Closure Phase Signatures of Planet Transit Events

Abstract

Planet transit events present as attractive targets for the ultra-high-resolution capabilities afforded by optical interferometers. Herein is presented an evaluation of the possibility of detection of such events through measurement of high-precision closure phases with the MIRC instrument on the CHARA Array. Recovery of the transit position angle upon the sky appears readily achievable with the existing capabilities of the instrument, along with characterization of other system parameters, such as stellar radius, planet radius, and other parameters of the transit event. This technique is the only one presently available that can provide a transiting planet's orbital plane position angle, and can directly determine the planet's radius independent of any outside observations, appearing able to improve substantially upon other determinations of that radius. Additional directly observed parameters - also not dependent upon transit photometry or spectroscopy - include impact parameter, transit ingress time, transit velocity and stellar radius.

Accepted for publication in PASP, 8 emulateapj pages

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• Interferometric Observations of Rapidly Rotating Stars
• The GJ 436 System: Directly Determined Astrophysical Parameters of an M-Dwarf and Implications for the Transiting Hot Neptune
• Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of red giant stars: semi-global models for the interpretation of interferometric observations
• Stellar proper motion and the timing of planetary transits
• Three-dimensional interferometric, spectrometric, and planetary views of Procyon
• Astrointerferometry with discrete optics
• Investigating the detectability of hydrocarbons in exoplanet atmospheres with JWST
• Planet transit and stellar granulation detection with interferometry
• Transiting exoplanets and magnetic spots characterized with optical interferometry
• Direct Imaging of Planet Transit Events
• What to Expect from Transiting Multiplanet Systems