Article (Scientific journals)
Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri
Wagner, K.; Boehle, A.; Pathak, P. et al.
2021In Nature Communications, 12, p. 922
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Published in Nature Astronomy: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-21176-6


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Abstract :
[en] Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75-80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.
Research center :
STAR - Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research - ULiège
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Wagner, K.;  Dept. of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA ; NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science, Earths in Other Solar Systems Team, Tucson, AZ, USA
Boehle, A.;  Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
Pathak, P.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Kasper, M.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Arsenault, R.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Jakob, G.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Käufl, U.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Leveratto, S.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Maire, Anne-Lise ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > PSILab
Pantin, E.;  AIM, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Siebenmorgen, R.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Zins, G.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Absil, Olivier  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > PSILab
Ageorges, N.;  Kampf Telescope Optics, München, Germany
Apai, D.;  Dept. of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA ; NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science, Earths in Other Solar Systems Team, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Carlotti, A.;  Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, Grenoble, France
Choquet, É.;  Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
Delacroix, Christian  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > PSILab
Dohlen, K.;  Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
Duhoux, P.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Forsberg, P.;  Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Fuenteseca, E.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Gutruf, S.;  Kampf Telescope Optics, München, Germany
Guyon, O.;  Dept. of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA ; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), Hilo, HI, USA ; The Breakthrough Initiatives, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, CA, USA ; James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Huby, E.;  LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Meudon, France
Kampf, D.;  Kampf Telescope Optics, München, Germany
Karlsson, M.;  Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Kervella, P.;  LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Meudon, France
Kirchbauer, J.-P.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Klupar, P.;  The Breakthrough Initiatives, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, CA, USA
Kolb, J.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Mawet, D.;  California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
N'Diaye, M.;  Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Nice, France
Orban De Xivry, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > PSILab
Quanz, S. P.;  Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
Reutlinger, A.;  Kampf Telescope Optics, München, Germany
Ruane, G.;  California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA ; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Riquelme, M.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Soenke, C.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Sterzik, M.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Vigan, A.;  Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
de Zeeuw, T.;  European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany ; Sterrewacht Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands ; Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, Germany)
More authors (32 more) Less
Language :
English
Title :
Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri
Publication date :
10 February 2021
Journal title :
Nature Communications
eISSN :
2041-1723
Publisher :
Nature Publishing Group, United Kingdom
Volume :
12
Pages :
922
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
H2020 - 819155 - EPIC - Earth-like Planet Imaging with Cognitive computing
Funders :
CE - Commission Européenne [BE]
Available on ORBi :
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