Prospects for spectroscopic reflected-light planet searches

High-resolution spectroscopic searches for the starlight reflected from close-in extrasolar giant planets have the capability of determining the optical albedo spectra and scattering properties of these objects. When combined with radial velocity measurements they also yield the true mass of the planet. To date, only two such planets have been targeted for reflected-light signals, yielding upper limits on the optical albedos of the planets. Here we examine the prospects for future searches of this kind. We present Monte Carlo estimates of prior probability distributions for the orbital velocity amplitudes and planet/star flux ratios of six bright stars known to harbour giant planets in orbits with periods of less than 5 d. Using these estimates, we assess the viability of these targets for future reflected-light searches using 4- and 8-m class telescopes.