First Doppler Limits on Binary Planets and Exomoons in the HR 8799 System

We place the first constraints on binary planets and exomoons from Doppler monitoring of directly imaged exoplanets. We model radial velocity observations of HR 8799 b, c, and d from Ruffio et al. and determine upper limits on the m sin i of short-period binary planets and satellites. At 95% confidence, we rule out companions orbiting the three planets more massive than m sin i = 2 M-J with orbital periods shorter than 5 days. We achieve our tightest constraints on moons orbiting HR 8799c, where with 95% confidence we rule out out edge-on Jupiter-mass companions in periods shorter than 5 days and edge-on half-Jupiter-mass moons in periods shorter than 1 day. These radial velocity observations come from spectra with resolution 20 times lower than typical radial velocity instruments and were taken using a spectrograph that was designed before the first directly imaged exoplanet was discovered. Similar data sets from new and upcoming instruments will probe significantly lower exomoon masses.

Automated summary

The study places the first constraints on binary planets and exomoons from Doppler monitoring of directly imaged exoplanets. At 95% confidence, companions orbiting the three planets with masses greater than 2 M-J and orbital periods shorter than 5 days were ruled out. The tightest constraints were achieved on moons orbiting HR 8799c, ruling out edge-on Jupiter-mass companions in periods shorter than 5 days and edge-on half-Jupiter-mass moons in periods shorter than 1 day.