Brendan Bowler, Caltech
High-contrast adaptive optics imaging and spectroscopy are powerful tools to probe the outer architecture of planetary systems and directly study the atmospheres of extrasolar planets. Over the past few years direct imaging has uncovered a growing number of planetary-mass companions spanning over two orders of magnitude in separation (10–1000 AU). The origin of these companions is unclear; they might represent the tail end of binary star formation, planets formed in situ, and/or the dynamical ejection of close-in planets as a result of planet-planet scattering events. I will discuss our recent efforts to characterize new planetary-mass companions and what we have learned from them at the individual and population levels. I will also describe discoveries and new statistical results from the Planets Around Low-Mass Stars (PALMS) high-contrast AO imaging survey carried out primarily at Keck Observatory. With a sample size of over 350 young M dwarfs already observed in our ongoing extended survey, PALMS is the largest direct imaging planet search in this stellar mass regime. Altogether, complementary planet-finding techniques sensitive to a broad range of separations are beginning to map the complete architecture of giant planets around the most common stars in our galaxy.
Présentée par le Groupe Astronomie et astrophysique du Département de physique de l'Université de Montréal. Cette conférence est destinée à des spécialistes dans le domaine de l'astrophysique et sera donnée en anglais.
