Microlensing Path Parameterization for Earth-like Exoplanet Detection around Solar-mass Stars

• Published in: The Astronomical journal Vol. 156; no. 4; pp. 172 - 177
• Main Authors: de Almeida, L., do Nascimento, J.-D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison The American Astronomical Society 01.10.2018; IOP Publishing; American Astronomical Society
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics; Earth; Extrasolar planets; gravitational lensing: micro; Light curve; Microlenses; Parameterization; Planet detection; planetary systems; planets and satellites: detection; Sciences of the Universe; Space missions; Stars; Topology; gravitational lensing: micro; planetary systems; planets and satellites: detection; Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
• ISSN: 0004-6256; 1538-3881
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/aadc68

We propose a new parameterization of the impact parameter u0 and impact angle for microlensing systems composed by an Earth-like exoplanet around a solar-mass star at 1 au. We present the caustic topology of such system, as well as the related light curves generated by using such a new parameterization. Based on the same density of points and accuracy of regular methods, we obtain results five times faster for discovering Earth-like exoplanets. In this big data revolution of photometric astronomy, our method will impact future missions like WFIRST (NASA) and Euclid (ESA) and their data pipelines, providing a rapid and deep detection of exoplanets for this specific class of microlensing event that might otherwise be lost.