AB Aurigae has a Dust Disk at 4.3 AU

Exploring intermediate (5-40AU) scales around AB Aurigae with the Palomar Fiber Nuller

Authors:

Kuhn et al

Abstract:

We report on recent Ks-band interferometric observations of the young pre-main-sequence star AB Aurigae obtained with the Palomar Fiber Nuller (PFN). Reaching a contrast of a few 10-4 inside a field of view extending from 35 to 275 mas (5-40AU at AB Aur's distance), the PFN is able to explore angular scales that are intermediate between those accessed by coronagraphic imaging and long baseline interferometry. This intermediate region is of special interest given that many young stellar objects are believed to harbor extended halos at such angular scales. Using destructive interference (nulling) between two sub-apertures of the Palomar 200 inch telescope and rotating the telescope pupil, we measured a resolved circumstellar excess at all probed azimuth angles. The astrophysical null measured over the full rotation is fairly constant, with a mean value of 1.52%, and a slight additional azimuthal modulation of +/-0.2%. The isotropic astrophysical null is indicative of circumstellar emission dominated by an azimuthally extended source, possibly a halo, or one or more rings of dust, accounting for several percent of the total Ks-band flux. The modest azimuthal variation may be explained by some skewness or anisotropy of the spatially extended source, e.g., an elliptical or spiral geometry, or clumping, but it could also be due to the presence of a point source located at a separation of ~120 mas (17AU) with ~6*10-3 of the stellar flux. We combine our results with previous Infrared Optical Telescope Array observations of AB Aur at H band, and demonstrate that a dust ring located at ~30 mas (4.3AU) represents the best-fitting model to explain both sets of visibilities.We are also able to test a few previously hypothesized models of the incoherent component evident at longer interferometric baselines.

PULSE: The Palomar Ultraviolet Laser for the Study of Exoplanets

PULSE: The Palomar Ultraviolet Laser for the Study of Exoplanets

Authors:

Baranec et al

Abstract:

The Palomar Ultraviolet Laser for the Study of Exoplanets (PULSE) will dramatically expand the science reach of PALM-3000, the facility high-contrast extreme adaptive optics system on the 5-meter Hale Telescope. By using an ultraviolet laser to measure the dominant high spatial and temporal order turbulence near the telescope aperture, one can increase the limiting natural guide star magnitude for exquisite correction from mV less than 10 to mV less than 16. Providing the highest near-infrared Strehl ratios from any large telescope laser adaptive optics system, PULSE uniquely enables spectroscopy of low-mass and more distant young exoplanet systems, essential to formulating a complete picture of exoplanet populations.

Hot Jupiters WASP-48b and HAT-P-23b Emission Spectra Observed

WARM SPITZER AND PALOMAR NEAR-IR SECONDARY ECLIPSE PHOTOMETRY OF TWO HOT JUPITERS: WASP-48b AND HAT-P-23b

Authors:

O'Rourke et al

Abstract:

We report secondary eclipse photometry of two hot Jupiters, WASP-48b and HAT-P-23b, at 3.6 and 4.5 μm taken with the InfraRed Array Camera aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope during the warm Spitzer mission and in the H and KS bands with the Wide Field IR Camera at the Palomar 200 inch Hale Telescope. WASP-48b and HAT-P-23b are Jupiter-mass and twice Jupiter-mass objects orbiting an old, slightly evolved F star and an early G dwarf star, respectively. In the H, KS , 3.6 μm, and 4.5 μm bands, respectively, we measure secondary eclipse depths of 0.047% ± 0.016%, 0.109% ± 0.027%, 0.176% ± 0.013%, and 0.214% ± 0.020% for WASP-48b. In the KS , 3.6 μm, and 4.5 μm bands, respectively, we measure secondary eclipse depths of 0.234% ± 0.046%, 0.248% ± 0.019%, and 0.309% ± 0.026% for HAT-P-23b. For WASP-48b and HAT-P-23b, respectively, we measure delays of 2.6 ± 3.9 minutes and 4.0 ± 2.4 minutes relative to the predicted times of secondary eclipse for circular orbits, placing 2σ upper limits on |ecos ω| of 0.0053 and 0.0080, both of which are consistent with circular orbits. The dayside emission spectra of these planets are well-described by blackbodies with effective temperatures of 2158 ± 100 K (WASP-48b) and 2154 ± 90 K (HAT-P-23b), corresponding to moderate recirculation in the zero albedo case. Our measured eclipse depths are also consistent with one-dimensional radiative transfer models featuring varying degrees of recirculation and weak thermal inversions or no inversions at all. We discuss how the absence of strong temperature inversions on these planets may be related to the activity levels and metallicities of their host stars.