First-Light Debris Disk Science with the Gemini Planet Imager

使用双子座行星成像仪进行第一光碎片盘科学

• 批准号: 1413718
• 负责人: Michael Fitzgerald
• 金额: $ 30.03万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1413718&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: First; Light; Debris; Disk; Science

This work will provide maps of nearby planetary systems in unprecedented detail using the new Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) with the Gemini Observatory. Planetary systems around other stars are associated with tenuous structures composed of dust known as debris disks, the counterpart of our solar system's asteroid and Kuiper belts. The observations will be used to test models of planet formation and evolution, and the data reduction pipeline will be made available to the astronomical community. The PI and his team will train and mentor graduate and undergraduate students in research, and develop an exoplanetary system imaging exhibit at UCLA's Exploring Your Universe public outreach event.The GPI instrument is a new coronagraphic integral field unit commissioned at the Gemini Observatory. It is capable of detecting and spectroscopically characterizing young Jovian planets reaching 10 million times fainter than their parent star at separations as close as 0.2 arcseconds. This project scientifically exploits new, high-contrast, polarimetric images of debris disks to be obtained in the early science operations of GPI. Debris disks imaged with unprecedented contrast and inner working angles will reveal distinct signs of interaction with planets, such as eccentricity of the dust belt, surface density asymmetries, and gaps. Coupling analytical and numerical models of the dynamical evolution of dust grains with radiative transfer calculations will enable detailed scattered-light modeling of each disk with the goal of producing a physically grounded model that gives strong constraints on the mass and orbital parameters of the related planet(s). The results of this project will be used to produce independent estimates of the planet properties from those derived from the dedicated, multi-year, planet-searching campaign, and provide a unique viewpoint on the dynamical history of each system.

这项工作将使用新的双子座行星成像仪（GPI）和双子座天文台提供空前的细节，以空前的细节提供附近行星系统的地图。其他恒星周围的行星系统与由碎屑盘组成的脆弱结构相关，这是碎屑盘，这是我们太阳系小行星和kuiper带的对应物。该观察结果将用于测试行星形成和进化的模型，并将数据减少管道提供给天文学界。 PI和他的团队将培训和导师毕业生和研究生在研究领域，并在UCLA的UCLA's探索您的宇宙公共外展活动中开发超球门系统成像展览。GPI乐器是在双子座天文台委托的新的Coronagraphic Integral Field单元。它能够检测和光谱表征年轻的Jovian行星，比其父颗恒星的分离量达到了1000万倍，直至0.2弧秒。 该项目科学利用了在GPI的早期科学操作中获得的新的高对比度，极化图像。用前所未有的对比度和内部工作角度成像的碎屑盘将揭示与行星相互作用的不同迹象，例如尘埃带的偏心，表面密度不对称和间隙。与辐射转移计算的粉尘晶粒动态演化的分析和数值模型将使每个磁盘的详细散射模型建模，其目的是产生一个物理基础的模型，该模型对相关星球的质量和轨道参数产生强大的约束。该项目的结果将用于从专用，多年，搜索行星搜索活动中获得的行星属性进行独立的估计，并就每个系统的动态历史记录提供独特的观点。