Further Evidence of the Planetary Nature of HD 95086 b from Gemini/NICI H-band Data
Boccaletti, A.; Lagrange, A. -M.; Bonnefoy, M.; Bailey, V.; Chauvin, G.; Kenworthy, M.; Mamajek, E. E.; Su, K. Y. L.; Currie, T.; Meshkat, T.; Rameau, J.
Netherlands, United States, France, Germany, Canada
Abstract
We present our analysis of the Gemini/NICI H-band data of HD 95086, following the discovery of the planet HD 95086 b in L'. The H-band data reach a contrast of 12.7 mag relative to the host star at 5σ levels in the location of HD 95086 b, and no point source is found. Our non-detection and H - L' color limit rules out the possibility that the object is a foreground L/T dwarf and that, if it is bound to HD 95086, it is a genuine planetary mass object. We estimate a new pre-main-sequence isochronal age for HD 95086 of 17 ± 4 Myr, which is commensurate with previous mean age estimates for the Lower Cen-Crux subgroup. Adopting an age of 17 Myr, the color limit is inconsistent with the COND model, marginally consistent with the BT-SETTL model, and consistent with the DUSTY model.