Finding Companions in the YSES IFS Data

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

Z.I. Burr Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

M.A. Kenworthy Astrodynamics & Space Missions - Aerospace Engineering (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering
Copyright: © 2024 Zach Burr
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Published Date

26-01-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

Planet formation is a topic that still has many unanswered questions, particularly regarding the formation of wide orbit giant planets. Detecting more of these types of planets can aid understanding of how they form by giving examples of what kind of planets exist. Direct imaging is uniquely well suited to detecting these kinds of planets, which is why several direct imaging surveys have been launched with this goal. Including the Young Suns Exoplanet Survey, which is looking specifically for wide orbit giant planets around young solar analogues.

The survey makes use of the IRDIS instrument on the VLT, which images in parallel with the IFS. By analyzing the IRDIS data, the researchers have already detected three planets in two systems. However, the IFS data has not yet been analyzed. That was the goal for this thesis: to contribute to YSES and the broader scientific community by analyzing the IFS data to search for potential companions.

In total, 41 observations of 37 different star systems were analyzed. The data was pre- and post-processed (with SDI), and candidate companions were identified and examined. Eight candidate companions were found in five systems. Of those candidates, all were determined to be background stars and not related to the host. Two were bright single stars. One system had two M-dwarf candidate companions that were in a binary system together. The last two systems each had two candidate companions, and in both cases it was revealed that these candidates form a triple system of their own, with one of the candidates being an unresolved binary. One of these triple systems was previously thought to be an equal mass binary with the host star, however this thesis has proved that this is not the case.

All of the systems analyzed also had detection limits computed. This gives a good idea for what size of objects could have been seen if they had been in the images. For most systems, the limit after SDI is around 5-10 Jupiter masses at 0.3"-0.5". This leaves room for planetary mass companions in these systems which could be found in follow-up observations. The two background triple systems should also have follow-up observations performed, as this configuration is somewhat unusual and warrants further study.