Simulations of astrometric planet detection in Alpha Centauri by intensity interferometry

Abstract

Recent dynamical studies indicate that the possibility of an Earth-like planet around $\alpha$Cen A or B should be taken seriously. Such a planet, if it exists, would perturb the orbital astrometry by $<10\mu \mathrm{as}$, which is $10^{-6}$ of the separation between the two stars. We assess the feasibility of detecting such perturbations using ground-based intensity interferometry. We simulate a dedicated setup consisting of four 40-cm telescopes equipped with photon counters and correlators with time resolution $0.1\mathrm{ns}$, and a sort of matched filter implemented through an aperture mask. The astrometric error from one night of observing $\alpha$Cen AB is $\approx 0.5\mathrm{mas}$. The error decreases if longer observing times and multiple spectral channels are used, as $(channels\times nights{)}^{-1/2}$.

arXiv comment13 pages, 12 figures

References in corpus (13)

• dynesty: A Dynamic Nested Sampling Package for Estimating Bayesian Posteriors and Evidences
• A terrestrial planet candidate in a temperate orbit around Proxima Centauri
• First Light for GRAVITY: Phase Referencing Optical Interferometry for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer
• Astrometric exoplanet detection with Gaia
• Proxima's orbit around Alpha Centauri
• Constraining the difference in convective blueshift between the components of alpha Cen with precise radial velocities
• The PHASES Differential Astrometry Data Archive. V. Candidate Substellar Companions to Binary Systems
• The radii and limb darkenings of Alpha Centauri A and B - Interferometric measurements with VLTI/PIONIER
• Long-Term Stability of Tightly Packed Multi-Planet Systems in Prograde, Coplanar, Circumstellar Orbits within the $\alpha$ Centauri AB System
• An astrometric planetary companion candidate to the M9 Dwarf TVLM 513-46546
• The James Webb Space Telescope Aperture Masking Interferometer
• Searching for Planets Orbiting Alpha Centauri A with the James Webb Space Telescope
• Observations with the Southern Connecticut Stellar Interferometer. I. Instrument Description and First Results

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Interference with (Pseudo) Thermal Light; The Hanbury Brown and Twiss Effect