and the known distribution of exoplanetary system parameters. We have developed code for automatically sifting and fitting the planet candidates produced by the survey to allow for fast follow-up observations to be conducted. The techniques presented here may be applied to a wide range of multi-object planet surveys.
As adaptive optics technology continues to improve, the stellar coronagraph will play an ever increasing role in ground-based high-contrast imaging observations. Though several different image masks exist for the most common type of coronagraph, the Lyot coronagraph, it is not yet clear what level of wavefront correction must be reached in order to gain, either in starlight suppression or observing efficiency, by implementing a more sophisticated design. In this paper, we model image plane Lyot-style coronagraphs and test their response to a range of wavefront correction levels, in order to identify regimes of atmospheric compensation where the use of hard-edge, Gaussian, and band-limited image masks becomes observationally advantageous. To delineate performances, we calculate the speckle noise floor mean intensity. We find that apodized masks provide little improvement over hard-edge masks until on-sky Strehl ratios exceed $\sim0.88 \: S_{qs}$, where $S_{qs}$ is the intrinsic Strehl ratio provided by the optical system. Above this value, 4th-order band-limited masks out-perform Gaussian masks by generating comparable contrast with higher Lyot stop throughput. Below this level of correction, hard-edge masks may be preferentially chosen, since they are less susceptible to low-order aberration content. The use of higher-order band-limited masks is relegated to situations where quasi-static residual starlight cannot be sufficiently removed from the search area with speckle-nulling hardware.
Many of the planets discovered via the radial velocity technique are hot Jupiters in 3-5 day orbits with ~10$% chance of transiting their parent star. However, radial velocity surveys for extra-solar planets generally require substantial amounts of large telescope time in order to monitor a sufficient number of stars due to the single-object capabilities of the spectrograph. A multi-object Doppler survey instrument has been developed which is based on the dispersed fixed-delay interferometer design. We present simulations of the expected results from the Sloan Doppler survey based on calculated noise models and sensitivity for the instrument and the known distribution of exoplanetary system parameters. We have developed code for automatically sifting and fitting the planet candidates produced by the survey to allow for fast follow-up observations to be conducted. A transit ephemeris is automatically calculated by the code for each candidate and updated when new data becomes available. The techniques presented here may be applied to a wide range of multi-object planet surveys.
We report the detection of the first extrasolar planet, ET-1 (HD 102195b), using the Exoplanet Tracker (ET), a new generation Doppler instrument. The planet orbits HD 102195, a young star with solar metallicity that may be part of the local association. The planet imparts radial velocity variability to the star with a semiamplitude of $63.4\pm2.0$ m s$^{-1}$ and a period of 4.11 days. The planetary minimum mass ($m \sin i$) is $0.488\pm0.015$ $M_J$.
We have built a series of notch filter image masks that make the Lyot coronagraph less susceptible to low-spatial-frequency optical aberrations. In this paper, we present experimental results of their performance in the lab using monochromatic light. Our tests show that these ``eighth-order'' masks are resistant to tilt and focus alignment errors, and can generate contrast levels of 2 x 10^-6 at 3 lambda/D and 6 x 10^-7 at 10 lambda/D without the use of corrective optics such as deformable mirrors. This work supports recent theoretical studies suggesting that eighth-order masks can provide the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph with a large search area, high off-axis throughput, and a practical requisite pointing accuracy.
We used HST/STIS to obtain the spectrum of molecular hydrogen associated with the damped Ly$α$ system at $z_{\rm abs}=1.7765$ toward the quasar Q1331+170 at $z_{\rm em}=2.084$. Strong ${\rm H}_2$ absorption was detected, with a total ${\rm H}_2$ column density of $N({\rm H}_2)=(4.45\pm 0.36)\times 10^{19} {\rm cm^{-2}}$.The molecular hydrogen fraction is $f_{{\rm H}_2}=\frac{2N_{\rm H_2}}{N_{\rm HI}+2N_{\rm H_2}}=(5.6\pm 0.7)%$, which is the greatest value reported so far in any redshifted damped Ly$α$ system. This results from the combined effect of a relatively high dust-to-gas ratio, a low gas temperature, and an extremely low ambient UV radiation field. Based on the observed population of $J$ states, we estimate the photo-absorption rate to be $R_{\rm abs}=(7.6\pm 2.4)\times 10^{-13} {\rm s^{-1}}$, corresponding to a local UV radiation field of $J(1000{\rm Å})\approx 2.1\times 10^{-3} J_{1000{\rm Å},\odot}$, where $J_{1000{\rm Å},\odot}$ is the UV intensity at $1000 Å$ in the solar neighborhood. This is comparable with the metagalactic UV background intensity at this redshift, and implies an extremely low star formation rate in the absorber's environment. The observed CO-to-H$_2$ column density ratio is $\frac{N_{\rm CO}}{N_{\rm H_2}}<2.5\times 10^{-7}$, which is similar to the value measured for diffuse molecular clouds in the Galactic ISM. Finally, applying the inferred physical conditions to the observed C I fine structure excitation (Songaila {\it et al.} 1994), we estimate the cosmic microwave background temperature to be $T_{\rm CMB}=(7.2\pm 0.8) {\rm K}$ at $z=1.77654$, consistent with the predicted value of $7.566 {\rm K}$ from the standard cosmology.
We describe a new series of band-limited image masks for coronagraphy that are insensitive to pointing errors and other low-spatial-frequency optical aberrations. For a modest cost in throughput, these ``eighth-order'' masks would allow the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) to operate with a pointing accuracy no better than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. We also provide eighth-order notch filter masks that offer the same robustness to pointing errors combined with more manageable construction tolerances: binary masks and graded masks with moderate optical density requirements.
The strongest spectroscopic dust extinction feature in the Milky Way, the broad absorption bump at 2175 Å, is generally believed to be caused by aromatic carbonaceous materials -- very likely a mixture of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules, the most abundant and widespread organic molecules in the Milky Way galaxy. In this paper we report identifications of this absorption feature in three galaxies at $1.4 \lesssim z \lesssim 1.5$ which produce intervening MgII absorption toward quasars discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The observed spectra can be fit using Galactic-type extinction laws, characterized by parameters [R_V, E(B-V)] ~ [0.7, 0.14], [1.9, 0.13], and [5.5, 0.23], respectively, where R_V=A_V/E(B-V) is the total-to-selective extinction ratio, E(B-V) = A_B-A_V is the color-excess. These discoveries imply that the dust in these distant quasar absorption systems is similar in composition to that of Milky Way, but with a range of different grain size distributions. The presence of complex aromatic hydrocarbon molecules in such distant galaxies is important for both astrophysical and astrobiological investigations.
We report here the first evidence for planetesimal infall onto the very young Herbig Be star LkH$_α$234. These results are based on observations acquired over 31 days using spectroscopy of the sodium D lines, the He I 5876Å, and hydrogen H$_α$ lines. We find Redshifted Absorption Components (RAC) with velocities up to 200 km/s and very mild Blueshifted Absorption Components (BEC) up to 100 km/s in the Na I lines. No correlation is observed between the appearance of the Na I RAC & BEC and the H$_α$ and He I line variability, which suggests that these (Na I RAC & BEC) are formed in a process unrelated to the circumstellar gas accretion. We interpret the Na I RAC as evidence for an infalling evaporating body, greater than 100 km in diameter, which is able to survive at distances between 2.0 to 0.1 AU from the star. The dramatic appearance of the sodium RAC and mild BEC is readily explained by the dynamics of this infalling body making LkH$_α$234 the youngest (age $\sim$ 0.1 Myr) system with evidence for the presence of planetesimals.
We present here new results on circumstellar nebulosity around SU Aurigae, a T-Tauri star of about 2 solar mass and 5 Myrs old at 152 pc in the J, H and K bands using high resolution adaptive optics imaging (0$\farcs$30) with the Penn state IR Imaging Spectrograph (PIRIS) at the 100 inch Mt. Wilson telescope. A comparison with HST STIS optical (0.2 to 1.1 micron) images shows that the orientation of the circumstellar nebulosity in the near-IR extends from PAs 210 to 270 degrees in H and K bands and up to 300 degrees in the J band. We call the circumstellar nebulosity seen between 210 to 270 degrees as 'IR nebulosity'. We find that the IR nebulosity (which extends up to 3.5 arcsecs in J band and 2.5 arcsecs in the K band) is due to scattered light from the central star. The IR nebulosity is either a cavity formed by the stellar outflows or part of the circumstellar disk. We present a schematic 3-dimensional geometrical model of the disk and jet of SU Aur based on STIS and our near-IR observations. According to this model the IR nebulosity is a part of the circumstellar disk seen at high inclination angles. The extension of the IR nebulosity is consistent with estimates of the disk diameter of 50 to 400 AU in radius, from earlier mm, K band interferometric observations and SED fittings.
We monitored the planet-bearing solar-type star HD209458 for sodium absorption in the region of the stellar NaI D1 line that would be indicative of cometary activity in the system. We observed the star using the HET HRS with high S/N and high spectral resolution for 6 nights over the course of two years, from July 2001 to July 2003. From modelling we determine a 20% likelihood of a detection, based on a predicted number of comets similar to that of the solar system. We find that our analytical method is able to recover a signal and our S/N is sufficient to detect this feature in the spectral regions on either side of the core of the D1 line, where it is most likely to appear. No significant absorption was detected for any of the nights based on a 3 sigma detection limit. We derive upper limits on the column density of sodium of < ~6 x 10^{9} cm^{-2} for a signal in the region around the line core and < \~2 x 10^{10} cm^{-2} for a signal in the core of the photospheric D1 line. These numbers are consistent with the sodium released in a single periodic comet in our own system, though higher S/N may be necessary to uncover a signal in the core of the D1 line. Implications for cometary activity in the HD209458 system are discussed.
Using high-resolution, high quality spectra we investigate the presence of $^6$Li in two lithium-poor stars that host extrasolar planetary systems. We present improved atomic and molecular line lists for the region in the vicinity of the lithium line at 6707.8 Å, and we produce an excellent fit to the solar spectrum. From line profile fitting, we find results consistent with no $^6$Li in either of the lithium-poor planet-bearing stars or in three comparison stars with and without planets, and 1-$σ$ upper limits of 0.04 for the isotopic ratios of the two lithium-poor stars give an upper limit of 0.3 Jupiter masses of material with primordial abundances that could have been recently deposited in their outer layers. Our results suggest that post-main sequence accretion of planets or planetary material that is undepleted in lithium is uncommon.
We have obtained adaptive optics, high spatial resolution (0.15 arcsecond) K-band spectra and images of the region around the two active nuclei in NGC 6240 which show the presence of circumnuclear shocks. The data are consistent with the thermal excitation mechanism being the dominant one in the nuclear region. UV fluorescence and associative detachment may also contribute to the fraction of the energy emitted through molecular hydrogen transitions. The near-IR continuum emission appears closely associated with the two active nuclei. The morphological similarities between the near-IR images and the Chandra X-ray images indicate the same mechanisms may be responsible for the emission in near-IR and X-ray band.
Gaussian aperture pupil masks (GAPMs) can in theory achieve the contrast requisite for directly imaging an extrasolar planet. We use lab tests and simulations to further study their possible place as a high contrast imaging technique. We present lab comparisons with traditional Lyot coronagraphs and simulations of GAPMs and other high contrast imaging techniques on HST.
We propose to use a high throughput and high precision multi-object dispersed fixed-delay interferometer for all sky Doppler surveys for extrasolar planets. This instrument, a combination of a fixed-delay interferometer with a moderate resolution spectrometer,is completely different from current echelle spectrometers. Doppler RV is measured through monitoring interference fringe shifts of stellar absorption lines over a broad band. Coupling this multi-object instrument with a wide field telescope (a few degree, such as Sloan and WIYN) and UV, visible and near-IR detectors will allow to simultaneously obtain hundreds of stellar fringing spectra for searching for planets. The RV survey speed can be increased by more than 2 orders of magnitude over that for the echelles. A prototype dispersed fixed-delay interferometer has been observed at the Hobby-Eberly 9m and Palomar 5m telescopes in 2001 and demonstrated photo noise limited Doppler precision with Aldebaran. Our recent observations at the KPNO 2.1m telescope in 2002 demonstrate a short term Doppler precision of ~ 3 m/s with eta Cas (V = 3.5), a RV stable star and also obtained a RV curve for 51 Peg. (V = 5.5), confirming previous planet detection with an independent RV technique. The total measured detection efficiency including the sky, telescope and fiber transmission losses, the instrument and iodine transmission losses and detector quantum efficiency is 3.4% under 1.5 arcsec seeing conditions, which is comparable to all of the echelle spectrometers for planet detection.
A prototype cross-dispersed optical echelle spectrograph of very high resolution has been designed and built at Steward Observatory and tested at the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) 1.5 m telescope. It is the first spectrograph to take advantage of diffraction-limited images provided by adaptive optics in order to achieve a potential resolving power of $R \sim 600,000$. The wavelength coverage in a single exposure is about 300 Å, which is approximately 100 times that of conventional spectrographs operating at comparable resolution. This was achieved by recording 60 cross-dispersed orders across the $18\times 18$ mm$^2$ area of the CCD detector. The total efficiency of the system, including the sky and telescope transmission, spectrograph and CCD detector, is measured to be 1.3% at peak, much higher than that of other ultra-high-resolution spectrographs. Sample stellar spectra with $R \sim 250,000$ are presented.
We present a new technique based on fixed-delay interferometry for high throughput, high precision and multi-object Doppler radial velocity (RV) surveys for extra-solar planets. The Doppler measurements are conducted through monitoring the stellar fringe phase shifts of the interferometer. High Doppler sensitivity is achieved through optimizing the optical delay in the interferometer and reducing photon noise by measuring multiple fringes over a broadband. This broadband operation is performed through coupling the interferometer with a low to medium resolution post-disperser. The total Doppler sensitivity of this approach is, in theory, independent of dispersing power of the post-disperser, which allows development of new generation RV machines with much reduced size, high stability and low cost compared to echelles. This technique has the potential to improve RV survey efficiency by 2-3 orders of magnitude over cross-dispersed echelle spectroscopy approach to allow a full sky RV survey for planets once the instrument is operated as a multi-object instrument and optimized for high throughput. The simple interferometer response potentially allows this technique to be operated at other wavelengths independent of popular iodine reference sources to search for planets around early type stars, white dwarfs, and M, L and T dwarfs for the first time.