Paper:	Microlensing Searches for Extrasolar Planets
Volume:	294, Scientific Frontiers in Research on Extrasolar Planets
Page:	79
Authors:	Gaudi, B. S.
Abstract:	I review results from, and future prospects for, microlensing searches for extrasolar planets. Analyses of well-sampled microlensing light curves by several collaborations have demonstrated that current searches are sensitive to >≈ 1 Jupiter mass planets with few AU separations from M dwarfs in the Galactic bulge. To date, however, no unambiguous planetary detections have been made. Detailed analysis has shown that this null result implies that <33% of typical stars (i.e. M dwarfs) in the Galactic bulge have Jupiter-mass companions with separations between 1.5 and 4 AU, and <45% have 3 Jupiter mass companions between 1 and 7 AU. The recent dramatic increase in the number of alerts per year will allow ongoing microlensing searches to probe companion fractions of a few percent within a few years. I conclude by speculating on the prospects for the detection of terrestrial-mass and free-floating planets from the ground and space.

Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Conference Series

© Copyright 1988 - 2024 - Astronomical Society of the Pacific
No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or used in any form other than for personal use without written permission from the ASP.

Page generated in 0.076 seconds