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.

这项工作将利用双子座天文台的新型双子座行星成像仪（GPI）以前所未有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称为碎片盘的尘埃组成的脆弱结构有关，碎片盘相当于我们太阳系的小行星和柯伊伯带。这些观测结果将用于测试行星形成和演化的模型，并且数据缩减管道将提供给天文学界。 PI 和他的团队将培训和指导研究生和本科生进行研究，并在加州大学洛杉矶分校的“探索你的宇宙”公众推广活动中开发系外行星系统成像展览。GPI 仪器是双子座天文台委托使用的新型日冕积分现场装置。它能够探测到年轻的木星行星，并对其进行光谱表征，这些行星的亮度比其母恒星暗 1000 万倍，间距近至 0.2 角秒。 该项目科学地利用了在 GPI 早期科学操作中获得的新的、高对比度、偏振的碎片盘图像。以前所未有的对比度和内部工作角度成像的碎片盘将揭示与行星相互作用的明显迹象，例如尘埃带的偏心率、表面密度不对称和间隙。将尘埃颗粒动态演化的分析模型和数值模型与辐射传输计算相结合，将能够对每个圆盘进行详细的散射光建模，其目标是产生一个物理基础模型，该模型对相关行星的质量和轨道参数给出了严格的约束。 s）。该项目的结果将用于根据专门的、多年的行星搜索活动得出的行星特性进行独立估计，并为每个系统的动力学历史提供独特的观点。