Exploration of the dynamical phase space of stars with known planets

Dmitry Savransky; Carlos Gascón; Nathaniel Kinzly; Natasha Batalha; Nikole Lewis; Mark Marley

doi:10.1117/12.2529521

9 September 2019 Exploration of the dynamical phase space of stars with known planets

Dmitry Savransky, Carlos Gascón, Nathaniel Kinzly, Natasha Batalha, Nikole Lewis, Mark Marley

Proceedings Volume 11117, Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets IX; 111171D (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2529521
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2019, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Coronagraphic Instrument (CGI) technology demonstration and potential science mission, as well as mission concepts with exoplanet imaging capabilities such as HabEx and LUVOIR, all require the identification of the best targets for exoplanet observations. To date, the focus has been primarily on two classes of targets: those with known exoplanets discovered indirectly that may be observable by these imaging missions, and those targets with no known planets that have high completeness values (probabilities of planet detections) under some assumptions of the instrument performance and the overall population of exoplanets. A third class of target, however, has received much less scrutiny: stars with known exoplanets that could not possibly be directly imaged due to the size of their orbits. These are planets that would be guaranteed to spend all of their time inside the inner working angles or outside the outer working angles of all currently proposed coronagraphs. However, these systems could potentially harbor additional planets, either exterior to or interior to the currently known planets, but not yet detectable by indirect means. Here, we discuss how to identify systems from all three categories that would be good targets for WFIRST and other, future, space-based imagers. We present a method for assessing the utility of these targets based on an exploration of the available dynamical phase space of the systems that would result in long-term stable orbits for both the currently known and the potentially discoverable companions, and show how it augments existing methods for assessing target completeness and utility.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Dmitry Savransky, Carlos Gascón, Nathaniel Kinzly, Natasha Batalha, Nikole Lewis, and Mark Marley "Exploration of the dynamical phase space of stars with known planets", Proc. SPIE 11117, Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets IX, 111171D (9 September 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2529521

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available