Discovery of a planetary-mass companion within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Context. Young circumstellar disks are the birthplaces of planets. Their study is of prime interest to understand the physical and chemical conditions under which planet formation takes place. Only very few detections of planet candidates within these disks exist, and most of them are currently suspected to be disk features. Aims. In this context, the transition disk around the young star PDS 70 is of particular interest, due to its large gap identified in previous observations, indicative of ongoing planet formation. We aim to search for the presence of an embedded young planet and search for disk structures that may be the result of disk–planet interactions and other evolutionary processes. Methods. We analyse new and archival near-infrared images of the transition disk PDS 70 obtained with the VLT/SPHERE, VLT/NaCo, and Gemini/NICI instruments in polarimetric differential imaging and angular differential imaging modes. Results. We detect a point source within the gap of the disk at about 195 mas (~22 au) projected separation. The detection is confirmed at five different epochs, in three filter bands and using different instruments. The astrometry results in an object of bound nature, with high significance. The comparison of the measured magnitudes and colours to evolutionary tracks suggests that the detection is a companion of planetary mass. The luminosity of the detected object is consistent with that of an L-type dwarf, but its IR colours are redder, possibly indicating the presence of warm surrounding material. Further, we confirm the detection of a large gap of ~54 au in size within the disk in our scattered light images, and detect a signal from an inner disk component. We find that its spatial extent is very likely smaller than ~17 au in radius, and its position angle is consistent with that of the outer disk. The images of the outer disk show evidence of a complex azimuthal brightness distribution which is different at different wavelengths and may in part be explained by Rayleigh scattering from very small grains. Conclusions. The detection of a young protoplanet within the gap of the transition disk around PDS 70 opens the door to a so far observationally unexplored parameter space of planetary formation and evolution. Future observations of this system at different wavelengths and continuing astrometry will allow us to test theoretical predictions regarding planet–disk interactions, planetary atmospheres, and evolutionary models.
Source: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors: M. Keppler, M. Benisty, A. Müller, Th. Henning, R. van Boekel, F. Cantalloube, C. Ginski, R. G. van Holstein, A.-L. Maire, A. Pohl, M. Samland, H. Avenhaus, J.-L. Baudino, A. Boccaletti, J. de Boer, M. Bonnefoy, G. Chauvin, S. Desidera, M. Langlois, C. Lazzoni, G.-D. Marleau, C. Mordasini, N. Pawellek, T. Stolker, A. Vigan, A. Zurlo, T. Birnstiel, W. Brandner, M. Feldt, M. Flock, J. Girard, R. Gratton, J. Hagelberg, A. Isella, M. Janson, A. Juhasz, J. Kemmer, Q. Kral, A.-M. Lagrange, R. Launhardt, A. Matter, F. Ménard, J. Milli, P. Mollière, J. Olofsson, L. Pérez, P. Pinilla, C. Pinte, S. P. Quanz, T. Schmidt, S. Udry, Z. Wahhaj, J. P. Williams, E. Buenzli, M. Cudel, C. Dominik, R. Galicher, M. Kasper, J. Lannier, D. Mesa, D. Mouillet, S. Peretti, C. Perrot, G. Salter, E. Sissa, F. Wildi, L. Abe, J. Antichi, J.-C. Augereau, A. Baruffolo, P. Baudoz, A. Bazzon, J.-L. Beuzit, P. Blanchard, S. S. Brems, T. Buey, V. De Caprio, M. Carbillet, M. Carle, E. Cascone, A. Cheetham, R. Claudi, A. Costille, A. Delboulbé, K. Dohlen, D. Fantinel, P. Feautrier, T. Fusco, E. Giro, L. Gluck, C. Gry, N. Hubin, E. Hugot, M. Jaquet, D. Le Mignant, M. Llored, F. Madec, Y. Magnard, P. Martinez, D. Maurel, M. Meyer, O. Möller-Nilsson, T. Moulin, L. Mugnier, A. Origné, A. Pavlov, D. Perret, C. Petit, J. Pragt, P. Puget, P. Rabou, J. Ramos, F. Rigal, S. Rochat, R. Roelfsema, G. Rousset, A. Roux, B. Salasnich, J.-F. Sauvage, A. Sevin, C. Soenke, E. Stadler, M. Suarez, M. Turatto, L. Weber
Institutions: Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble, University of Chile, Université Grenoble Alpes, Leiden University, European Southern Observatory, Leiden Observatory, University of Oxford, Observatoire de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique, Université Paris Diderot, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Aix-Marseille Université, Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon, University of Tübingen, University of Bern, Konkoly Observatory, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, ETH Zurich, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Universidad Diego Portales, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, European Southern Observatory, Rice University, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, University of Cambridge, Université Côte d'Azur, Lagrange Laboratory, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Millenium Nucleus for Planet Formation, University of Valparaíso, University of Arizona, Monash University, University of Geneva, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Amsterdam, University of Atacama, Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory, Heidelberg University, Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Office National d'Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales, University of Michigan
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Universidad de Valparaíso, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Université de Genève, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Observatoire de Paris, Université de Recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Office National d'études et de Recherches Aérospatiales
Awards: Optical Infrared Co-ordination Network for Astronomy, G3487714248, G38854245, G3925786472, G39620777, G4030817349, G4333900429, G434337789, G4757599054, G4832770986, G5040547664, G5258915365, G5612290393, PlanetsInTime: The history of planets from their origins to present day, G623270878, Optical Infrared Coordination Network for Astronomy, G7995973637, G809083193, Innovative strategies for observing and modelling natural systems, G849075540, G8623705661, Nutrition-functional tailored food from microalgal-dairy hybrid systems through in-line sensing and predictive control of multiphase structure extrusion processing
OpenAlex ID: W2810503551