L. Extrasolar Planetary System Detection and Characterization
POINTS is an ideal instrument for detection, characterization, and classification of planets in
stellar systems. Most theoretical studies have concentrated on the formation of our own plane
-
tary system; we know very little about how frequently planetary systems can form. Thus, knowl
-
edge of the taxonomy of such systems would greatly enhance the understanding of our system
and of the formation process. POINTS would address this directly by examining systematically a
large number and variety of stars, emphasizing those of solar-type. Sensitivity is such that
nondetection of planetary systems would be scientifically significant.
[67]
If planetary systems are
d:\points\proposal\sz1\scifull.lwp
POINTS Science
16:29 Wednesday, January 03, 1996
page 18 of 20
[5]
quasiperiodic oscillations seen
[4]
rapid flickering observed
[3]
T = transient, P = persistent
[2]
suspected mass of massive component, in solar masses
[1]
spectral type of suspected optical counterpart
·
6.45?
T
8-15?
1-3
G/K
11.5-18.3
V404 Cyg
·
0.34?
T
1.7-3.2
K V?
18
QZ Vul
0.39
P
V1408 Aql
13.09
P
6-20?
~5
~14.2
SS 433
0.18
P
V4134 Sgr
T
4U1743-322
T
16.5-21
V2107 Oph
·
·
0.62
P
<2.5?
16.2-21
V821 Ara
·
T
unid.
4U1630-47
T
A V?
13-15
4U1543-47
0.36/0.43
T
1.4
13.4-20
Nova Mus 1991
·
0.02
P
4U0142+61
0.44
P
>4?
55
F/G
19.1-20.9
CAL 87
·
4.2
P
4-10
55
O7 III
14.5
LMC X-1
·
5.6
P
9
2.5
B I
9
Cyg X-1
0.32
T
>3-9
1.0
K5-7 V
11.26-20.2
V616 Mon
1.7
P
4-11
55
B3 V
17
LMC X-3
QPO
[5]
flick
[4]
P
orb
(days)
type
[3]
M
[2]
D (kpc)
spec
[1]
m
V
Source
Black Hole Candidates
Table 5
[Continued on next page...]
[67]
e.g., Jupiter-size objects orbiting nearby (~10 pc) solar-mass stars will produce an astrometric wobble two orders
of magnitude larger than the POINTS single-measurement uncertainty. Rigorous double-blind simulations
(Bab-
cock and Reasenberg, TM91-04, "Simulations of Planetary Searches Using POINTS")
show that, typically, a
