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Title: VARIABILITY OF SURFACE FLOWS ON THE SUN AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXOPLANET DETECTION

Abstract

The published Mount Wilson Doppler-shift measurements of the solar velocity field taken in 1967-1982 are revisited with a more accurate model, which includes two terms representing the meridional flow and three terms corresponding to the convective limb shift. Integration of the recomputed data over the visible hemisphere reveals significant variability of the net radial velocity at characteristic time scales of 0.1-10 years, with a standard deviation of 1.4 m s{sup -1}. This result is supported by independent published observations. The implications for exoplanet detection include reduced sensitivity of the Doppler method to Earth-like planets in the habitable zone, and an elevated probability of false detections at periods of a few to several years.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, Caltech, 770 S. Wilson Ave., MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21448736
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 715; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/715/1/500; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; DOPPLER EFFECT; PLANETS; RADIAL VELOCITY; SATELLITES; SUN; MAIN SEQUENCE STARS; STARS; VELOCITY

Citation Formats

Makarov, Valeri V., E-mail: vvm@caltech.ed. VARIABILITY OF SURFACE FLOWS ON THE SUN AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXOPLANET DETECTION. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/715/1/500.
Makarov, Valeri V., E-mail: vvm@caltech.ed. VARIABILITY OF SURFACE FLOWS ON THE SUN AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXOPLANET DETECTION. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/715/1/500
Makarov, Valeri V., E-mail: vvm@caltech.ed. 2010. "VARIABILITY OF SURFACE FLOWS ON THE SUN AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXOPLANET DETECTION". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/715/1/500.
@article{osti_21448736,
title = {VARIABILITY OF SURFACE FLOWS ON THE SUN AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXOPLANET DETECTION},
author = {Makarov, Valeri V., E-mail: vvm@caltech.ed},
abstractNote = {The published Mount Wilson Doppler-shift measurements of the solar velocity field taken in 1967-1982 are revisited with a more accurate model, which includes two terms representing the meridional flow and three terms corresponding to the convective limb shift. Integration of the recomputed data over the visible hemisphere reveals significant variability of the net radial velocity at characteristic time scales of 0.1-10 years, with a standard deviation of 1.4 m s{sup -1}. This result is supported by independent published observations. The implications for exoplanet detection include reduced sensitivity of the Doppler method to Earth-like planets in the habitable zone, and an elevated probability of false detections at periods of a few to several years.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/715/1/500},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21448736}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 715,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Thu May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}