The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars
Giant planets within the habitable zones of the closest several stars can currently be imaged with ground-based telescopes. Within the next decade, the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) will begin to image the habitable zones of a greater number of nearby stars with much higher sensitivity, potentia...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astronomical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acaf5d |
| _version_ | 1827827803729428480 |
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| author | Zach Werber Kevin Wagner Dániel Apai |
| author_facet | Zach Werber Kevin Wagner Dániel Apai |
| author_sort | Zach Werber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Giant planets within the habitable zones of the closest several stars can currently be imaged with ground-based telescopes. Within the next decade, the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) will begin to image the habitable zones of a greater number of nearby stars with much higher sensitivity, potentially imaging exo-Earths around the closest stars. To determine the most promising candidates for observations over the next decade, we establish a theoretical framework for the direct detectability of Earth- to super-Jovian-mass exoplanets in the mid-infrared based on available atmospheric and evolutionary models. Of the 83 closest BAFGK-type stars, we select 37 FGK-type stars within 10 pc and 34 BA-type stars within 30 pc with reliable age constraints. We prioritize targets based on a parametric model of a planet’s effective temperature based on a star's luminosity, distance, and age, and on the planet’s orbital semimajor axis, radius, and albedo. We then predict the most likely planets to be detectable with current 8 m telescopes and with a 39 m ELT with up to 100 hr of observation per star. Putting this together, we recommend observation times needed for the detection of habitable-zone exoplanets spanning the range from very nearby temperate Earth-sized planets to more distant young giant planets. We then recommend ideal initial targets for current telescopes and the upcoming ELTs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:37:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6029aabd051644fda4dd02a440d2884e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-3881 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:37:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astronomical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-6029aabd051644fda4dd02a440d2884e2023-09-03T13:07:59ZengIOP PublishingThe Astronomical Journal1538-38812023-01-01165313310.3847/1538-3881/acaf5dThe Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby StarsZach Werber0Kevin Wagner1Dániel Apai2Steward Observatory, University of Arizona , Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USA ; zwerber5@arizona.eduSteward Observatory, University of Arizona , Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USA ; zwerber5@arizona.eduSteward Observatory, University of Arizona , Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USA ; zwerber5@arizona.edu; Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona , Tucson, AZ 85721-0092, USAGiant planets within the habitable zones of the closest several stars can currently be imaged with ground-based telescopes. Within the next decade, the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) will begin to image the habitable zones of a greater number of nearby stars with much higher sensitivity, potentially imaging exo-Earths around the closest stars. To determine the most promising candidates for observations over the next decade, we establish a theoretical framework for the direct detectability of Earth- to super-Jovian-mass exoplanets in the mid-infrared based on available atmospheric and evolutionary models. Of the 83 closest BAFGK-type stars, we select 37 FGK-type stars within 10 pc and 34 BA-type stars within 30 pc with reliable age constraints. We prioritize targets based on a parametric model of a planet’s effective temperature based on a star's luminosity, distance, and age, and on the planet’s orbital semimajor axis, radius, and albedo. We then predict the most likely planets to be detectable with current 8 m telescopes and with a 39 m ELT with up to 100 hr of observation per star. Putting this together, we recommend observation times needed for the detection of habitable-zone exoplanets spanning the range from very nearby temperate Earth-sized planets to more distant young giant planets. We then recommend ideal initial targets for current telescopes and the upcoming ELTs.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acaf5dExoplanet astronomyDirect imagingExtrasolar rocky planets |
| spellingShingle | Zach Werber Kevin Wagner Dániel Apai The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars The Astronomical Journal Exoplanet astronomy Direct imaging Extrasolar rocky planets |
| title | The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars |
| title_full | The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars |
| title_fullStr | The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars |
| title_short | The Direct Mid-infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets around Nearby Stars |
| title_sort | direct mid infrared detectability of habitable zone exoplanets around nearby stars |
| topic | Exoplanet astronomy Direct imaging Extrasolar rocky planets |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acaf5d |
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