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High-Contrast Imaging of Epsilon Eridani with Ground-Based InstrumentsEpsilon Eridani is one of the nearest solar-type stars. Its proximity and relatively young age allow high-contrast imaging observations to achieve sensitivities to planets at narrow separations down to an inner radius of approximately 5 AU. Previous observational studies of the system report a dust disk with asymmetric morphology as well as a giant planet with large orbital eccentricity, which may require another massive companion to induce the peculiar morphology and to enhance the large orbital eccentricity. In this paper, we report results from deep high-contrast imaging observations to detect the previously reported planet and search for other unseen less massive companions with Subaru/HiCIAO, Gemini-South/NICI, and VLT/NACO. No positive detection was made, but high-contrast measurements with the CH4S narrow-band filter of HiCIAO achieved sensitivities at 14.7 mag differential magnitude level, at an angular separation of 1.0''. In terms of planetary mass, as determined by cooling evolutionary models, the highest sensitivities were achieved by the Lp broad-band filter of NACO, resulting in sensitivities corresponding to 1.8, 2.8, and 4.5 M(sub jup) at the projected separation of 3 AU, if 200, 400, and 800 Myr is assumed for the age of the system, respectively. We also discuss origins of the dust disk from the detection sensitivity in the planetary mass and find that a less massive eccentric planet is preferred for disk stirring, which is consistent with the orbital parameters of epsilon Eri b claimed from the previous long-term radial velocity monitoring.
Document ID
20170003486
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Mizuki, T.
(Tohoku Univ. Miyagi, Japan)
Yamada, T.
(Tohoku Univ. Miyagi, Japan)
Carson, J. C.
(Charleston Coll. Charleston, SC, United States)
Kuzuhara, M.
(Tokyo Inst. of Tech. Tokyo, Japan)
Nakagawa, T.
(Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Sagamihara, Japan)
Nishikawa, J.
(National Astronomical Observatory Tokyo, Japan)
Sitko, M. L.
(Cincinnati Univ. OH, United States)
Kudo, T.
(National Astronomical Observatory Tokyo, Japan)
Kusakabe, N.
(National Astronomical Observatory Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto, J.
(National Astronomical Observatory Tokyo, Japan)
Grady, C. A.
(Eureka Scientific, Inc. Oakland, CA, United States)
McElwain, M. W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Serabyn, E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 14, 2017
Publication Date
November 1, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Astsronomy & Astrophysics
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Volume: 595
ISSN: 0004-6361
e-ISSN: 1432-0746
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41499
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG16PX39P
CONTRACT_GRANT: JSPS Fellows 25-8826
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF 1009203
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Epsilon Eridani

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