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Contenido archivado el 2022-12-23

Radio search for magnetized extrasolar planets

Objetivo

Large planets, possibly magnetized, have recently been discovered around "normal" stars through optical spectroscopy. Several of them are close to their central star (so-called "hot Jupiter"), and may thus interact strongly with the stellar wind or distort the star's magnetic field. Violent energy releases are thus expected, with emission of intense radio waves, as occurs in the auroral regions of Solar system planets, in the Io-Jupiter flux tube interaction, or in some binary star systems. For strong (Jupiter-like) magnetic fields, these emissions are expected at decametre wavelengths -thus detectable from the ground-, and at least as intense as the stellar emissions in the same frequency range.
The proposed project accordingly aims at the detection of planets in other solar systems through their decameter emission (Jupiter-like radio bursts), using the giant Kharkov UTR-2 radiotelescope coupled to a fast high sensitivity receiver, as well as the Pushchino telescopes DKR-1000 and BSA.
The observations will be performed during 30-40 nights suitable for the detection purposes. Man-made interference, which constitutes a severe problem in this wavelength range, will be avoided and/or eliminated using specific observational techniques (dual-beam observations), optimised equipment (rejecting filter bank), and original data processing software. The pre-processed interference-free data will then be analysed with signal processing methods developed for recognition of weak radio signals on a noisy background with a single antenna.
Efficiency of the methods as well as the study of propagation effects in the interstellar medium and ionosphere (dispersion, scattering/broadening) will be tested through the search of Solar system planetary lightning and detection of decametre-wave pulsars (which constitute at the same time valuable secondary objectives). Instrumentation upgrading and improvement of observational procedures and detection methods are also expected as outcomes of the project.
In case of positive radio detection of an exoplanet, the analysis of its spectral variability in the band 10-120 MHz will allow to draw unique information on its magnetic field, rotation period and radio output, while its flux will be compared with theoretical estimates recently derived by some of the proposants for auroral regions as well as interacting magnetized/ionised bodies, and will be of great interest for magnetospheric physics. The main outcome of this project should help to conclude about the uniqueness of our Solar system, which is a basis for the search of extraterrestrial intelligence.
Our interdisciplinary group gathers 20 scientists and engineers from 5 countries, distributed in 6 teams and including 6 young scientists (of which 4 from NIS).

Convocatoria de propuestas

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Régimen de financiación

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Coordinador

Paris Observatory
Aportación de la UE
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Dirección
5, Place Jules Janssen
92195 Meudon Cedex
Francia

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Coste total
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Participantes (5)