Abstract
Context.Large surveys with new-generation high-contrast imaging instruments are needed to derive the frequency and properties of exoplanet populations with separations from ~5 to 300 au. A careful assessment of the stellar properties is crucial for a proper understanding of when, where, and how frequently planets form, and how they evolve. The sensitivity of detection limits to stellar age makes this a key parameter for direct imaging surveys.Aims.We describe the SpHere INfrared survey for Exoplanets (SHINE), the largest direct imaging planet-search campaign initiated at the VLT in 2015 in the context of the SPHERE Guaranteed Time Observations of the SPHERE consortium. In this first paper we present the selection and the properties of the complete sample of stars surveyed with SHINE, focusing on the targets observed during the first phase of the survey (from February 2015 to February 2017). This early sample composed of 150 stars is used to perform a preliminary statistical analysis of the SHINE data, deferred to two companion papers presenting the survey performance, main discoveries, and the preliminary statistical constraints set by SHINE.Methods.Based on a large database collecting the stellar properties of all young nearby stars in the solar vicinity (including kinematics, membership to moving groups, isochrones, lithium abundance, rotation, and activity), we selected the original sample of 800 stars that were ranked in order of priority according to their sensitivity for planet detection in direct imaging with SPHERE. The properties of the stars that are part of the early statistical sample wererevisited, including for instance measurements from theGaiaData Release 2. Rotation periods were derived for the vast majority of the late-type objects exploiting TESS light curves and dedicated photometric observations.Results.The properties of individual targets and of the sample as a whole are presented.
Highlights
Introduction and contextThe discovery of the first brown dwarf companion Gl 229 B benefited from the combined technological innovation of infrared detectors and high contrast techniques (Nakajima et al 1995)
Optimized observation planning: SPOT Given the large number of targets, each associated with a certain level of priority and urgency, along with the various observing constraints, including those connected to angular differential imaging (ADI: Marois et al 2006) observations, we built a dedicated tool, named SPOT, to deliver an optimised scheduling of the observations, both on long and short terms and based on simulated annealing
By making a comparison with other surveys executed in service, such as BEAST (Janson et al, in prep.), we conclude that the use of SPOT has allowed for an increase of more than 30% in the field rotation angles for identical observing times with respect to the service scheduling routinely applied at ESO
Summary
Direct imaging provides a unique opportunity to probe the outer part of exoplanetary systems beyond 10 au to explore planetary architectures, as highlighted by the discoveries of: one new exoplanet, one new brown dwarf companion, and three new debris disks during this early phase of SHINE. Thanks to the improvement of direct imaging observation and data analysis techniques with ground-based adaptive optics systems (AO) or space telescopes, a few planetary-mass objects and low-mass brown dwarfs have been detected since the first detection by Chauvin et al (2004) These developments, enabled the discoveries of giant planets within 100 au around such young, nearby, and dusty early-type stars as HR 8799 b,c,d,e (Marois et al 2008, 2010), β Pictoris b (Lagrange et al 2009), and more recently HD 95086 b (Rameau et al 2013a), and GJ 504 b (Kuzuhara et al 2013). This resulted in a varying number of observations for each target
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