On the Search for Transits of the Planets Orbiting Gliese 876

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA458868 | Open PDF

Abstract:

We report the results of a globally coordinated photometric campaign to search for transits by the P30 day and P60 day outer planets of the three-planet system orbiting the nearby M dwarf Gl 876. These two planets experience strong mutual perturbations, which necessitate the use of a dynamical four-body model to compute transit ephemerides for the system. Our photometric data have been collected from published archival sources, as well as from our photometric campaigns that were targeted to specific transit predictions. Our analysis indicates that transits by planet c P30 days do not currently occur, in concordance with the best-fit i50 degrees coplanar configuration obtained by dynamical fits to the most recent radial velocity data for the system. Transits by planet b P60 day are not entirely ruled out by our observations, but our data indicate that it is very unlikely that they occur. Our experience with the Gl 876 system suggests that a distributed ground-based network of small telescopes can be used to search for transits of very low mass M stars by terrestrial-sized planets.

Author(s):
Shankland, P. D. ; Rivera, E. J. ; Price, A. ; Ringwald, F. ; Henry, G. W. ; Mcgee, P. ; Carter, B. ; Lee, S. ; Biggs, J. ; Monard, B.
Author Organization(s):
NAVAL OBSERVATORY WASHINGTON DC
Descriptive Note:
Journal article
Supplementary Note:
Published in The Astrophysical Journal, v653 p700-707, 10 Dec 2006. Prepared in collaboration with James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; University of California, Santa Cruz, CA; Clinton B. Ford Astronomical Data and Research Center, Cambridge, MA; Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN; University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; and others.
Pagination:
0009

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Monitor Series:
NOBS
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_1.2_Force Preparation; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_6.2.3_Core Enterprise Services; JCA_1.2.3_Educating; JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_6.1_Information Transport; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_8_Building Partnerships; JCA_6.2_Enterprise Services; JCA_8.2_Shape
Communities of Interest:
Air Platforms
Descriptor(s):
*ORBITS, *OPTICAL DETECTORS, *DWARF STARS, *OUTER PLANETS, *TELESCOPES, REPRINTS, RADIAL VELOCITY, PERTURBATIONS, PHOTOMETRY, PLANETARY SATELLITES, EPHEMERIDES
Field(s)/Group(s):
Astronomy, Optical Detection and Detectors
Keyword(s):
*GLIESE 876(DWARF STAR), TRANSITS
Report Date:
2006 Dec 10
Creation Date:
2007 Jan 10