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Register a new userVLT/SPHERE exploration of the young multiplanetary system PDS70
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Context. PDS 70 is a young (5.4 Myr), nearby (~113 pc) star hosting a known transition disk with a large gap. Recent observations with SPHERE and NACO in the near-infrared (NIR) allowed us to detect a planetary mass companion, PDS70b, within the disk cavity. Moreover, observations in H_alpha with MagAO and MUSE revealed emission associated to PDS70b and to another new companion candidate, PDS70c, at a larger separation from the star. Aims. Our aim is to confirm the discovery of the second planet PDS70c using SPHERE at VLT, to further characterize its physical properties, and search for additional point sources in this young planetary system. Methods. We re-analyzed archival SPHERE NIR observations and obtained new data in Y, J, H and K spectral bands for a total of four different epochs. The data were reduced using the data reduction and handling pipeline and the SPHERE data center. We then applied custom routines (e.g. ANDROMEDA and PACO) to subtract the starlight. Results. We re-detect both PDS 70 b and c and confirm that PDS70c is gravitationally bound to the star. We estimate this second planet to be less massive than 5 M Jup and with a T_eff around 900 K. Also, it has a low gravity with log g between 3.0 and 3.5 dex. In addition, a third object has been identified at short separation (~0.12) from the star and gravitationally bound to the star. Its spectrum is however very blue, so that we are probably seeing stellar light reflected by dust and our analysis seems to demonstrate that it is a feature of the inner disk. We, however, cannot completely exclude the possibility that it is a planetary mass object enshrouded by a dust envelope. In this latter case, its mass should be of the order of few tens of M_Earth. Moreover, we propose a possible structure for the planetary system based on our data that, however, cannot be stable on a long timescale.
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Dusty debris disks around pre- and main-sequence stars are potential signposts for the existence of planetesimals and exoplanets. Giant planet formation is therefore expected to play a key role in the evolution of the disk. This is indirectly confirmed by extant sub-millimeter near-infrared images of young protoplanetary and cool dusty debris disks around main sequence stars usually showing substantial spatial structures. A majority of recent discoveries of imaged giant planets have been obtained around young, early-type stars hosting a circumstellar disk. In this context, we have carried out a direct imaging program designed to maximize our chances of giant planet discovery and targeting twenty-two young, early-type stars. About half of them show indication of multi-belt architectures. Using the IRDIS dual-band imager and the IFS integral field spectrograph of SPHERE to acquire high-constrast coronagraphic differential near-infrared images, we have conducted a systematic search in the close environment of these young, dusty and early-type stars. We confirmed that companions detected around HIP 34276, HIP 101800 and HIP 117452 are stationary background sources and binary companions. The companion candidates around HIP 8832, HIP 16095 and HIP 95619 are determined as background contamination. For stars for which we infer the presence of debris belts, a theoretical minimum mass for planets required to clear the debris gaps can be calculated . The dynamical mass limit is at least $0.1 M_J$ and can exceed $1 M_J$. Direct imaging data is typically sensitive to planets down to $sim 3.6 M_J$ at 1 $$, and $1.7 M_J$ in the best case. These two limits tightly constrain the possible planetary systems present around each target. These systems will be probably detectable with the next generation of planet imagers.
Aims. We aim to detect molecules in the atmosphere of the young forming companion PDS70 b by searching for atmospheric absorption features typical of substellar objects. Methods. We obtained medium-resolution (R$approx$5075) spectra of the PDS70 planetary system with the SINFONI integral field spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. We applied molecular mapping, based on cross-correlation with synthetic spectra, to identify signatures of molecular species in the atmosphere of the planet. Results. Although the planet emission is clearly detected when resampling the data to lower resolution, no molecular species could be identified with the cross-correlation technique. We estimated upper limits on the abundances of H$_2$O, CO and CH$_4$ ($log(X_mathrm{mol}) < -4.0$, $-4.1$ and $-4.9$, respectively) assuming a clear atmosphere, and we explored the impact of clouds, which increase the upper limits by a factor up to 0.7 dex. Assuming that the observations directly probe the planets atmosphere, we found a lack of molecular species compared to other directly imaged companions or field objects. Under the assumption that the planet atmosphere presents similar characteristics to other directly imaged planets, we conclude that a dusty environment surrounds the planet, effectively obscuring any feature generated in its atmosphere. We quantify the extinction necessary to impede the detection ($A_Vapprox16-17$ mag), pointing to the possibility of higher optical thickness than previously estimated from other studies. Finally, the non-detection of molecular species conflicts with atmospheric models previously proposed to describe the forming planet. Conclusions. To unveil how giant planets form, a comprehensive approach that includes constraints from multiple techniques needs to be undertaken. Molecular mapping emerges as an alternative to more classical techniques like SED fitting.
The protoplanetary disk around the F-type star HD 135344B (SAO 206462) is in a transition stage and shows many intriguing structures both in scattered light and thermal (sub-)millimeter emission which are possibly related to planet formation processes. We study the morphology and surface brightness of the disk in scattered light to gain insight into the innermost disk regions, the formation of protoplanets, planet-disk interactions traced in the surface and midplane layers, and the dust grain properties of the disk surface. We have carried out high-contrast polarimetric differential imaging (PDI) observations with VLT/SPHERE and obtained polarized scattered light images with ZIMPOL in R- and I-band and with IRDIS in Y- and J-band. The scattered light images reveal with unprecedented angular resolution and sensitivity the spiral arms as well as the 25 au cavity of the disk. Multiple shadow features are discovered on the outer disk with one shadow only being present during the second observation epoch. A positive surface brightness gradient is observed in the stellar irradiation corrected images in southwest direction possibly due to an azimuthally asymmetric perturbation of the temperature and/or surface density by the passing spiral arms. The disk integrated polarized flux, normalized to the stellar flux, shows a positive trend towards longer wavelengths which we attribute to large aggregate dust grains in the disk surface. Part of the the non-azimuthal polarization signal in the Uphi image of the J-band observation could be the result of multiple scattering in the disk. The detected shadow features and their possible variability have the potential to provide insight into the structure of and processes occurring in the innermost disk regions.
The planetary system discovered around the young A-type HR8799 provides a unique laboratory to: a) test planet formation theories, b) probe the diversity of system architectures at these separations, and c) perform comparative (exo)planetology. We present and exploit new near-infrared images and integral-field spectra of the four gas giants surrounding HR8799 obtained with SPHERE, the new planet finder instrument at the Very Large Telescope, during the commissioning and science verification phase of the instrument (July-December 2014). With these new data, we contribute to completing the spectral energy distribution of these bodies in the 1.0-2.5 $mu$m range. We also provide new astrometric data, in particular for planet e, to further constrain the orbits. We used the infrared dual-band imager and spectrograph (IRDIS) subsystem to obtain pupil-stabilized, dual-band $H2H3$ (1.593 $mu$m, 1.667 $mu$m), $K1K2$ (2.110 $mu$m, 2.251 $mu$m), and broadband $J$ (1.245 $mu$m) images of the four planets. IRDIS was operated in parallel with the integral field spectrograph (IFS) of SPHERE to collect low-resolution ($Rsim30$), near-infrared (0.94-1.64 $mu$m) spectra of the two innermost planets HR8799d and e. The data were reduced with dedicated algorithms, such as the Karhunen-Lo`eve image projection (KLIP), to reveal the planets. We used the so-called negative planets injection technique to extract their photometry, spectra, and measure their positions. We illustrate the astrometric performance of SPHERE through sample orbital fits compatible with SPHERE and literature data.
The Solar system was once rich in the short-lived radionuclide (SLR) $^{26}$Al, but deprived in $^{60}$Fe. Several models have been proposed to explain these anomalous abundances in SLRs, but none has been set within a self-consistent framework of the evolution of the Solar system and its birth environment. The anomalous abundance in $^{26}$Al may have originated from the accreted material in the wind of a massive $apgt 20$,$M_odot$ Wolf-Rayet star, but the star could also have been a member of the parental star-cluster instead of an interloper or an older generation that enriched the proto-solar nebula. The protoplanetary disk at that time was already truncated around the Kuiper-cliff (at $45$ au) by encounters with another cluster members before it was enriched by the wind of the nearby Wolf-Rayet star. The supernova explosion of a nearby star, possibly but not necessarily the exploding Wolf-Rayet star, heated the disk to $apgt 1500$K, melting small dust grains and causing the encapsulation and preservation of $^{26}$Al into vitreous droplets. This supernova, and possibly several others, caused a further abrasion of the disk and led to its observed tilt of $5.6pm1.2^circ$ with respect to the Suns equatorial plane. The abundance of $^{60}$Fe originates from a supernova shell, but its preservation results from a subsequent supernova. At least two supernovae are needed (one to deliver $^{60}$Fe, and one to preserve it in the disk) to explain the observed characteristics of the Solar system. The most probable birth cluster then has $N = 2500pm300$ stars and a radius of $r_{rm vir} = 0.75pm0.25$ pc. We conclude that Solar systems equivalent systems form in the Milky Way Galaxy at a rate of about 30 per Myr, in which case approximately 36,000 Solar system analogues roam the Milky Way.
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