ORBi: Absil Olivier - Deep near-infrared interferometric search for low-mass companions around β Pictoris

Reference : Deep near-infrared interferometric search for low-mass companions around β Pictoris


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences : Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/73808

Title :	Deep near-infrared interferometric search for low-mass companions around β Pictoris
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Absil, Olivier [Université de Liège - ULg > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS) >]
	Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste [ > > ]
	Lebreton, Jérémy [ > > ]
	Augereau, Jean-Charles [ > > ]
	Benisty, Myriam [ > > ]
	Chauvin, Gaël [ > > ]
	Hanot, Charles [Université de Liège - ULg > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS) >]
	Mérand, Antoine [ > > ]
	Montagnier, Guillaume [ > > ]
Publication date :	23-Sep-2010
Journal title :	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Publisher :	EDP Sciences
Volume :	520
Pages :	L2
Audience :	International
ISSN :	0004-6361
e-ISSN :	1432-0746
City :	Les Ulis
Country :	France
Keywords :	[en] stars: individual: β Pic ; planets and satellites: detection ; techniques: interferometric ; planetary systems
Abstract :	[en] Aims. We search for low-mass companions in the innermost region (<300 mas, i.e., 6 AU) of the β Pic planetary system. Methods. We obtained interferometric closure phase measurements in the K-band with the VLTI/AMBER instrument used in its medium spectral resolution mode. Fringe stabilization was provided by the FINITO fringe tracker. Results. In a search region of between 2 and 60 mas in radius, our observations exclude at 3σ significance the presence of companions with K-band contrasts greater than 5×10^-3 for 90% of the possible positions in the search zone (i.e., 90% completeness). The median 1σ error bar in the contrast of potential companions within our search region is 1.2×10^-3. The best fit to our data set using a binary model is found for a faint companion located at about 14.4 mas from β Pic, which has a contrast of 1.8×10^-3 ± 1.1×10^-3 (a result consistent with the absence of companions). For angular separations larger than 60 mas, both time smearing and field-of-view limitations reduce the sensitivity. Conclusions. We can exclude the presence of brown dwarfs with masses higher than 29 MJup (resp. 47 MJup) at a 50% (resp. 90%) completeness level within the first few AUs around β Pic. Interferometric closure phases offer a promising way to directly image low-mass companions in the close environment of nearby young stars.
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/73808
DOI :	10.1051/0004-6361/201015156
Other URL :	http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010A%26A...520L...2A
Mentions required by the publisher for OA :	http://www.aanda.org/index.php?option=com_article&access=doi&doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201015156&Itemid=129 - Copyright ESO 2010, published by EDP Sciences

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