SIMBAD references

2016AJ....152...96H - Astron. J., 152, 96-96 (2016/October-0)

On the feasibility of characterizing free-floating planets with current and future space-based microlensing surveys.

HENDERSON C.B. and SHVARTZVALD Y.

Abstract (from CDS):

Simultaneous space- and ground-based microlensing surveys, such as K2's Campaign 9 (K2C9) and WFIRST, facilitate measuring the masses and distances of free-floating planet (FFP) candidates, which are identified as single-lens events with timescales that are of the order of 1 day. Measuring the mass and distance of an FFP lens requires determining the size of the source star ρ, measuring the microlens parallax π_{E}, and using high-resolution imaging to search for the lens flux {F}_{ℓ} from a possible host star. Here we investigate the accessible parameter space for each of these components considering different satellites for a range of FFP masses, Galactic distances, and source star properties. We find that at the beginning of K2C9, when its projected separation {D}_⊥ from the Earth is <=0.2 au, it will be able to measure π_{E} for Jupiter-mass FFP candidates at distances larger than ∼2 kpc and to Earth-mass lenses at ∼8 kpc. At the end of K2C9, when {D}_⊥=0.81 au, it is sensitive to planetary-mass lenses for distances >=3.5 kpc, and even then only to those with mass >=MJup. From lens flux constraints we find that it will be possible to exclude hosts down to the deuterium-burning limit for events within ∼2 kpc. This indicates that the ability to characterize FFPs detected during K2C9 is optimized for events occurring toward the beginning of the campaign. WFIRST, on the other hand, will be able to detect and characterize FFP masses down to or below super-Earths throughout the Galaxy during its entire microlensing survey.

Abstract Copyright: © 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Journal keyword(s): Galaxy: bulge - gravitational lensing: micro - planets and satellites: detection - planets and satellites: fundamental parameters - planets and satellites: fundamental parameters

Simbad objects: 7

goto Full paper

goto View the references in ADS

To bookmark this query, right click on this link: simbad:2016AJ....152...96H and select 'bookmark this link' or equivalent in the popup menu