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

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, A; Bachelet, E; Batista, V; Beatty, TG; Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe; Bennett, CS; Bowens-Rubin, R; Brillant, S; Caldwell, JAR; Cassan, A; Cole, Andrew; Corrales, E; Coutures, C; Dieters, S; Dominis Prester, D; 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; Schafer, S; Schonebeck, F; Snodgrass, C; Southworth, J; Surdej, J; Wambsganss, J

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

journal contribution

posted on 2025-01-15, 00:59 authored by JC Yee, L-W Hung, IA Bond, W Allen, LAG Monard, MD Albrow, P Fouque, M Dominik, Y Tsapras, A Udalski, A Gould, R Zellem, M Bos, GW Christie, DL DePoy, S Dong, J Drummond, BS 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, RW Pogge, D Polishook, A Shporer, Y Shvartzvald, J Skowron, G Thornley, F Abe, DP Bennett, CS Botzler, P Chote, M Freeman, A Fukui, K Furusawa, P Harris, Y Itow, CH Ling, K Masuda, Y Matsubara, N Miyake, K Ohnishi, NJ Rattenbury, T Saito, DJ Sullivan, T Sumi, D Suzuki, WL Sweatman, PJ Tristram, K Wada, PCM Yock, MK Szymanski, I Soszynski, M Kubiak, R Poleski, K Ulaczyk, G Pietrzynski, A Wyrzykowski, E Bachelet, V Batista, TG Beatty, Jean-Philippe BeaulieuJean-Philippe Beaulieu, CS Bennett, R Bowens-Rubin, S Brillant, JAR Caldwell, A Cassan, Andrew ColeAndrew Cole, E Corrales, C Coutures, S Dieters, D Dominis Prester, J Donatowicz, J Greenhill, CB Henderson, D Kubas, J-B Marquette, R Martin, JW Menzies, B Shappee, A Williams, D Wouters, J van Saders, M Zub, RA Street, K Horne, DM Bramich, IA Steele, KA Alsubai, V Bozza, P Browne, MJ Burgdorf, S Calchi Novati, P Dodds, F Finet, T Gerner, S Hardis, K Harpsoe, FV Hessman, TC Hinse, M Hundertmark, UG Jorgensen, N Kains, E Kerins, C Liebig, L Mancini, M Mathiasen, MT Penny, S Proft, S Rahvar, D Ricci, KC Sahu, G Scarpetta, S Schafer, F Schonebeck, C Snodgrass, J Southworth, J Surdej, J Wambsganss

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.

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Astrophysical Journal

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769

Issue

1

Article number

77

Number

77

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1-13

ISSN

0004-637X

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School of Natural Sciences, Physics

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Univ Chicago Press

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Published

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1427 E 60th St, Chicago, USA, Il, 60637-2954

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280120 Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences

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Galaxy: bulge – gravitational lensing: micro – planets and satellites: detection

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

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