Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri

K. Wagner; A. Boehle; P. Pathak; M. Kasper; R. Arsenault; G. Jakob; U. Käufl; S. Leveratto; A. L. Maire; E. Pantin; R. Siebenmorgen; G. Zins; O. Absil; N. Ageorges; D. Apai; A. Carlotti; Élodie Choquet; C. Delacroix; K. Dohlen; P. Duhoux; P. Forsberg; E. Fuenteseca; S. Gutruf; O. Guyon; E. Huby; D. Kampf; M. Karlsson; P. Kervella; J. P. Kirchbauer; P. Klupar; J. Kolb; D. Mawet; M. N’Diaye; G. Orban de Xivry; S. P. Quanz; A. Reutlinger; G. Ruane; M. Riquelme; C. Soenke; M. Sterzik; A. Vigan; T. de Zeeuw

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6

Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri

K. Wagner, A. Boehle, P. Pathak, M. Kasper, R. Arsenault, G. Jakob, U. Käufl, S. Leveratto, A. L. Maire, E. Pantin, R. Siebenmorgen, G. Zins, O. Absil, N. Ageorges, D. Apai, A. Carlotti, Élodie Choquet, C. Delacroix, K. Dohlen, P. DuhouxP. Forsberg, E. Fuenteseca, S. Gutruf, O. Guyon, E. Huby, D. Kampf, M. Karlsson, P. Kervella, J. P. Kirchbauer, P. Klupar, J. Kolb, D. Mawet, M. N’Diaye, G. Orban de Xivry, S. P. Quanz, A. Reutlinger, G. Ruane, M. Riquelme, C. Soenke, M. Sterzik, A. Vigan, T. de Zeeuw

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38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75–80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	922
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6
State	Published - Dec 1 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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Wagner, K., Boehle, A., Pathak, P., Kasper, M., Arsenault, R., Jakob, G., Käufl, U., Leveratto, S., Maire, A. L., Pantin, E., Siebenmorgen, R., Zins, G., Absil, O., Ageorges, N., Apai, D., Carlotti, A., Choquet, É., Delacroix, C., Dohlen, K., ... de Zeeuw, T. (2021). Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri. Nature communications, 12(1), Article 922. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6

Wagner, K, Boehle, A, Pathak, P, Kasper, M, Arsenault, R, Jakob, G, Käufl, U, Leveratto, S, Maire, AL, Pantin, E, Siebenmorgen, R, Zins, G, Absil, O, Ageorges, N, Apai, D, Carlotti, A, Choquet, É, Delacroix, C, Dohlen, K, Duhoux, P, Forsberg, P, Fuenteseca, E, Gutruf, S, Guyon, O, Huby, E, Kampf, D, Karlsson, M, Kervella, P, Kirchbauer, JP, Klupar, P, Kolb, J, Mawet, D, N’Diaye, M, Orban de Xivry, G, Quanz, SP, Reutlinger, A, Ruane, G, Riquelme, M, Soenke, C, Sterzik, M, Vigan, A & de Zeeuw, T 2021, 'Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri', Nature communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 922. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6

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title = "Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri",

abstract = "Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75–80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.",

author = "K. Wagner and A. Boehle and P. Pathak and M. Kasper and R. Arsenault and G. Jakob and U. K{\"a}ufl and S. Leveratto and Maire, {A. L.} and E. Pantin and R. Siebenmorgen and G. Zins and O. Absil and N. Ageorges and D. Apai and A. Carlotti and {\'E}lodie Choquet and C. Delacroix and K. Dohlen and P. Duhoux and P. Forsberg and E. Fuenteseca and S. Gutruf and O. Guyon and E. Huby and D. Kampf and M. Karlsson and P. Kervella and Kirchbauer, {J. P.} and P. Klupar and J. Kolb and D. Mawet and M. N{\textquoteright}Diaye and {Orban de Xivry}, G. and Quanz, {S. P.} and A. Reutlinger and G. Ruane and M. Riquelme and C. Soenke and M. Sterzik and A. Vigan and {de Zeeuw}, T.",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6",

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T1 - Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri

AU - Wagner, K.

AU - Boehle, A.

AU - Pathak, P.

AU - Kasper, M.

AU - Arsenault, R.

AU - Jakob, G.

AU - Käufl, U.

AU - Leveratto, S.

AU - Maire, A. L.

AU - Pantin, E.

AU - Siebenmorgen, R.

AU - Zins, G.

AU - Absil, O.

AU - Ageorges, N.

AU - Apai, D.

AU - Carlotti, A.

AU - Choquet, Élodie

AU - Delacroix, C.

AU - Dohlen, K.

AU - Duhoux, P.

AU - Forsberg, P.

AU - Fuenteseca, E.

AU - Gutruf, S.

AU - Guyon, O.

AU - Huby, E.

AU - Kampf, D.

AU - Karlsson, M.

AU - Kervella, P.

AU - Kirchbauer, J. P.

AU - Klupar, P.

AU - Kolb, J.

AU - Mawet, D.

AU - N’Diaye, M.

AU - Orban de Xivry, G.

AU - Quanz, S. P.

AU - Reutlinger, A.

AU - Ruane, G.

AU - Riquelme, M.

AU - Soenke, C.

AU - Sterzik, M.

AU - Vigan, A.

AU - de Zeeuw, T.

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75–80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.

AB - Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75–80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.

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VL - 12

JO - Nature communications

JF - Nature communications

IS - 1

M1 - 922

ER -

Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri

Abstract

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