MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection

J. C. Yee; L. -W. Hung; I. A. Bond; W. Allen; L. A. G. Monard; M. D. Albrow; P. Fouque; M. Dominik; Y. Tsapras; A. Udalski; A. Gould; R. Zellem; M. Bos; G. W. Christie; D. L. DePoy; Subo Dong; J. Drummond; B. S. Gaudi; E. Gorbikov; C. Han; S. Kaspi; N. Klein; C. -U. Lee; D. Maoz; J. McCormick; D. Moorhouse; T. Natusch; M. Nola; B. -G. Park; R. W. Pogge; D. Polishook; A. Shporer; Y. Shvartzvald; J. Skowron; G. Thornley; F. Abe; D. P. Bennett; C. S. Botzler; P. Chote; M. Freeman; A. Fukui; K. Furusawa; P. Harris; Y. Itow; C. H. Ling; K. Masuda; Y. Matsubara; N. Miyake; K. Ohnishi; N. J. Rattenbury; To. Saito; D. J. Sullivan; T. Sumi; D. Suzuki; W. L. Sweatman; P. J. Tristram; K. Wada; P. C. M. Yock; M. K. Szymanski; I. Soszynski; M. Kubiak; R. Poleski; K. Ulaczyk; G. Pietrzynski; L. Wyrzykowski; E. Bachelet; V. Batista; T. G. Beatty; J. -P. Beaulieu; C. S. Bennett; R. Bowens-Rubin; S. Brillant; J. A. R. Caldwell; A. Cassan; A. A. Cole; E. Corrales; C. Coutures; S. Dieters; D. Dominis Prester; J. Donatowicz; J. Greenhill; C. B. Henderson; D. Kubas; J. -B. Marquette; R. Martin; J. W. Menzies; B. Shappee; A. Williams; D. Wouters; J. van Saders; M. Zub; R. A. Street; K. Horne; D. M. Bramich; I. A. Steele; K. A. Alsubai; V. Bozza; P. Browne; M. J. Burgdorf; S. Calchi Novati; P. Dodds; F. Finet; T. Gerner; S. Hardis; K. Harpsoe; F. V. Hessman; T. C. Hinse; M. Hundertmark; U. G. Jorgensen; N. Kains; E. Kerins; C. Liebig; L. Mancini; M. Mathiasen; M. T. Penny; S. Proft; S. Rahvar; D. Ricci; K. C. Sahu; G. Scarpetta; S. Schaefer; F. Schoenebeck; C. Snodgrass; J. Southworth; J. Surdej; J. Wambsganss

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection

J. C. Yee^*, L. -W. Hung, I. A. Bond, W. Allen, L. A. G. Monard, M. D. Albrow, P. Fouque, M. Dominik, Y. Tsapras, A. Udalski, A. Gould, R. Zellem, M. Bos, G. W. Christie, D. L. DePoy, Subo Dong, J. Drummond, B. S. Gaudi, E. Gorbikov, C. HanS. Kaspi, N. Klein, C. -U. Lee, D. Maoz, J. McCormick, D. Moorhouse, T. Natusch, M. Nola, B. -G. Park, R. W. Pogge, D. Polishook, A. Shporer, Y. Shvartzvald, J. Skowron, G. Thornley, F. Abe, D. P. Bennett, C. S. Botzler, P. Chote, M. Freeman, A. Fukui, K. Furusawa, P. Harris, Y. Itow, C. H. Ling, K. Masuda, Y. Matsubara, N. Miyake, K. Ohnishi, N. J. Rattenbury, To. Saito, D. J. Sullivan, T. Sumi, D. Suzuki, W. L. Sweatman, P. J. Tristram, K. Wada, P. C. M. Yock, M. K. Szymanski, I. Soszynski, M. Kubiak, R. Poleski, K. Ulaczyk, G. Pietrzynski, L. Wyrzykowski, E. Bachelet, V. Batista, T. G. Beatty, J. -P. Beaulieu, C. S. Bennett, R. Bowens-Rubin, S. Brillant, J. A. R. Caldwell, A. Cassan, A. A. Cole, E. Corrales, C. Coutures, S. Dieters, D. Dominis Prester, J. Donatowicz, J. Greenhill, C. B. Henderson, D. Kubas, J. -B. Marquette, R. Martin, J. W. Menzies, B. Shappee, A. Williams, D. Wouters, J. van Saders, M. Zub, R. A. Street, K. Horne, D. M. Bramich, I. A. Steele, K. A. Alsubai, V. Bozza, P. Browne, M. J. Burgdorf, S. Calchi Novati, P. Dodds, F. Finet, T. Gerner, S. Hardis, K. Harpsoe, F. V. Hessman, T. C. Hinse, M. Hundertmark, U. G. Jorgensen, N. Kains, E. Kerins, C. Liebig, L. Mancini, M. Mathiasen, M. T. Penny, S. Proft, S. Rahvar, D. Ricci, K. C. Sahu, G. Scarpetta, S. Schaefer, F. Schoenebeck, C. Snodgrass, J. Southworth, J. Surdej, J. Wambsganss

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We analyze MOA-2010-BLG-311, a high magnification (A_max > 600) microlensing event with complete data coverage over the peak, making it very sensitive to planetary signals. We fit this event with both a point lens and a two-body lens model and find that the two-body lens model is a better fit but with only Δχ² ~ 80. The preferred mass ratio between the lens star and its companion is q = 10^{−3.7 ± 0.1}, placing the candidate companion in the planetary regime. Despite the formal significance of the planet, we show that because of systematics in the data the evidence for a planetary companion to the lens is too tenuous to claim a secure detection. When combined with analyses of other high-magnification events, this event helps empirically define the threshold for reliable planet detection in high-magnification events, which remains an open question.

Original language	English
Article number	77
Number of pages	13
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	769
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77
Publication status	Published - 20 May 2013

Keywords

Galaxy: bulge
Gravitational lensing: micro
Planets and satellites: detection
Difference image analysis
Microlensing events
Galactic bulge
Globular-cluster
Mass
Companions
Photometry
Systems
Stars
Kernel

Access to Document

10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

Dominik_2013_TAJ_MOA
© 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Final published version, 1.12 MB

Astrophysics at St Andrews:2012 - 2014: Astrophysics at St Andrews: 2012 - 2014
Horne, K. D. (PI)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/10/11 → 31/03/12
Project: Standard

Cite this

Yee, J. C., Hung, L. .-W., Bond, I. A., Allen, W., Monard, L. A. G., Albrow, M. D., Fouque, P., Dominik, M., Tsapras, Y., Udalski, A., Gould, A., Zellem, R., Bos, M., Christie, G. W., DePoy, D. L., Dong, S., Drummond, J., Gaudi, B. S., Gorbikov, E., ... Wambsganss, J. (2013). MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection. Astrophysical Journal, 769(1), Article 77. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

@article{03d300b16c804a9b8ef4155a0f804cf6,

title = "MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection",

abstract = "We analyze MOA-2010-BLG-311, a high magnification (Amax > 600) microlensing event with complete data coverage over the peak, making it very sensitive to planetary signals. We fit this event with both a point lens and a two-body lens model and find that the two-body lens model is a better fit but with only Δχ2 ~ 80. The preferred mass ratio between the lens star and its companion is q = 10−3.7 ± 0.1, placing the candidate companion in the planetary regime. Despite the formal significance of the planet, we show that because of systematics in the data the evidence for a planetary companion to the lens is too tenuous to claim a secure detection. When combined with analyses of other high-magnification events, this event helps empirically define the threshold for reliable planet detection in high-magnification events, which remains an open question.",

keywords = "Galaxy: bulge, Gravitational lensing: micro, Planets and satellites: detection, Difference image analysis, Microlensing events, Galactic bulge, Globular-cluster, Mass, Companions, Photometry, Systems, Stars, Kernel",

author = "Yee, {J. C.} and Hung, {L. -W.} and Bond, {I. A.} and W. Allen and Monard, {L. A. G.} and Albrow, {M. D.} and P. Fouque and M. Dominik and Y. Tsapras and A. Udalski and A. Gould and R. Zellem and M. Bos and Christie, {G. W.} and DePoy, {D. L.} and Subo Dong and J. Drummond and Gaudi, {B. S.} and E. Gorbikov and C. Han and S. Kaspi and N. Klein and Lee, {C. -U.} and D. Maoz and J. McCormick and D. Moorhouse and T. Natusch and M. Nola and Park, {B. -G.} and Pogge, {R. W.} and D. Polishook and A. Shporer and Y. Shvartzvald and J. Skowron and G. Thornley and F. Abe and Bennett, {D. P.} and Botzler, {C. S.} and P. Chote and M. Freeman and A. Fukui and K. Furusawa and P. Harris and Y. Itow and Ling, {C. H.} and K. Masuda and Y. Matsubara and N. Miyake and K. Ohnishi and Rattenbury, {N. J.} and To. Saito and Sullivan, {D. J.} and T. Sumi and D. Suzuki and Sweatman, {W. L.} and Tristram, {P. J.} and K. Wada and Yock, {P. C. M.} and Szymanski, {M. K.} and I. Soszynski and M. Kubiak and R. Poleski and K. Ulaczyk and G. Pietrzynski and L. Wyrzykowski and E. Bachelet and V. Batista and Beatty, {T. G.} and Beaulieu, {J. -P.} and Bennett, {C. S.} and R. Bowens-Rubin and S. Brillant and Caldwell, {J. A. R.} and A. Cassan and Cole, {A. A.} and E. Corrales and C. Coutures and S. Dieters and Prester, {D. Dominis} and J. Donatowicz and J. Greenhill and Henderson, {C. B.} and D. Kubas and Marquette, {J. -B.} and R. Martin and Menzies, {J. W.} and B. Shappee and A. Williams and D. Wouters and {van Saders}, J. and M. Zub and Street, {R. A.} and K. Horne and Bramich, {D. M.} and Steele, {I. A.} and Alsubai, {K. A.} and V. Bozza and P. Browne and Burgdorf, {M. J.} and {Calchi Novati}, S. and P. Dodds and F. Finet and T. Gerner and S. Hardis and K. Harpsoe and Hessman, {F. V.} and Hinse, {T. C.} and M. Hundertmark and Jorgensen, {U. G.} and N. Kains and E. Kerins and C. Liebig and L. Mancini and M. Mathiasen and Penny, {M. T.} and S. Proft and S. Rahvar and D. Ricci and Sahu, {K. C.} and G. Scarpetta and S. Schaefer and F. Schoenebeck and C. Snodgrass and J. Southworth and J. Surdej and J. Wambsganss",

note = "The MOA Collaboration acknowledges the support of grants JSPS20340052 and JSPS22403003. The OGLE project has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement No. 246678 to A. Udalski. Work by J. C. Yee was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. 2009068160. A. Gould and J. C. Yee acknowledge support from NSF AST-1103471. B. S. Gaudi, A. Gould, L.-W. Hung, and R. W. Pogge acknowledge support from NASA grant NNX12AB99G. A. Gould and D. Maoz acknowledge support by a grant from the US Israel Binational Science Foundation. Work by C. Han was supported by Creative Research Initiative Program (2009-0081561) of National Research Foundation of Korea. Work by S. Dong was performed under contract with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) funded by NASA through the Sagan Fellowship Program. Mount Canopus Observatory is supported by Dr. David Warren. T. C. Hinse gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Korea Research Council for Fundamental Science and Technology (KRCF) through the Young Research Scientist Fellowship Program. T. C. Hinse and C.-U. Lee acknowledge financial support from KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) grant number 2012-1-410-02. B. Shappee and J. van Saders are also supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. K. Alsubai, D. M. Bramich, M. Dominik, K. Horne, M. Hundertmark, C. Liebig, C. Snodgrass, R. A. Street, and Y. Tsapras thank the Qatar Foundation for support from QNRF grant NPRP-09-476-1-078. The MiNDSTEp monitoring campaign is powered by ARTEMiS (Automated Terrestrial Exoplanet Microlensing Search; Dominik et al. 2008). M. Hundertmark acknowledges support by the German Research Foundation (DFG). D. Ricci (boursier FRIA) and J. Surdej acknowledge support from the Communaut/'e fran{\c c}aise Belgique Actions de recherche concert{\'e}es—Acad/'emie universitaire Wallonie-Europe. C. Snodgrass received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FPT/2007-2013) under grant agreement 268421. This work is based in part on data collected by MiNDSTEp with the Danish 1.54 m telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory. The Danish 1.54 m telescope is operated based on a grant from the Danish Natural Science Foundation (FNU). The Digitized Sky Surveys were produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under U.S. Government grant NAG W-2166. The National Geographic Society—Palomar Observatory Sky Atlas (POSS-I) was made by the California Institute of Technology with grants from the National Geographic Society. The Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-II) was made by the California Institute of Technology with funds from the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the Sloan Foundation, the Samuel Oschin Foundation, and the Eastman Kodak Corporation. The Oschin Schmidt Telescope is operated by the California Institute of Technology and Palomar Observatory. The UK Schmidt Telescope was operated by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, with funding from the UK Science and Engineering Research Council (later the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council), until 1988 June, and thereafter by the Anglo-Australian Observatory.",

year = "2013",

month = may,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77",

language = "English",

volume = "769",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1",

}

Yee, JC, Hung, L-W, Bond, IA, Allen, W, Monard, LAG, Albrow, MD, Fouque, P, Dominik, M, Tsapras, Y, Udalski, A, Gould, A, Zellem, R, Bos, M, Christie, GW, DePoy, DL, Dong, S, Drummond, J, Gaudi, BS, Gorbikov, E, Han, C, Kaspi, S, Klein, N, Lee, C-U, Maoz, D, McCormick, J, Moorhouse, D, Natusch, T, Nola, M, Park, B-G, Pogge, RW, Polishook, D, Shporer, A, Shvartzvald, Y, Skowron, J, Thornley, G, Abe, F, Bennett, DP, Botzler, CS, Chote, P, Freeman, M, Fukui, A, Furusawa, K, Harris, P, Itow, Y, Ling, CH, Masuda, K, Matsubara, Y, Miyake, N, Ohnishi, K, Rattenbury, NJ, Saito, T, Sullivan, DJ, Sumi, T, Suzuki, D, Sweatman, WL, Tristram, PJ, Wada, K, Yock, PCM, Szymanski, MK, Soszynski, I, Kubiak, M, Poleski, R, Ulaczyk, K, Pietrzynski, G, Wyrzykowski, L, Bachelet, E, Batista, V, Beatty, TG, Beaulieu, J-P, Bennett, CS, Bowens-Rubin, R, Brillant, S, Caldwell, JAR, Cassan, A, Cole, AA, Corrales, E, Coutures, C, Dieters, S, Prester, DD, Donatowicz, J, Greenhill, J, Henderson, CB, Kubas, D, Marquette, J-B, Martin, R, Menzies, JW, Shappee, B, Williams, A, Wouters, D, van Saders, J, Zub, M, Street, RA, Horne, K, Bramich, DM, Steele, IA, Alsubai, KA, Bozza, V, Browne, P, Burgdorf, MJ, Calchi Novati, S, Dodds, P, Finet, F, Gerner, T, Hardis, S, Harpsoe, K, Hessman, FV, Hinse, TC, Hundertmark, M, Jorgensen, UG, Kains, N, Kerins, E, Liebig, C, Mancini, L, Mathiasen, M, Penny, MT, Proft, S, Rahvar, S, Ricci, D, Sahu, KC, Scarpetta, G, Schaefer, S, Schoenebeck, F, Snodgrass, C, Southworth, J, Surdej, J & Wambsganss, J 2013, 'MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 769, no. 1, 77. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

TY - JOUR

T1 - MOA-2010-BLG-311

T2 - a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection

AU - Yee, J. C.

AU - Hung, L. -W.

AU - Bond, I. A.

AU - Allen, W.

AU - Monard, L. A. G.

AU - Albrow, M. D.

AU - Fouque, P.

AU - Dominik, M.

AU - Tsapras, Y.

AU - Udalski, A.

AU - Gould, A.

AU - Zellem, R.

AU - Bos, M.

AU - Christie, G. W.

AU - DePoy, D. L.

AU - Dong, Subo

AU - Drummond, J.

AU - Gaudi, B. S.

AU - Gorbikov, E.

AU - Han, C.

AU - Kaspi, S.

AU - Klein, N.

AU - Lee, C. -U.

AU - Maoz, D.

AU - McCormick, J.

AU - Moorhouse, D.

AU - Natusch, T.

AU - Nola, M.

AU - Park, B. -G.

AU - Pogge, R. W.

AU - Polishook, D.

AU - Shporer, A.

AU - Shvartzvald, Y.

AU - Skowron, J.

AU - Thornley, G.

AU - Abe, F.

AU - Bennett, D. P.

AU - Botzler, C. S.

AU - Chote, P.

AU - Freeman, M.

AU - Fukui, A.

AU - Furusawa, K.

AU - Harris, P.

AU - Itow, Y.

AU - Ling, C. H.

AU - Masuda, K.

AU - Matsubara, Y.

AU - Miyake, N.

AU - Ohnishi, K.

AU - Rattenbury, N. J.

AU - Saito, To.

AU - Sullivan, D. J.

AU - Sumi, T.

AU - Suzuki, D.

AU - Sweatman, W. L.

AU - Tristram, P. J.

AU - Wada, K.

AU - Yock, P. C. M.

AU - Szymanski, M. K.

AU - Soszynski, I.

AU - Kubiak, M.

AU - Poleski, R.

AU - Ulaczyk, K.

AU - Pietrzynski, G.

AU - Wyrzykowski, L.

AU - Bachelet, E.

AU - Batista, V.

AU - Beatty, T. G.

AU - Beaulieu, J. -P.

AU - Bennett, C. S.

AU - Bowens-Rubin, R.

AU - Brillant, S.

AU - Caldwell, J. A. R.

AU - Cassan, A.

AU - Cole, A. A.

AU - Corrales, E.

AU - Coutures, C.

AU - Dieters, S.

AU - Prester, D. Dominis

AU - Donatowicz, J.

AU - Greenhill, J.

AU - Henderson, C. B.

AU - Kubas, D.

AU - Marquette, J. -B.

AU - Martin, R.

AU - Menzies, J. W.

AU - Shappee, B.

AU - Williams, A.

AU - Wouters, D.

AU - van Saders, J.

AU - Zub, M.

AU - Street, R. A.

AU - Horne, K.

AU - Bramich, D. M.

AU - Steele, I. A.

AU - Alsubai, K. A.

AU - Bozza, V.

AU - Browne, P.

AU - Burgdorf, M. J.

AU - Calchi Novati, S.

AU - Dodds, P.

AU - Finet, F.

AU - Gerner, T.

AU - Hardis, S.

AU - Harpsoe, K.

AU - Hessman, F. V.

AU - Hinse, T. C.

AU - Hundertmark, M.

AU - Jorgensen, U. G.

AU - Kains, N.

AU - Kerins, E.

AU - Liebig, C.

AU - Mancini, L.

AU - Mathiasen, M.

AU - Penny, M. T.

AU - Proft, S.

AU - Rahvar, S.

AU - Ricci, D.

AU - Sahu, K. C.

AU - Scarpetta, G.

AU - Schaefer, S.

AU - Schoenebeck, F.

AU - Snodgrass, C.

AU - Southworth, J.

AU - Surdej, J.

AU - Wambsganss, J.

N1 - The MOA Collaboration acknowledges the support of grants JSPS20340052 and JSPS22403003. The OGLE project has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement No. 246678 to A. Udalski. Work by J. C. Yee was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. 2009068160. A. Gould and J. C. Yee acknowledge support from NSF AST-1103471. B. S. Gaudi, A. Gould, L.-W. Hung, and R. W. Pogge acknowledge support from NASA grant NNX12AB99G. A. Gould and D. Maoz acknowledge support by a grant from the US Israel Binational Science Foundation. Work by C. Han was supported by Creative Research Initiative Program (2009-0081561) of National Research Foundation of Korea. Work by S. Dong was performed under contract with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) funded by NASA through the Sagan Fellowship Program. Mount Canopus Observatory is supported by Dr. David Warren. T. C. Hinse gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Korea Research Council for Fundamental Science and Technology (KRCF) through the Young Research Scientist Fellowship Program. T. C. Hinse and C.-U. Lee acknowledge financial support from KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) grant number 2012-1-410-02. B. Shappee and J. van Saders are also supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. K. Alsubai, D. M. Bramich, M. Dominik, K. Horne, M. Hundertmark, C. Liebig, C. Snodgrass, R. A. Street, and Y. Tsapras thank the Qatar Foundation for support from QNRF grant NPRP-09-476-1-078. The MiNDSTEp monitoring campaign is powered by ARTEMiS (Automated Terrestrial Exoplanet Microlensing Search; Dominik et al. 2008). M. Hundertmark acknowledges support by the German Research Foundation (DFG). D. Ricci (boursier FRIA) and J. Surdej acknowledge support from the Communaut/'e française Belgique Actions de recherche concertées—Acad/'emie universitaire Wallonie-Europe. C. Snodgrass received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FPT/2007-2013) under grant agreement 268421. This work is based in part on data collected by MiNDSTEp with the Danish 1.54 m telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory. The Danish 1.54 m telescope is operated based on a grant from the Danish Natural Science Foundation (FNU). The Digitized Sky Surveys were produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under U.S. Government grant NAG W-2166. The National Geographic Society—Palomar Observatory Sky Atlas (POSS-I) was made by the California Institute of Technology with grants from the National Geographic Society. The Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-II) was made by the California Institute of Technology with funds from the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the Sloan Foundation, the Samuel Oschin Foundation, and the Eastman Kodak Corporation. The Oschin Schmidt Telescope is operated by the California Institute of Technology and Palomar Observatory. The UK Schmidt Telescope was operated by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, with funding from the UK Science and Engineering Research Council (later the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council), until 1988 June, and thereafter by the Anglo-Australian Observatory.

PY - 2013/5/20

Y1 - 2013/5/20

N2 - We analyze MOA-2010-BLG-311, a high magnification (Amax > 600) microlensing event with complete data coverage over the peak, making it very sensitive to planetary signals. We fit this event with both a point lens and a two-body lens model and find that the two-body lens model is a better fit but with only Δχ2 ~ 80. The preferred mass ratio between the lens star and its companion is q = 10−3.7 ± 0.1, placing the candidate companion in the planetary regime. Despite the formal significance of the planet, we show that because of systematics in the data the evidence for a planetary companion to the lens is too tenuous to claim a secure detection. When combined with analyses of other high-magnification events, this event helps empirically define the threshold for reliable planet detection in high-magnification events, which remains an open question.

AB - We analyze MOA-2010-BLG-311, a high magnification (Amax > 600) microlensing event with complete data coverage over the peak, making it very sensitive to planetary signals. We fit this event with both a point lens and a two-body lens model and find that the two-body lens model is a better fit but with only Δχ2 ~ 80. The preferred mass ratio between the lens star and its companion is q = 10−3.7 ± 0.1, placing the candidate companion in the planetary regime. Despite the formal significance of the planet, we show that because of systematics in the data the evidence for a planetary companion to the lens is too tenuous to claim a secure detection. When combined with analyses of other high-magnification events, this event helps empirically define the threshold for reliable planet detection in high-magnification events, which remains an open question.

KW - Galaxy: bulge

KW - Gravitational lensing: micro

KW - Planets and satellites: detection

KW - Difference image analysis

KW - Microlensing events

KW - Galactic bulge

KW - Globular-cluster

KW - Mass

KW - Companions

KW - Photometry

KW - Systems

KW - Stars

KW - Kernel

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/769/1/77

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 769

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 77

ER -

MOA-2010-BLG-311: a planetary candidate below the threshold of reliable detection

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Astrophysics at St Andrews:2012 - 2014: Astrophysics at St Andrews: 2012 - 2014

Cite this