NaCo imaging survey for planets around young stars (NaCo-ISPY)

We have carried out a deep NACO L’-band coronagraphic angular differential imaging (ADI) GTO survey for wide-separation giant planets (GPs) around nearby young stars with circumstellar disks. Our main goal is the revelation and characterization of the observationally not yet well-characterised wide-separation (>5-10 au) GP population during the time of formation and dynamical evolution. Our survey was therefore focused on two target groups: (1) stars with protoplanetary transition disks (PPDs) and (2) stars with well-characterised debris disks, many of which show signatures of dynamical activity that could indicate the presence of GPs.
With the combination of L’-band observations, the use of the AGPM coronagraph to minimize the inner working angle for bright stars, and a strategy for going significantly deeper than previous surveys, we optimize the sensitivity to both more embedded (younger) as well as cooler (lower-mass and older) planets than targeted by previous/other surveys. NACO-ISPY is thus far the most systematic and complete direct imaging planet survey focusing on young stars with disks, thus providing an excellent basis for a robust statistical analysis of the occurrence of GPs during these specific early evolutionary phases.