TY - JOUR
T1 - Constraints on long-period planets from an L′- and M-band survey of nearby sun-like stars
T2 - Modeling results
AU - Heinze, A. N.
AU - Hinz, Philip M.
AU - Kenworthy, Matthew
AU - Meyer, Michael
AU - Sivanandam, Suresh
AU - Miller, Douglas
PY - 2010/1/1
Y1 - 2010/1/1
N2 - We have carried out an L′- and M-band adaptive optics (AO) extrasolar planet imaging survey of 54 nearby, Sun-like stars using the Clio camera at the MMT. Our survey concentrates more strongly than all others to date on very nearby F, G, and K stars, in that we have prioritized proximity higher than youth. Our survey is also the first to include extensive observations in the M band, which supplemented the primary L′ observations. These longer-wavelength bands are most useful for very nearby systems in which low-temperature planets with red IR colors (i.e., H - L′, H - M) could be detected. The survey detected no planets, but set interesting limits on planets and brown dwarfs in the star systems we investigated. We have interpreted our null result by means of extensive Monte Carlo simulations and constrained the distributions of extrasolar planets in mass M and semimajor axis a. If planets are distributed according to a power law with dN M α a β dMda, normalized to be consistent with radial velocity (RV) statistics, we find that a distribution with α = -1.1 and β = -0.46, truncated at 110AU, is ruled out at the 90% confidence level. These particular values of α and β are significant because they represent the most planet-rich case consistent with current statistics from RV observations. With 90% confidence no more than 8.1% of stars like those in our survey have systems with three widely spaced, massive planets like the A star HR 8799. Our observations show that giant planets in long-period orbits around Sun-like stars are rare, confirming the results of shorter-wavelength surveys and increasing the robustness of the conclusion.
AB - We have carried out an L′- and M-band adaptive optics (AO) extrasolar planet imaging survey of 54 nearby, Sun-like stars using the Clio camera at the MMT. Our survey concentrates more strongly than all others to date on very nearby F, G, and K stars, in that we have prioritized proximity higher than youth. Our survey is also the first to include extensive observations in the M band, which supplemented the primary L′ observations. These longer-wavelength bands are most useful for very nearby systems in which low-temperature planets with red IR colors (i.e., H - L′, H - M) could be detected. The survey detected no planets, but set interesting limits on planets and brown dwarfs in the star systems we investigated. We have interpreted our null result by means of extensive Monte Carlo simulations and constrained the distributions of extrasolar planets in mass M and semimajor axis a. If planets are distributed according to a power law with dN M α a β dMda, normalized to be consistent with radial velocity (RV) statistics, we find that a distribution with α = -1.1 and β = -0.46, truncated at 110AU, is ruled out at the 90% confidence level. These particular values of α and β are significant because they represent the most planet-rich case consistent with current statistics from RV observations. With 90% confidence no more than 8.1% of stars like those in our survey have systems with three widely spaced, massive planets like the A star HR 8799. Our observations show that giant planets in long-period orbits around Sun-like stars are rare, confirming the results of shorter-wavelength surveys and increasing the robustness of the conclusion.
KW - Astrometry
KW - Infrared: planetary systems
KW - Instrumentation: adaptive optics
KW - Planetary systems
KW - Planets and satellites: detection
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U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/714/2/1570
DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/714/2/1570
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77951687840
VL - 714
SP - 1570
EP - 1581
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 2
ER -