[en] Within less than 15 years, the count of known planets orbiting stars other than the Sun has risen from none to more than 400 with detections arising from four successfully applied techniques: Doppler-wobbles, planetary transits, gravitational microlensing, and direct imaging. While the hunt for twin Earths is on, a statistically well-defined sample of the population of planets in all their variety is required for probing models of planet formation and orbital evolution so that the origin of planets that harbour life, like and including ours, can be understood. Given the different characteristics of the detection techniques, a complete picture can only arise from a combination of their respective results. Microlensing observations are well-suited to reveal statistical properties of the population of planets orbiting stars in either the Galactic disk or bulge from microlensing observations, but a mandatory requirement is the adoption of strictly-deterministic criteria for selecting targets and identifying signals. Here, we describe a fully-deterministic strategy realised by means of the ARTEMiS (Automated Robotic Terrestrial Exoplanet Microlensing Search) system at the Danish 1.54-m telescope at ESO La Silla between June and August 2008 as part of the MiNDSTEp (Microlensing Network for the Detection of Small Terrestrial Exoplanets) campaign, making use of immediate feedback on suspected anomalies recognized by the SIGNALMEN anomaly detector. We demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of such an approach, and thereby the readiness for studying planet populations down to Earth mass and even below, with ground-based observations. While the quality of the real-time photometry is a crucial factor on the efficiency of the campaign, an impairment of the target selection by data of bad quality can be successfully avoided. With a smaller slew time, smaller dead time, and higher through-put, modern robotic telescopes could significantly outperform the 1.54-m Danish, whereas lucky-imaging cameras could set new standards for high-precision follow-up monitoring of microlensing events. Based on data collected by the MiNDSTEp consortium with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Dominik, M.; SUPA, University of St Andrews, School of Physics & Astronomy, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
Jørgensen, U. G.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark ; Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Københavns Universitet, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 København Ø, Denmark
Rattenbury, N. J.; Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, New Zealand
Mathiasen, M.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark
Hinse, T. C.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark ; Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG, UK
Calchi Novati, S.; Università degli Studi di Salerno, Dipartimento di Fisica ``E.R. Caianiello", Via Ponte Don Melillo, 84085 Fisciano (SA), Italy ; INFN, Gruppo Collegato di Salerno, Sezione di Napoli, Italy ; Istituto Internazionale per gli Alti Studi Scientifici (IIASS), Via G. Pellegrino 19, 84019 Vietri sul Mare (SA), Italy
Harpsøe, K.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark
Bozza, V.; Università degli Studi di Salerno, Dipartimento di Fisica ``E.R. Caianiello", Via Ponte Don Melillo, 84085 Fisciano (SA), Italy ; INFN, Gruppo Collegato di Salerno, Sezione di Napoli, Italy ; Istituto Internazionale per gli Alti Studi Scientifici (IIASS), Via G. Pellegrino 19, 84019 Vietri sul Mare (SA), Italy
Anguita, T.; Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (ZAH), Mönchhofstr. 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany ; Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Macul, Santiago, Chile
Burgdorf, M. J.; Deutsches SOFIA Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany ; SOFIA Science Center, NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop N211-3, Moffett Field CA 94035, USA
Horne, K.; SUPA, University of St Andrews, School of Physics & Astronomy, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
Hundertmark, M.; Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
Kerins, E.; Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester, Alan Turing Building, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
Kjærgaard, P.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark), AO{SUPA, University of St Andrews, School of Physics & Astronomy, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK ; Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (ZAH), Mönchhofstr. 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Liebig, C.; School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
Mancini, L.; School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK}
Masi, G.; School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK}
Rahvar, S.; School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
Ricci, Davide ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Scarpetta, G.; Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P. O. Box 11155-9161, Tehran, Iran
Snodgrass, C.
Southworth, J.; Università degli Studi di Salerno, Dipartimento di Fisica ``E.R. Caianiello", Via Ponte Don Melillo, 84085 Fisciano (SA), Italy ; INFN, Gruppo Collegato di Salerno, Sezione di Napoli, Italy ; Istituto Internazionale per gli Alti Studi Scientifici (IIASS), Via G. Pellegrino 19, 84019 Vietri sul Mare (SA), Italy}
Street, R. A.; Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Max-Planck-Str. 2, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany ; European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19, Chile
Surdej, Jean ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Thöne, C. C.; Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740B Cortona Dr, Goleta, CA 93117, USA
Tsapras, Y.
Wambsganss, J.; Niels Bohr Institutet, Københavns Universitet, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 København Ø, Denmark ; INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, 23807 Merate (LC), Italy}
Zub, M.; Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740B Cortona Dr, Goleta, CA 93117, USA ; School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
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