NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2008B-0379
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2008B-0379 |
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PI: Drake Deming, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Leo.D.Deming@nasa.gov
Address: Solar System Exploration Division, Code 693, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
CoI: Donald E. Jennings, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
CoI: Pedro Sada, University of Monterey, Mexico
Title: Detection of Hot Earths by Giant Planet Transit Tming
Abstract:
Many exoplanet systems contain Jupiter-mass planets on close-in
orbits. Theories of planetary system formation account for these hot
Jupiters as being end states of inward migration. Variants of those
theories also predict terrestrial planets to be captured in mean motion
resonance with the hot Jupiters. A recent explosion of discoveries by
transit surveys have given us a sample of 25 hot Jupiters transiting
stars brighter than V=13. A transit timing survey of these systems
could detect hot Earths in resonance, via the large (typically 180
second) perturbations they induce on the giant planet transits. The
relatively large sample now available implies that a transit timing
survey is well matched to classical observing and telescope scheduling.
We propose exploratory observations to perform transit photometry using
the 2.1-meter/FLAMINGOS instrument in the J-band, where stellar limb
darkening is minimal and transit photometry has maximum sensitivity to
shifts in transit time. If our exploratory observations confirm timing
precision approaching the predicted values (about 10 seconds for a
typical system), we will propose additional observations in later
semesters to establish a timing survey.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2008B-0379 |
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