Detectability of Tidally Heated Exomoons Using Direct Imaging Techniques
Abstract
We determine the capability of ground and space-based observatories, both existing and planned, to directly image tidally heated exomoons orbiting exoplanets. Tidally heated exomoons, or THEMs, can conceivably be much more luminous than their host exoplanet and as little as 1000 times dimmer than the system's primary star. Tidal forces can heat THEMs at arbitrarily large angular separations from the host star, in both young and old star systems, to temperatures of hundreds or even thousands of degrees Kelvin. THEMs may thus be far easier targets for direct imaging studies than giant exoplanets which must be both young and at a large projected angular separation from their host star to be imaged with existing high contrast instrumentation. Current instruments are capable of detecting nearby THEMs with Teff ≥ 600K and R ≥ Rearth in K-band. Future mid-infrared space telescopes, such as JWST and SPICA, will be capable of directly imaging THEMs around ~25 nearby stars with Teff ≥ 300K and R≥Rearth orbiting at angular separations ≥ 12AU at a 5σ confidence level in a 10,000 second integration. It is feasible that previously imaged exoplanets are actually THEMs or blends of such objects with hot young planets; we speculate that Fomalhaut b could be such a case. If THEMs exist and are common (i.e., nearby), it may be far easier to directly image a THEM with surface conditions that allow for liquid water than it will be to image an Earth-like planet in the classical Habitable Zone of its primary star.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #221
- Pub Date:
- January 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AAS...22114929P