A low-mass planet candidate orbiting Proxima Centauri at a distance of 1.5 AU

Journal
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
•
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Anglada-Escudé, Guillem
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•
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Morbidelli, Alessandro
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Pojmanski, Grzegorz
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Butler, R. Paul
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Jones, Hugh R. A.
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Hambsch, Franz-Josef
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Jenkins, James S.
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López-González, María José
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Morales, Nicolás
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Peña Rojas, Pablo A.
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Rodríguez-López, Cristina
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Rodríguez, Eloy
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Amado, Pedro J.
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Anglada, Guillem
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Feng, Fabo
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Gómez, Jose F.
DOI
Abstract
By analyzing 17 years of radial velocity data of Proxima Cen collected with the UVES and HARPS spectrographs, we detected a signal of period P 5 years that could be explained by the presence of a second planet, Proxima c, with minimum mass m sin i 6. Earth masses. Together with the low-mass temperate planet Proxima b, this candidate planet would make Proxima the closest multi-planet system to the Sun. We will present the properties of the new RV signal and investigate the likelihood that it is related to a magnetic activity cycle of the star. We will discuss how the existence of Proxima c can be confirmed, and its true mass determined with high accuracy, by combining Gaia astrometry and radial velocities. Proxima c would be a prime target for follow-up and characterization measurements, especially with next generation direct imaging instrumentation due to the large maximum angular separation of ∼1 arcsecond from the parent star. Since the orbit would be beyond the original location of the snowline, Proxima c would challenge the models of the formation of super-Earths. Presently, this study is under review by Science Advances....
Volume
6
Issue
3
Start page
eaax7467
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2375-2548
Ads BibCode
2020SciA....6.7467D
Rights
open.access
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