High resolution imaging of young M-type stars of the solar neighborhood: Probing the existence of companions down to the mass of Jupiter

TL;DR

This study used high-resolution imaging to search for Jupiter-mass planets around young M-type stars, providing constraints on their existence and testing planet formation theories like gravitational instability.

Contribution

It presents the largest and deepest survey for Jupiter-mass planets around M dwarfs, with a new pipeline for image analysis and detection probability estimation.

Findings

Over 50% probability to detect 3MJup planets at 10AU

Achieved contrast of 9-11 magnitudes at relevant separations

Provided strong constraints on the presence of Jupiter-mass planets around M dwarfs

Abstract

Context. High contrast imaging is a powerful technique to search for gas giant planets and brown dwarfs orbiting at separation larger than several AU. Around solar-type stars, giant planets are expected to form by core accretion or by gravitational instability, but since core accretion is increasingly difficult as the primary star becomes lighter, gravitational instability would be the a probable formation scenario for yet-to-be-found distant giant planets around a low-mass star. A systematic survey for such planets around M dwarfs would therefore provide a direct test of the efficiency of gravitational instability. Aims. We search for gas giant planets orbiting around late-type stars and brown dwarfs of the solar neighborhood. Methods. We obtained deep high resolution images of 16 targets with the adaptive optic system of VLT-NACO in the Lp band, using direct imaging and angular differential imaging. This is currently the largest and deepest survey for Jupiter-mass planets around Mdwarfs. We developed and used an integrated reduction and analysis pipeline to reduce the images and derive our 2D detection limits for each target. The typical contrast achieved is about 9 magnitudes at 0.5" and 11 magnitudes beyond 1". For each target we also determine the probability of detecting a planet of a given mass at a given separation in our images. Results. We derived accurate detection probabilities for planetary companions, taking into account orbital projection effects, with in average more than 50% probability to detect a 3MJup companion at 10AU and a 1.5MJup companion at 20AU, bringing strong constraints on the existence of Jupiter-mass planets around this sample of young M-dwarfs.