ESPRI: Astrometric planet search with PRIMA at the VLTI

A. Quirrenbach^1a, R. Geisler¹, T. Henning², R. Launhardt², N. Elias^1,2, F. Pepe³, D. Queloz³, S. Reffert¹, D. Ségransan³ and J. Setiawan²

¹ ZAH, Landessternwarte Heidelberg, Königstuhl 12, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
² Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
³ Observatoire de Genève, 51, Chemin des Maillettes, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland

^a e-mail: A.Quirrenbach@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de

Published online: 18 July 2011

Abstract

The ESPRI consortium will conduct an astrometric survey for extrasolar planets, using the PRIMA facility at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Our scientific goals include determining orbital inclinations and masses for planets already known from radial-velocity surveys, searches for planets around nearby stars of all masses, and around young stars. The consortium has built the PRIMA differential delay lines, developed an astrometric operation and calibration plan, and will deliver astrometric data reduction software.