Eric B. Ford
Princeton University
eford@princeton.edu
4:15-5:15 Tuesday
May 13,
2003
Abstract
The impressive precision of modern radial velocity surveys has resulted in numerous detections of extrasolar planets. Such surveys have begun to detect planets in long period orbits and multiple planet systems. I will discuss methods to derive planet masses and orbital parameters and their uncertainties from the observational data. Particularly for planets in multiple planet systems and planets with long orbital periods, there can be significant uncertainties and correlations between orbital parameters which complicate the interpretation of planetary orbits. I will present a few example applications of my methods, including analysis of several known radial velocity planets. These methods are also applicable to future astrometric planet searches which intend to discover terrestrial mass planets around nearby main-sequence stars and can be more sensitive than radial velocity surveys to planets in long period orbits. I am analyzing simulated astrometric observations for use in planning planet searches with the Space Interferometry Mission.