| Literature DB >> 33568657 |
K Wagner1,2, A Boehle3, P Pathak4, M Kasper4, R Arsenault4, G Jakob4, U Käufl4, S Leveratto4, A-L Maire5, E Pantin6, R Siebenmorgen4, G Zins4, O Absil5, N Ageorges7, D Apai8,9,10, A Carlotti11, É Choquet12, C Delacroix5, K Dohlen12, P Duhoux4, P Forsberg13, E Fuenteseca4, S Gutruf7, O Guyon8,14,15,16, E Huby17, D Kampf7, M Karlsson13, P Kervella17, J-P Kirchbauer4, P Klupar15, J Kolb4, D Mawet18, M N'Diaye19, G Orban de Xivry5, S P Quanz3, A Reutlinger7, G Ruane18,20, M Riquelme4, C Soenke4, M Sterzik4, A Vigan12, T de Zeeuw4,21,22.
Abstract
Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri. Based on 75-80% of the best quality images from 100 h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of α Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around α Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes.Entities:
Year: 2021 PMID： 33568657 PMCID： PMC7876126 DOI： 10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Nat Commun ISSN： 2041-1723 Impact factor: 14.919