LEECH: A 100 Night Exoplanet Imaging Survey at the LBT. Issue Volume 8:Issue S299(2013) (6th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Skemer, Andrew; Apai, Daniel; Bailey, Vanessa; Biller, Beth; Bonnefoy, Mickael; Brandner, Wolfgang; Buenzli, Esther; Close, Laird; Crepp, Justin; Defrere, Denis; Desidera, Silvano; Eisner, Josh; Esposito, Simone; Fortney, Jonathan; Henning, Thomas; Hinz, Phil; Hofmann, Karl-Heinz; Leisenring, Jarron; Males, Jared; Millan-Gabet, Rafael; Morzinski, Katie; Oza, Apurva; Pascucci, Ilaria; Patience, Jenny; Rieke, George; Schertl, Dieter; Schlieder, Joshua; Skrutskie, Mike; Su, Kate; Weigelt, Gerd; Woodward, Charles E.; Zimmerman, Neil;
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 8:Issue S299(2013)
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 71
• Publication Date: 2014-01-06
• Subjects: instrumentation: adaptive optics, -- (stars:) planetary systems, -- surveys; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921313007928
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

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 neatly 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.