LEECH: A 100 Night Exoplanet Imaging Survey at the LBT

Andrew Skemer; Daniel Apai; Vanessa Bailey; Beth Biller; Mickael Bonnefoy; Wolfgang Brandner; Esther Buenzli; Laird Close; Justin Crepp; Denis Defrere; Silvano Desidera; Josh Eisner; Simone Esposito; Jonathan Fortney; Thomas Henning; Phil Hinz; Karl-Heinz Hofmann; Jarron Leisenring; Jared Males; Rafael Millan-Gabet; Katie Morzinski; Apurva Oza; Ilaria Pascucci; Jenny Patience; George Rieke; Dieter Schertl; Joshua Schlieder; Mike Skrutskie; Kate Su; Gerd Weigelt; Charles E. Woodward; Neil Zimmerman

doi:10.1017/s1743921313007928

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arXiv · 1401.0481

LEECH: A 100 Night Exoplanet Imaging Survey at the LBT

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Abstract

In February 2013, the LEECH (LBTI Exozodi Exoplanet Common Hunt) survey began its 100-night campaign from the Large Binocular Telescope atop Mount Graham in Arizona. LEECH nearly complements other high-contrast planet imaging efforts by observing stars in L' band (3.8 microns) as opposed to the shorter wavelength near-infrared bands (1-2.3 microns). This part of the spectrum offers deeper mass sensitivity for intermediate age (several hundred Myr-old) systems, since their Jovian-mass planets radiate predominantly in the mid-infrared. In this proceedings, we present the science goals for LEECH and a preliminary contrast curve from some early data.

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Andrew Skemer, Daniel Apai, Vanessa Bailey, Beth Biller, Mickael Bonnefoy, Wolfgang Brandner, Esther Buenzli, Laird Close, Justin Crepp, Denis Defrere, Silvano Desidera, Josh Eisner, Simone Esposito, Jonathan Fortney, Thomas Henning, Phil Hinz, Karl-Heinz Hofmann, Jarron Leisenring, Jared Males, Rafael Millan-Gabet, Katie Morzinski, Apurva Oza, Ilaria Pascucci, Jenny Patience, George Rieke, Dieter Schertl, Joshua Schlieder, Mike Skrutskie, Kate Su, Gerd Weigelt, Charles E. Woodward, Neil Zimmerman. 2014-01-02. LEECH: A 100 Night Exoplanet Imaging Survey at the LBT. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1743921313007928

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