Program: GN-2019A-Q-209

Title:Orbits of Moving Group Binaries: Constraining the Ages of Planet-Hosting Moving Groups using GPI NRM, DSSI, and 'Alopeke (North)
PI:Eric L. Nielsen
Co-I(s): Robert J. De Rosa, Alexandra Z. Greenbaum, Mike Ireland, Julien Rameau, Peter Tuthill, Lea Hirsch, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Quinn M. Konopacky, Jason J. Wang, Franck Marchis, Sarah Blunt

Abstract

Resolved spectroscopic binaries in moving groups are a unique opportunity to place strong constraints on the age of those moving groups, and serve as an orthogonal measurement method to make the final age determination more robust. We propose here to monitor 21 moving group binaries with GPI NRM and the DSSI and 'Alopeke speckle cameras to characterize the orbits of these objects so that these stars may be used as calibrators for the ages of their host moving groups. Ages are vital for characterizing planet and brown dwarf companions, the majority of which are found around moving group stars, and so accurate ages for these groups strongly impact our understanding of directly imaged planets and brown dwarfs. We have recently demonstrated the viability of this method using two sets of binaries in the beta Pic moving group, and propose here to continue our program (approved in 2017A, 2017B, and 2018B, with 12 stars observed to date) by monitoring stars in other groups and greatly reducing the uncertainties in quoted ages of nearby moving group stars and planets. After previous semesters allowed us to constrain multiple binary orbits, this semester we are focusing our GPI NRM time on characterizing the most interesting systems that are close to publication: PX Vir, 26 Gem, and BS Ind, while using the more efficient DSSI and 'Alopeke speckle imagers to better constrain the orbits of binaries with fewer observations to date.

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