Program: GS-2010B-Q-18

Title:Radial Velocity of Low-mass Candidate Members of Nearby Young Associations
PI:Lison Malo
Co-I(s): Ren?? Doyon, ??tienne Artigau, David Lafreni??re, Marie-Eve Naud

Abstract

Young nearby associations provide a crucial sample of stars for studying the local star formation history, investigating the early phases of planet formation, and searching for exoplanets through direct imaging. While numerous new associations have been identified in the last decade, their members are mostly restricted to relatively massive F, G and K stars. Through a novel statistical analysis, we have identified 100 highly probable young low-mass (>K7) members of the Beta Pictoris moving group, and the Tucana-Horologium and AB Doradus associations. All stars show prominent Halpha and X-ray emission, but measuring their radial velocity is further required to confirm their membership. We propose to use PHOENIX to measure the radial velocity of 49 southern candidates available this semester. Our program will significantly improve (double) the census of BetaPic, Tuc/Hor and AB Dor. Previous time allocations with PHOENIX have already enabled the confirmation of 44 new members. These stars are prime targets for searching for exoplanets through direct imaging with NICI, VLT-NACO and later-on with JWST. A companion proposal (Naud etal) is proposing to initiate such a campaign.

Publications using this program's data