Sparse aperture masking at the VLT II. Detection limits for the eight debris disks stars $\beta$ Pic, AU Mic, 49 Cet, $\eta$ Tel, Fomalhaut, g Lup, HD181327 and HR8799

Abstract

Context. The formation of planetary systems is a common, yet complex mechanism. Numerous stars have been identified to possess a debris disk, a proto-planetary disk or a planetary system. The understanding of such formation process requires the study of debris disks. These targets are substantial and particularly suitable for optical and infrared observations. Sparse Aperture masking (SAM) is a high angular resolution technique strongly contributing to probe the region from 30 to 200 mas around the stars. This area is usually unreachable with classical imaging, and the technique also remains highly competitive compared to vortex coronagraphy. Aims. We aim to study debris disks with aperture masking to probe the close environment of the stars. Our goal is either to find low mass companions, or to set detection limits. Methods. We observed eight stars presenting debris disks ( $\beta$ Pictoris, AU Microscopii, 49 Ceti, $\eta$ Telescopii, Fomalhaut, g Lupi, HD181327 and HR8799) with SAM technique on the NaCo instrument at the VLT. Results. No close companions were detected using closure phase information under 0.5 of separation from the parent stars. We obtained magnitude detection limits that we converted to Jupiter masses detection limits using theoretical isochrones from evolutionary models. Conclusions. We derived upper mass limits on the presence of companions in the area of few times the diffraction limit of the telescope around each target star.

7 pages, All magnitude detection limits maps are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)

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• Optical Images of an Exosolar Planet 25 Light Years from Earth
• Contributions to the Nearby Stars (NStars) Project: Spectroscopy of Stars Earlier than M0 within 40 parsecs: The Southern Sample
• The nearest young moving groups
• Discovery of an 86 AU Radius Debris Ring Around HD 181327
• First scattered light images of debris disks around HD 53143 and HD 139664
• Planet formation around stars of various masses: Hot super-Earths
• The Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign: The Orbit of the Young Exoplanet beta Pictoris b
• A Possible Icy Kuiper Belt around HD 181327
• An image-plane algorithm for JWST's non-redundant aperture mask data

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• Single-aperture spectro-interferometry in the visible at the Subaru telescope with FIRST: First on-sky demonstration on Keho'oea (α Lyrae) and Hokulei (α Aurigae)
• Performance of the Gemini Planet Imager Non-Redundant Mask and spectroscopy of two close-separation binaries HR 2690 and HD 142527