Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #20065


Debris Disks around COROT Target Stars

Principal Investigator: Geoffrey Bryden
           Institution: JPL

Co-Investigators: 
Charles Beichman, MSC/JPL                                             
Thomas N. Gautier, JPL                                                
Magali Deleuil, LAM                                                   
Pierre Barge, LAM                                                     
George Rieke, Univ. of Arizona                                        

Science Category: circumstellar/debris disks 
 Observing Modes: IrsStare MipsPhot 
  Hours Approved: 5.8 

Abstract:
Within CoRoT's limited field of view we will search around the
brightest stars for excess IR emission.  Debris disks are potentially
important for both science goals of the CoRoT mission,
asteroseismology and exoplanet detection.  For exoplanets, we have
found that debris disks are correlated with the presence of giant
planets;  this correlation may well extend down to the telluric
planets which CoRoT is hoping to locate.  In has also been calculated
that cometary tails may be detectable should they cross the face of
their parent star.  The influence of asteroidal and cometary debris on
stellar structure via surface accretion is unclear, and can be
addressed with CoRoT's seismological probing of the stellar interior.
Overall, the detection of circumstellar material around these stars,
in addition to furthering our knowledge of debris disks and their link
to planetary systems, has great value in planning CoRoT observations
and in interpreting its results.  Our targets include 12 of the 14
candidate primary stars plus 1 additional star under consideration as
a secondary CoRoT target.  One primary star was excluded based on its
estimated cirrus background.  Another, the G0  star HD52265, we have
already observed with Spitzer, resulting in the detection of
circumstellar dust orbiting at tens of AU and clearly demonstrating
the ability of MIPS to accurately measure IR excess within our sample
of stars.