We plan to use the unique photometric capabilities provided by Herschel to perform a deep and systematic survey for faint, cold debris disks. We propose a sensitivity-limited Herschel Key Programme that aims at finding and characterizing faint exo-solar analogues to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt in a statistical sample of 283 nearby main-sequence stars. Our sample is volume-limited (distances < 25 pc) and covers a decade in stellar mass from 0.2 to 2 solar masses (M- to A-type stars). This will provide an unprecedented lower limit to the fractional abundance of planetesimal systems, and act as a proxy to assess the presence of giant planets resembling the roles played by Neptune and Jupiter in the solarsystem. We will perform PACS and SPIRE photometric observations covering the wavelengthrange from 70 to 500 micron. PACS observations at 100 micron have been designed to detect the stellar photospheres down to the confusion noise with a signal to noise ratio at least 5. Observations in the other Herschel bands will allow usto characterize, model, and constrain the disks. As a result, it will be possible for us to reach fractional luminosities L(dust)/L(star) a few times 10^(-7), close to the EKB level in our solar system.The extensive and unique data set will allow us to address some fundamental questions related to exo-EKBs:- Dependence of planetesimal formation on stellar mass.- Collisional and dynamical evolution.- Correlation with planets.- Dust properties and size distribution.Herschel is the first and the only facility for the foreseeable future which is providing the observational capability required to successfully addressing thescientific case we are proposing. The outcome of this project has high science legacy and outreach values that will impact on studies related to planet formation and planetary systems.
Publication
Incidence of debris discs around FGK stars in the solar neighbourhood | Montesinos B. et al. | Astronomy & Astrophysics Volume 593 id.A51 31 pp. | 593 | 10.1051\\/0004-6361\\/201628329 | 2016A&A...593A..51M | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016A%26A...593A..51M
DUst around NEarby Stars. The survey observational results | Eiroa C. et al. | Astronomy & Astrophysics Volume 555 id.A11 30 pp. | 555 | 10.1051\\/0004-6361\\/201321050 | 2013A&A...555A..11E | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013A%26A...555A..11E
Cold DUst around NEarby Stars (DUNES). First results. A resolved exo-Kuiper belt around the solar-like star z2 Ret | Eiroa C. et al. | Astronomy and Astrophysics Volume 518 id.L131 5 pp. | 518 | 10.1051\\/0004-6361\\/201014594 | 2010A&A...518L.131E | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010A%26A...518L.131E
The Herschel Cold Debris Disks: Confusion with the Extragalactic Background at 160 mm | Gaspar Andras et al. | The Astrophysical Journal Volume 784 Issue 1 article id. 33 9 pp. (2014). | 784 | 10.1088\\/0004-637X\\/784\\/1\\/33 | 2014ApJ...784...33G | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ApJ...784...33G
Does the Presence of Planets Affect the Frequency and Properties of Extrasolar Kuiper Belts? Results from the Herschel Debris and Dunes Surveys | Moro-Martin A. et al. | The Astrophysical Journal Volume 801 Issue 2 article id. 143 28 pp. (2015). | 801 | 10.1088\\/0004-637X\\/801\\/2\\/143 | 2015ApJ...801..143M | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...801..143M
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth cornerstone mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
European Space Agency, eiroa et al., 2010, 'Cold Disks around Nearby Stars. A Search for Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt analogues\n openParDUNES: DUst disks around NEarby StarsclosePar', SPG v14.2.0, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-9bkoe8o
