(2021) The HOSTS Survey : Evidence for an extended dust disk and constraints on the presence of giant planets in the habitable zone of β Leo. The Astronomical Journal, 161 (4). 186. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/abe3ff ISSN 0004-6256.

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Abstract

The young (50-400 Myr) A3V star β Leo is a primary target to study the formation history and evolution of extrasolar planetary systems as one of the few stars with known hot (∼1600 K), warm (∼600 K), and cold (∼120 K) dust belt components. In this paper, we present deep mid-infrared measurements of the warm dust brightness obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) as part of its exozodiacal dust survey (HOSTS). The measured excess is 0.47% ± 0.050% within the central 1.5 au, rising to 0.81% ± 0.026% within 4.5 au, outside the habitable zone of β Leo. This dust level is 50 ± 10 times greater than in the solar system's zodiacal cloud. Poynting-Robertson drag on the cold dust detected by Spitzer, and Herschel underpredicts the dust present in the habitable zone of β Leo, suggesting an additional delivery mechanism (e.g., comets) or an additional belt at ∼5.5 au. A model of these dust components is provided that implies the absence of planets more than a few Saturn masses between ∼5 au and the outer belt at ∼40 au. We also observationally constrain giant planets with the LBTI imaging channel at 3.8 μm wavelength. Assuming an age of 50 Myr, any planet in the system between approximately 5-50 au must be less than a few Jupiter masses, consistent with our dust model. Taken together, these observations showcase the deep contrasts and detection capabilities attainable by the LBTI for both warm exozodiacal dust and giant exoplanets in or near the habitable zone of nearby stars.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Circumstellar matter, Cosmic dust, Space interferometry
Journal or Publication Title:	The Astronomical Journal
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	0004-6256
Official Date:	15 March 2021
Dates:	Date Event 15 March 2021 Published 4 February 2021 Accepted
Volume:	161
Number:	4
Article Number:	186
DOI:	10.3847/1538-3881/abe3ff
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights):	"This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in The Astronomical Journal. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/abe3ff
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Copyright Holders:	© 2021. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved
Date of first compliant deposit:	30 March 2021
Date of first compliant Open Access:	15 March 2022
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID UNSPECIFIED [NASA] National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000104 866070 European Research Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000781 279973 European Research Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000781 UNSPECIFIED Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002661 UNSPECIFIED Royal Society http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000288 ST/M001229/1 [STFC] Science and Technology Facilities Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000271
Open Access Version:	ArXiv

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