Extrasolar planets Astronomy

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1 Extrasolar planets Astronomy

2 Topics to be covered Physics and sizes 12.2 Detecting extrasolar planets 12.3 Observations of exoplanets 12.4 Exoplanet statistics 12.5 Planets and Life 2

3 What is a planet? What is a star? The composition of Jupiter closely resembles that of the Sun: who s to say that Jupiter is not simply py a failed star rather than a planet? The discovery of low-mass binary stars would be interesting, but (perhaps) not as exciting as discovering new true planets. Is there a natural boundary between planets and stars? 3

4 Planets and brown dwarfs A star of mass less than 8% Luminosity bump due to shortlived deuterium burning mass) will never grow hot of the Sun (80x Jupiter s Steady luminosity due to H burning enough in its core to fuse hydrogen This is used as the boundary between true stars and very large gas planets Objects below this mass are called brown dwarfs The boundary between BD and planet is more controversial some argue it should be based on formation other choose solar masses=13 M j as the boundary, as objects below this mass will never reach even deuterium fusion Nelson et al., 1986, AJ, 311, 226 4

5 5

Artist s conception of the planet orbiting pulsar

Frail announced the discovery of a multiplanet

1257+12 (an earlier announcement had been

These were the first two extrasolar planets

multi planet extrasolar planetary system

6 Artist s conception of the planet orbiting pulsar PSR B Pulsar planets In 1992, Wolszczan and Frail announced the discovery of a multiplanet planetary system around the millisecond pulsar PSR (an earlier announcement had been retracted). These were the first two extrasolar planets confirmed to be discovered, d and thus the first multi planet extrasolar planetary system discovered, and the first pulsar planets discovered However, these objects are not in planetary systems as we usually think of them 6

7 Worlds Beyond Our Sun In 1995 a team of Swiss astronomers discovered the first planet (in a nonpulsar system) outside our solar system, orbiting a sun-like star called 51 Pegasi. Further discoveries bring the grand total of known extrasolar planets to 861 (as of March 2013) and counting. Artist's rendition of the star 51 Pegasi and its planetary companion 51 Pegasi B. 7

Curiously enough, most extrasolar planets remain unseen They are

8 Unseen Companions This artist's concept shows the Neptune-sized extrasolar planet circling the star Gliese 436. Curiously enough, most extrasolar planets remain unseen They are usually detected by indirect means, though their effects on their parent star. 8

9 Obstacles to Direct Detection Direct detection is the only way to tell what these planets are made of and whether there's water or oxygen in their atmospheres. But most known exoplanets are impossible to see with current technology Two reasons why: known exoplanets are too dim Jupiter, for example, is more than a billion times fainter than the Sun. However it could easily be seen at large distances except for known exoplanets orbit too close to their parent stars most known exoplanets have orbits smaller than that of Mercury "It's like trying to see a firefly next to a searchlight from across town." 9

10 The first confirmed image of an exoplanet: GQ Lupi & Planetary Companion 21 M j, 100 AU orbit. Imaged by ESO s VLT, then HST and Subaru confirmed (early Apr 2005) 10

11 Detection methods: Astrometry oldest method, used since 1943 the wobble induced in the plane-of-sky motion of the star by planets is measured by accurately observing its position over time 1 detection 11

VB 10b is approximately 6 Jupiter masses, with a period of

12 Astrometry STEPS (Stellar Planet Survey) detected periodic proper motion of VB 10, a nearby brown dwarf. VB 10b is approximately 6 Jupiter masses, with a period of 9 months. No sign of planet when examined with other techniques: busted! 12

At 30 light-years, this would produce an apparent motion of less than 1

13 Astrometry:Difficulties Example: The Sun wobbles by about its diameter, mostly due to Jupiter. At 30 light-years, this would produce an apparent motion of less than 1 milliarcsecond. Typical good ground- based observing conditions produce positions with accuracies below but around 1 arcsecond. Apparent motion of Sun from 30 ly 13

14 Detection methods: Pulsar planets Pulsar planets are planets that are found orbiting pulsars Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars. Pulsar planets are discovered through radio pulsar timing measurements, to detect anomalies in the pulsation period. Any bodies orbiting the pulsar will cause regular changes in its pulsation. Since pulsars normally rotate at near-constant speed, any changes can easily be detected with the help of precise timing measurements. The first ever planets discovered around another star, were discovered around a pulsar in 1992 by Wolszczan and Frail around PSR Some uncertainty initially surrounded this due to an earlier retraction of a planet detection around PSR

15 PSR Pulsar located 2630 light years away These were the first extrasolar planets ever discovered Pulsar mass 0.3 M sun, rotational period seconds Mass (M E ) a (AU) Period (days) e First planet Second planet Third planet possible small fourth object has an upper mass limit of 0.2 M Pluto and an upper size of R < 1000km. 15

16 5 of the 12 known pulsar planet systems Pulsar planet Mass Obitdit Orbit distance Obit Orbit period PSR B c 2.5 Jupiters 23 AU 100yr V391 Peg b 3.2 Jupiters 1.7 AU 1170 days PSR a 0.02 Earths 0.19 AU 25 days b 4.3 Earths 0.36 AU 66 days c 3.9 Earths 0.46 AU 98 days d Earths 2.7 AU 3.5 years QS Vir b 6.4 Jupiters 4.2 AU 7.9 years HW Vir b 19.2 Jupiters 16 years c 8.5 Jupiters 332 days Since neutron stars are formed after the violent death of massive stars (supernovae), it was not expected that planets could survive in such a system. Its now thought that the planets are either the remnant cores of giant planets that were able to weather the supernova, or later accretion products of supernova debris. 16

17 Detection methods: Transits Planets observed at inclinations (measured with respect to the plane of the sky) near 90 o will pass in front of ( transit ) their host stars, dimming the light of the star. This may be detectable by high-precision photometry. Note that the planet is invisible, being unresolved, only the brightness variation in the star is seen. 17

18 The Observational Challenge The fraction of stars expected to have transits is: f = f s f MS f CEGP p t f s = fraction of stars that are single = 0.5 f MS = fraction of those on the main sequence = 0.5 f CEGP = fraction of those that have a close-in planet = p t = fraction of those with an inclination to transit = 0.1 Need to look at 4000 stars to find 1 that transits. Need to sample often compared to transit duration. Need 1% accuracy for a 3s detection of a 2 hour transit. Need to look on sky for at least 1 orbital period. Requires 1,000, minute samples with 1% accuracy to detect one transit. 18

19 Transits Assuming The whole planet passes in front of the star And ignoring i limb darkening of the star as negligible ibl Then the depth of the eclipse is simply the ratio of the planetary and stellar disk areas: 2 p 2 * Δf πr R f = light flux p = = f* πrr R * We measure the change in brightness, and estimate the stellar radius from the spectral type 2 19

Earths, especially from space (Kepler mission, launched Mar 2009) Disadvantages Probability of seeing a transit is

20 Transits Advantages Easy. Can be done with small, cheap telescopes WASP, STARE, numerous others Possible to detect low mass planets, including Earths, especially from space (Kepler mission, launched Mar 2009) Disadvantages Probability of seeing a transit is low Need to observe many stars simultaneously Easy to confuse with binary/triple systems Needs radial velocity measurements for confirmation, masses Has found 294 exoplanets in 238 systems so far (March 2013) 20

21 OGLE-TR-10: Konacki et al M j, 1.24R j, P=3.1days 21

22 Kepler (transits) With a total of 95 mega-pixels of CCDs Kepler is capable of observing over 100,000 stars all at once and measuring their brightness to an accuracy of better than 1 part in 100,

23 Kepler Orrery 23

24 Detection methods: microlensing If the geometry is correct, a planet can actually produce a brightening (rather than a dimming) of a background star (not the parent star) through gravitational microlensing. 24

First detection: OGLE 2003 BLG-235 Analysis of the light curve reveals second

4% of mass of the other 17,000 light years away, in the constellation

The planet, orbiting a red dwarf parent star, is most likely one-and-a-half

25 First detection: OGLE 2003 BLG-235 Analysis of the light curve reveals second object in lens with.4% of mass of the other 17,000 light years away, in the constellation Sagittarius. The planet, orbiting a red dwarf parent star, is most likely one-and-a-half times bigger than Jupiter. The planet and star are three times farther apart than Earth and the Sun. Together, they magnify a farther, background star some 24,000 light years away, near the Milky Way center. 25

Microlensing Microlensing has some disadvantages model-dependent only

smaller planets, farther from their star ie.

(Mar/2013) p y OGLE 2005-BLG-390 (Artist s impression): Five Earth

26 Microlensing Microlensing has some disadvantages model-dependent only see the planet once However, it is the best technique for finding smaller planets, farther from their star ie. more Earth-like planets than RV technique (next) 18 detections so far (Mar/2013) p y OGLE 2005-BLG-390 (Artist s impression): Five Earth mass planet on a 10 yr orbit around a red dwarf star. First (probably) icy exoplanet found (25 Jan 2006) 26

27 Detection methods: radial velocity Most of the planets known to date were discovered using the Doppler shift or radial velocity method. A planet's gravity pulls its host star back and forth during its orbit. This causes the light we receive to be "blueshifted" and "redshifted". Although the Doppler signals are enough to convince us that extrasolar planets exist, these exoplanets are not seen directly. (~502 detections as of March 2013) 27

Observe the period P 3 r = GM 4π Stellar Doppler shifts * 2 P

velocity V p = GM / r P * K From conservation of momentum,

(from spectral p type) to compute M p sin i (K = V * sin i) (i

28 Observe the period P 3 r = GM 4π Stellar Doppler shifts * 2 P 2 Assume a circular orbit (initially) iti to find planet velocity V p = GM / r P * K From conservation of momentum, determine M p M p = M * V* / V Assume a mass for the star (from spectral p type) to compute M p sin i (K = V * sin i) (i = inclination of orbital plane to line of sight) M sin i = M * K / p V p 28

29 Eccentricity By looking more closely at the shape of the curve, the eccentricity of the planet s orbit can be determined. 29

052052 AU (circular) Orbital period 4.23077 d Mass >0.468 ± 0.

30 51 Pegasi b First planet discovered around a sun-like star outside of the solar system Radial velocity method Detection from regular velocity changes in the star's spectral lines of around 70 metres per second Semi-major major axis AU (circular) Orbital period d Mass >0.468 ± MJ Greater radius than Jupiter despite its lower mass Superheated 700 K atmosphere It is the prototypical hot Jupiter Orbital migration to present position? Artist s conception 30

31 Observational challenges Requires high- precision repeatable spectroscopic measurements of Doppler shifts to ~ 1m/s accuracy Most sensitive to massive planets near the star ( hot Jupiters ) 31

Direct Detection To understand extrasolar planets, we really need their light None of the radial velocity planets can be imaged with current technology Planet is too faint and too close to the star

32 Direct Detection To understand extrasolar planets, we really need their light None of the radial velocity planets can be imaged with current technology Planet is too faint and too close to the star Solution: Remove the starlight (adaptive optics, coronagraphy, interferometry) To optimize the contrast between planet and star, one observes red dwarfs, brown dwarfs & white dwarfs, and chooses a wavelength band that favours the planet Above: Gliese 229B brown dwarf companion to nearby M dwarf 32

33 The Adaptive Optics Difference Images of the planet Neptune from the W.M. Keck observatory in Hawaii. Keck comprises two telescopes, each with a primary mirror 10 m in diameter. Support staff have recently installed an AO system on Keck II. The left-hand image is what you normally see using Keck II. The right-hand image was taken after the AO 33 system was turned on.

34 Planet brightness vs age Solid lines Burrows 1997 models, dashed lines Burrows 2002 models Models assume evolution in isolation: no additional heating source or reflection component Gas giant planets are hotter when they form, and cool over time. Hot Jupiters emit more strongly in the thermal IR than more distant gas giants. Jupiter is 10 9 times fainter than the Sun in the visible, but only 10 6 times fainter in the thermal IR Young Jupiters and hot Jupiters may be only 10 4 times fainter than their stars in the IR 34

The first image of an exoplanet 2M1207 parent star is a brown

Planet mass =5M j determined from model of spectrum of

5 R j 41 AU from the star Chauvin et al.

instrument), Imaged with NACO (an adaptive optics instrument)

35 The first image of an exoplanet 2M1207 parent star is a brown dwarf 10Myr old (young) in an association of newly formed stars Planet mass =5M j determined from model of spectrum of companion= uncertainty! radius = 1.5 R j 41 AU from the star Chauvin et al. 2004, A&A, 425, L29 Imaged with NACO (an adaptive optics instrument), Imaged with NACO (an adaptive optics instrument) on ESO s Very Large Telescope (VLT) Sep Odd orbit means only confirmed after common proper motion confirmed (mid-apr 2005) 35

36 The first confirmed image of an exoplanet: GQ Lupi & Planetary Companion 21 M j, 100 AU orbit. Imaged by ESO s VLT, then HST and Subaru confirmed (early Apr 2005) 36

could also be measured from direct observations of orbit over time 2.

37 Caution! AB Dor: nearby, young (~50 million years, 15pc) red dwarf Brown dwarf companion In this case, the mass could also be measured from direct observations of orbit over time 2.5x more massive than spectral models predict (90 M J vs 36 M J ) So the planet is just a brown dwarf Masses measured by applying models to luminosities, ages and distances may be underestimated by > factor 2 Close, Nature, 2005, 433,

38 Michael Perryman, 2012, Astrobiology 12,

39 Scorecard (Mar. 13, 2013): 861 Radial velocity: 501 planets in 389 systems Transits: 294 planets in 238 systems. Pulsar planets: 15 planets in 12 systems Microlensing: 18 planets in 16 systems Direct imaging: 32 planets in 28 systems Astrometry: 1 planet (SETI: nil) Past scorecards Apr : 194 Mar : 278 Nov : 404 Nov :

40 Exotic systems: PSR B c 40

Exotic systems: HD 209458b Spectroscopic radial velocity studies first

7% drop in HD 209458's brightness was measured, which was later confirmed

Each transit lasts about three hours, and about 1.

Semi-major axis 0.045 AU (circular) Orbital period 3.

41 Exotic systems: HD b Spectroscopic radial velocity studies first revealed the presence of a planet around HD on November 5, % drop in HD 's brightness was measured, which was later confirmed as being due to a transit. Each transit lasts about three hours, and about 1.5% of the star's s face is covered by the planet during the transit Semi-major axis AU (circular) Orbital period d Inclination 86.1 ± 0.1 Mass 0.69 ± 0.05 MJ Radius ± RJ Density 370 kg/m³ Temperature 1,130 ± 150 K Probably a gas giant Artist s conception 41

HD 209458b Envelope of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen around the planet that reaches a temperature of 10,000 K The heavier carbon and oxygen atoms are being blown off of the planet by the extreme

42 HD b Envelope of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen around the planet that reaches a temperature of 10,000 K The heavier carbon and oxygen atoms are being blown off of the planet by the extreme "hydrodynamic drag" created by its evaporating hydrogen atmosphere The hydrogen tail streaming off of the planet is 200,000 kilometers long Measured by differential spectroscopy during transit by HST in UV (Vidal-Madjar et al 2004) 42

Metallicity: The abundance of elements heavier than He

stars have radial velocity detected Jupiters But if we

the metal content of the Sun have planets only ~3% of

43 Metallicity: The abundance of elements heavier than He relative to the Sun Overall, ~5% of solar-like like stars have radial velocity detected Jupiters But if we take metallicity into account: >20% of stars with 3x the metal content of the Sun have planets only ~3% of stars with 1/3 rd of the Sun s metallicity have planets 43

44 Orbit size distribution Max about 6 AU Since most planets detected by RV, there are a lot of massive planets near their stars This preponderance p is a selection effect no doubt, but how do the ones we see form? 44

from the Sun as the core-accretion model requires that they form a core (including a lot of ice) that reaches 10-20 Earth

45 The problem: hot Jupiters Possible solution: planetary migration In our SS, the giant Additional problem: why do the planets stop their planets form far migration before falling into the star? from the Sun as the core-accretion model requires that they form a core (including a lot of ice) that reaches Earth masses before they can accrete gas However, many large exoplanets orbit very close to their star This is perhaps the outstanding problem in the study of extrasolar planets. 45

46 Mass distribution Super-Jupiters (M>several M Jup ) are not common Implications for planet formation theories? Or only exist in numbers at large separation that haven t yet been detected? 46

47 Cumming (2004) Jupiter Lines are 50% and 99% detection thresholds for RV surveys for 5 observations per year for 3, 6 and 12 yrs. Length of surveys limits distances planets have been found from stars. Normally one would like to observe a planet for at least one orbital period (for RV and transit methods) Earliest surveys started 1989 Jupiter (5 AU from Sun) takes 12 yrs to orbit Sun would only just have been discovered Saturn takes 30 years -would possibly remain undetected 47

48 Low-mass planets Low-mass planets are not easily detected by RV technique. Smallest (except for pulsar planets) is α Cen B b (radial v) at M J ~ 1.1 M E 48

49 What about Earth-like planets? 49

Habitable zone For a planet to be Earth-like in the sense of having life, it likely must have a moderate temperature liquid water organic molecules stable energy available Ignoring geothermal heat,

50 Habitable zone For a planet to be Earth-like in the sense of having life, it likely must have a moderate temperature liquid water organic molecules stable energy available Ignoring geothermal heat, this likely means an appropriate distance from its parent star The appropriate region (which may be as simply and vaguely defined as: where liquid water can exist ) is called the habitable zone or HZ 50

51 Location of the Habitable Zone In practice the location of the Habitable Zone depends on the details of the planet itself, and possibly the planet s recent history an ice ball may be harder to warm up By examining i the Earth s climate under different received solar fluxes, the (liquid water) HZ stretches from about 0.95 to 1.4 AU 0.99 to 1.7 AU: Kopparapu et al. (Feb 2013) Case Inner limit (AU) Outer limit (AU) Standard model 0.95 (0.99) 1.37 (1.70) Mars sized planet 0.98 (1.035) 1.49 (1.72) 10x Earth mass planet 0.91 (0.94) 1.29 (1.67) Kasting et al 1993 (Kopparapu et al. 2013) 51

52 Habitable zones around other stars Brighter stars have wider HZ s further out, while low-mass stars have narrow HZ s huddled near them. This makes the HZ harder to hit for the (common) faint stars High mass stars have shorter lifetimes: so their larger HZ s might be counteracted by the fact they die before life can evolve? HZs for two different luminosity stars. Stars between 0.7 and 1.5 solar masses might live long enough for life to develop and have HZs far enough 52 from the star.

53 Continuously Habitable Zone (CHZ) Additionally, a star will typically increase in luminosity throughout its lifetime, moving the HZ. If the zone moves too much, there is no continously habitable zone (CHZ) Luminosity evolution of the Sun (Kasting et al 1993) 53

54 Habitable zones and biomarkers Though many exoplanet systems are seen to contain hot Jupiters near their stars, they could contain as-yet undetected low-mass planets in their HZ if they were not previously cleared out by migration Some HJ s that are within the HZ could harbour moons with more Earth-like properties. So we find a planet with the same mass as Earth, and in the habitable zone: How can we tell it harbours life? Search for biomarkers Water Ozone Albedo 54

55 <snip> Earthshine spectrum with some features that might indicate life-bearing planets

56 The End 56

Searching for Other Worlds

Searching for Other Worlds Lecture 32 1 In-Class Question What is the Greenhouse effect? a) Optical light from the Sun is reflected into space while infrared light passes through the atmosphere and heats