Modeling Multi-Wavelength Stellar Astrometry. III. Determination of the Absolute Masses of Exoplanets and Their Host Stars

TL;DR

This paper explores how multi-wavelength astrometry can directly measure the masses and orbits of exoplanets and their host stars, especially at infrared wavelengths where planets dominate the system's photocenter.

Contribution

It introduces a method combining analytical and numerical models to determine exoplanet and star masses using multi-wavelength astrometry, highlighting its advantages over other techniques.

Findings

Long-wavelength observations can make planets dominate astrometric signals.

The technique enables direct measurement of planetary and stellar masses.

Potential to determine planetary radii, albedos, and day-night contrasts.

Abstract

Astrometric measurements of stellar systems are becoming significantly more precise and common, with many ground and space-based instruments and missions approaching 1 microarcsecond precision. We examine the multi-wavelength astrometric orbits of exoplanetary systems via both analytical formulae and numerical modeling. Exoplanets have a combination of reflected and thermally emitted light that cause the photocenter of the system to shift increasingly farther away from the host star with increasing wavelength. We find that, if observed at long enough wavelengths, the planet can dominate the astrometric motion of the system, and thus it is possible to directly measure the orbits of both the planet and star, and thus directly determine the physical masses of the star and planet, using multi-wavelength astrometry. In general, this technique works best for, though is certainly not limited to, systems that have large, high-mass stars and large, low-mass planets, which is a unique parameter space not covered by other exoplanet characterization techniques. Exoplanets that happen to transit their host star present unique cases where the physical radii of the planet and star can be directly determined via astrometry alone. Planetary albedos and day-night contrast ratios may also be probed via this technique due to the unique signature they impart on the observed astrometric orbits. We develop a tool to examine the prospects for near-term detection of this effect, and give examples of some exoplanets that appear to be good targets for detection in the K to N infrared observing bands, if the required precision can be achieved.