H. Terada

Direct Imaging of a Cold Jovian Exoplanet in Orbit around the Sun-like Star GJ 504

Several exoplanets have recently been imaged at wide separations of >10?AU from their parent stars. These span a limited range of ages ( 0.5?mag), implying thick cloud covers. Furthermore, substantial model uncertainties exist at these young ages due to the unknown initial conditions at formation, which can lead to an order of magnitude of uncertainty in the modeled planet mass. Here, we report the direct-imaging discovery of a Jovian exoplanet around the Sun-like star GJ 504, detected as part of the SEEDS survey. The system is older than all other known directly imaged planets; as a result, its estimated mass remains in the planetary regime independent of uncertainties related to choices of initial conditions in the exoplanet modeling. Using the most common exoplanet cooling model, and given the system age of 160?Myr, GJ 504b has an estimated mass of 4 Jupiter masses, among the lowest of directly imaged planets. Its projected separation of 43.5?AU exceeds the typical outer boundary of ~30?AU predicted for the core accretion mechanism. GJ 504b is also significantly cooler (510 K) and has a bluer color (J ? H = ?0.23?mag) than previously imaged exoplanets, suggesting a largely cloud-free atmosphere accessible to spectroscopic characterization. Thus, it has the potential of providing novel insights into the origins of giant planets as well as their atmospheric properties.

New Techniques for High-contrast Imaging with ADI: The ACORNS-ADI SEEDS Data Reduction Pipeline

We describe Algorithms for Calibration, Optimized Registration, and Nulling the Star in Angular Differential Imaging (ACORNS-ADI), a new, parallelized software package to reduce high-contrast imaging data, and its application to data from the SEEDS survey. We implement several new algorithms, including a method to register saturated images, a trimmed mean for combining an image sequence that reduces noise by up to ~20%, and a robust and computationally fast method to compute the sensitivity of a high-contrast observation everywhere on the field of view without introducing artificial sources. We also include a description of image processing steps to remove electronic artifacts specific to Hawaii2-RG detectors like the one used for SEEDS, and a detailed analysis of the Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI) algorithm commonly used to reduce high-contrast imaging data. ACORNS-ADI is written in python. It is efficient and open-source, and includes several optional features which may improve performance on data from other instruments. ACORNS-ADI requires minimal modification to reduce data from instruments other than HiCIAO. It is freely available for download at www.github.com/t-brandt/acorns-adi under a Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) license.

Characterization of the gaseous companion κ Andromedae b - New Keck and LBTI high-contrast observations

Context. We previously reported the direct detection of a low mass companion at a projected separation of 55 2 AU around the B9 type star Andromedae. The properties of the system (mass ratio, separation) make it a benchmark for the understanding of the formation and evolution of gas giant planets and brown dwarfs on wide-orbits. Aims. We present new angular di erential imaging (ADI) images of the system at 2.146 (Ks), 3.776 (L’), 4.052 (NB 4:05) and 4.78 m (M’) obtained with Keck/NIRC2 and LBTI/LMIRCam, as well as more accurate near-infrared photometry of the star with the MIMIR instrument. We aim to determine the near-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) of the companion and use it to characterize the object. Methods. We used analysis methods adapted to ADI to extract the companion flux. We compared the photometry of the object to reference young/old objects and to a set of seven PHOENIX-based atmospheric models of cool objects accounting for the formation of dust. We used evolutionary models to derive mass estimates considering a wide range of plausible initial conditions. Finally, we used dedicated formation models to discuss the possible origin of the companion. Results. We derive a more accurate J = 15:86 0:21, H = 14:95 0:13, Ks = 14:32 0:09 mag for And b. We redetect the companion in all our high contrast observations. We confirm previous contrasts obtained at Ks and L’ band. We derive NB 4:05 = 13:0 0:2 and M 0 = 13:3 0:3 mag and estimate Log10(L=L ) = 3:76 0:06. Atmospheric models yield Te = 1900 +100 K. They do not set constrains on the surface gravity. “Hot-start” evolutionary models predict masses of 14 +25 MJup based on the luminosity and temperature estimates, and considering a conservative age range for the system (30 +120 Myr). “warm-start” evolutionary tracks constrain the mass to M 11MJup. Conclusions. The mass of Andromedae b mostly falls in the brown-dwarf regime, due to remaining uncertainties in age and mass-luminosity models. According to the formation models, disk instability in a primordial disk could account for the position and a wide range of plausible masses of And b.

SPATIALLY RESOLVED 3 μm SPECTROSCOPY OF ELIAS 1: ORIGIN OF DIAMONDS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS*

We present spatially resolved 3 μm spectra of Elias 1 obtained with an adaptive optics system. The central part of the disk is almost devoid of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 3.3 μm; it shows up only at 30 AU and beyond. The PAH emission extends up to 100 AU, at least to the outer boundary of our observation. The diamond emission, in contrast, is more centrally concentrated, with the column density peaked around 30 AU from the star. There are only three Herbig Ae/Be stars known to date that show diamond emission at 3.53 μm. Two of them have low-mass companions likely responsible for the large X-ray flares observed toward the Herbig Ae/Be stars. We speculate on the origin of diamonds in circumstellar disks in terms of the graphitic material being transformed into diamond under the irradiation of highly energetic particles.

Fundamental vibrational transition of CO during the outburst of EX Lupi in 2008

We report monitoring observations of the T Tauri star EX Lupi during its outburst in 2008 in the CO fundamental band at 4.6–5.0 μm. The observations were carried out at the Very Large Telescope and the Subaru Telescope at six epochs from 2008 April to August, covering the plateau of the outburst and the fading phase to a quiescent state. The line flux of CO emission declines with the visual brightness of the star and the continuum flux at 5 μm, but composed of two subcomponents that decay with different rates. The narrow-line emission (50 kms^(−1) in FWHM) is near the systemic velocity of EX Lupi. These emission lines appear exclusively in v =1–0. The line widths translate to a characteristic orbiting radius of 0.4 AU. The broad-line component (FWZI ~ 150 km s^(−1)) is highly excited up to v ≤ 6. The line flux of the component decreases faster than the narrow-line emission. Simple modeling of the line profiles implies that the broad-line emitting gas is orbiting around the star at 0.04–0.4 AU. The excitation state, the decay speed of the line flux, and the line profile indicate that the broad-line emission component is physically distinct from the narrow-line emission component, and more tightly related to the outburst event.

The Structure of Pre-transitional Protoplanetary Disks. II. Azimuthal Asymmetries, Different Radial Distributions of Large and Small Dust Grains in PDS 70

The formation scenario of a gapped disk, i.e., transitional disk, and its asymmetry is still under debate. Proposed scenarios such as disk-planet interaction, photoevaporation, grain growth, anticyclonic vortex, eccentricity, and their combinations would result in different radial distributions of the gas and the small (sub-µm size) and large (millimeter size) dust grains as well as asymmetric structures in a disk. Optical/near-infrared (NIR) imaging observations and (sub-)millimeter interferometry can trace small and large dust grains, respectively; therefore multi-wavelength observations could help elucidate the origin of complicated structures of a disk. Here we report SMA observations of the dust continuum at 1.3 mm and 12 CO J = 2 → 1 line emission of the pre-transitional protoplanetary disk around the solar-mass star PDS 70. PDS 70, a weak-lined T Tauri star, exhibits a gap in the scattered light from its disk with a radius of ∼65 AU at NIR wavelengths. However, we found a larger gap in the disk with a radius of ∼80 AU at 1.3 mm. Emission from all three disk components (the gas and the small and large dust grains) in images exhibits a deficit in brightness in the central region of the disk, in particular, the dust-disk in small and large dust grains has asymmetric brightness. The contrast ratio of the flux density in the dust continuum between the peak position to the opposite side of the disk reaches 1.4. We suggest the asymmetries and different gap-radii of the disk around PDS 70 are potentially formed by several (unseen) accreting planets inducing dust filtration. Subject headings: planetary systems — protoplanetary disks — stars: individual (PDS 70) — stars: pre-main sequence — submillimeter: general — polarization

Search for H3+ in HD 141569A* **

A search for H line emission, reported to have been detected toward the young star HD 141569A and possibly originating in a clump of planet-forming gas orbiting the star, has yielded negative results. Observations made at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope and the Subaru Telescope during 2001-2005 covered 11 major transitions of H from 3.42 to 3.99 μm. No H emission lines were detected; one marginal detection at 3.9855 μm in 2002 June was not confirmed in later spectra. The upper limits to the line strengths were significantly lower than the previously reported detections. Supplemental slit-scanning spectroscopy using adaptive optics was performed within 038 of HD 141569A to search for extended emission from H, but no emission was detected. We compare our upper limit to the luminosity in H from HD 141569A with that possible from a gas giant protoplanet and also from a jovian mass exoplanet in close orbit about its central star.

Detection of the unusual 3.5 μm feature in the Herbig Be star MWC 297

We present spectroscopic observations of MWC 297 with medium spectral resolution in the 2.1-4.1 μ m region, that show the unusual emission band at 3.53 μ m as well as gaseous emission lines of the Brackett, Pfund and Humphrey series of hydrogen. A unique aspect of the measured 3.53 μ m emission band is the fact that, within our detection limit, it is not accompanied by the 3.3 and 3.4 μ m emission band. We suggest that the 3.53 μ m feature could be emitted by highly dehydrogenized carbonaceous dust particles that were processed under the influence of the strong radiation field of the central star.

SCExAO AND GPI Y JH BAND PHOTOMETRY AND INTEGRAL FIELD SPECTROSCOPY OF THE YOUNG BROWN DWARF COMPANION TO HD 1160

BF foundation; Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Program; JSPS [23103002, 23340051, 26220704, 25-8826]; U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [DE-AC52-07NA27344, LLNL-JRNL-701012-DRAFT]; U.S. National Science Foundation [1009203]

Polarimetry and flux distribution in the debris disk around HD 32297

We present high-contrast angular differential imaging (ADI) observations of the debris disk around HD 32297 in H-band, as well as the first polarimetric images for this system in polarized differential imaging (PDI) mode with Subaru/HICIAO. In ADI, we detect the nearly edge-on disk at >5sigma levels from ~0.45 arcsec to ~1.7 arcsec (50-192 AU) from the star and recover the spine deviation from the midplane already found in previous works. We also find for the first time imaging and surface brightness (SB) indications for the presence of a gapped structure on both sides of the disk at distances of ~0.75 arcsec (NE side) and ~0.65 arcsec (SW side). Global forward-modelling work delivers a best-fit model disk and well-fitting parameter intervals that essentially match previous results, with high-forward scattering grains and a ring located at 110 AU. However, this single ring model cannot account for the gapped structure seen in our SB profiles. We create simple double ring models and achieve a satisfactory fit with two rings located at 60 and 95 AU, respectively, low-forward scattering grains and very sharp inner slopes. In polarized light we retrieve the disk extending from ~0.25-1.6 arcsec, although the central region is quite noisy and high S/N are only found in the range ~0.75-1.2 arcsec. The disk is polarized in the azimuthal direction, as expected, and the departure from the midplane is also clearly observed. Evidence for a gapped scenario is not found in the PDI data. We obtain a linear polarization degree of the grains that increases from ~10% at 0.55 arcsec to ~25% at 1.6 arcsec. The maximum is found at scattering angles of ~90degrees, either from the main components of the disk or from dust grains blown out to larger radii.