Work

Microlensing Path Parameterization for Earth-like Exoplanet Detection around Solar-mass Stars

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: We propose a new parameterization of the impact parameter u 0 and impact angle α for microlensing systems composed by an Earth-like exoplanet around a solar-mass star at 1 au. We present the caustic topology of such system, as well as the related light curves generated by using such a new parameterization. Based on the same density of points and accuracy of regular methods, we obtain results five times faster for discovering Earth-like exoplanets. In this big data revolution of photometric astronomy, our method will impact future missions like WFIRST (NASA) and Euclid (ESA) and their data pipelines, providing a rapid and deep detection of exoplanets for this specific class of microlensing event that might otherwise be lost.

Source: The Astronomical Journal

DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/aadc68

Authors: L. de Almeida, J.-D. do Nascimento

Institutions: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

Language: English

Topic: Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,499

Funders: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte