191 research outputs found
The Separation and H-alpha Contrasts of Massive Accreting Planets in the Gaps of Transitional Disks: Predicted H-alpha Protoplanet Yields for Adaptive Optics Surveys
We present a massive accreting gap (MAG) planet model that ensures large gaps
in transitional disks are kept dust free by the scattering action of three
co-planar quasi-circular planets in a 1:2:4 Mean Motion Resonance (MMR). This
model uses the constraint of the observed gap size, and the dust-free nature of
the gap, to determine within ~10% the possible orbits for 3 massive planets in
an MMR. Calculated orbits are consistent with the observed orbits and H-alpha
emission (the brightest line to observe these planets) for LkCa 15 b and PDS 70
b and PDS 70 c within observational errors. Moreover, the model suggests that
the scarcity of detected H-alpha planets is likely a selection effect of the
current limitations of non-coronagraphic, low (<10%) Strehl, H-alpha imaging
with Adaptive Optics (AO) systems used in past H-alpha surveys. We predict that
as higher Strehl AO systems (with high-performance custom coronagraphs; like
6.5-m Magellan Telescope MagAO-X system) are utilized at H-alpha the number of
detected gap planets will substantially increase by more than tenfold. For
example, we show that >25 new H-alpha "gap planets" are potentially
discoverable by a survey of the best 19 transitional disks with MagAO-X.
Detections of these accreting protoplanets will significantly improve our
understanding of planet formation, planet growth and accretion, solar system
architectures, and planet disk interactions.Comment: 36 pages, 8 Figures, Accepted by the Astronomical Journa
The Magellan Adaptive Secondary VisAO Camera: Diffraction- Limited Broadband Visible Imaging and 20mas Fiber Array IFS
The Magellan Adaptive Secondary AO system, scheduled for first light in the
fall of 2011, will be able to simultaneously perform diffraction limited AO
science in both the mid-IR, using the BLINC/MIRAC4 10\{mu}m camera, and in the
visible using our novel VisAO camera. The VisAO camera will be able to operate
as either an imager, using a CCD47 with 8.5 mas pixels, or as an IFS, using a
custom fiber array at the focal plane with 20 mas elements in its highest
resolution mode. In imaging mode, the VisAO camera will have a full suite of
filters, coronagraphic focal plane occulting spots, and SDI prism/filters. The
imaging mode should provide ~20% mean Strehl diffraction-limited images over
the band 0.5-1.0 \{mu}m. In IFS mode, the VisAO instrument will provide R~1,800
spectra over the band 0.6-1.05 \{mu}m. Our unprecedented 20 mas spatially
resolved visible spectra would be the highest spatial resolution achieved to
date, either from the ground or in space. We also present lab results from our
recently fabricated advanced triplet Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC) and
the design of our novel wide-field acquisition and active optics lens. The
advanced ADC is designed to perform 58% better than conventional doublet ADCs
and is one of the enabling technologies that will allow us to achieve broadband
(0.5-1.0\{mu}m) diffraction limited imaging and wavefront sensing in the
visible.Comment: Proceedings of the SPIE, 2010, Vol. 7736, 77362
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