A Pan-STARRS Search for Distant Planets: Part 1 (2506.02144v1)

Abstract: We present a search for distant planets in Pan-STARRS1. We calibrated our search by injecting an isotropic control population of synthetic detections into Pan-STARRS1 source catalogs, providing a high-fidelity alternative to injecting synthetic sources at the image level. We found that our method is sensitive to a wide range of distances, as well as all rates and directions of motion. We identified 692 solar system objects (109 of which are not yet listed in the Minor Planet Center's database), including 642 TNOs, 23 of which are dwarf planets. By raw number of detections, this makes our search the third most productive Kuiper Belt survey to date, in spite of the fact that we did not explicitly search for objects closer than 80 au. Although we did not find Planet Nine or any other planetary objects, we were able to show that the remaining parameter space for Planet Nine is highly concentrated in the galactic plane.

• The paper introduces a novel synthetic detection injection method to correct for Pan-STARRS1 observational biases.
• It reports the discovery of 692 solar system objects, including 109 previously unreported and 23 classified as dwarf planets.
• The study refines the outer solar system parameter space, setting a solid foundation for future surveys like LSST in the search for Planet Nine.

Overview of "A Pan-STARRS Search for Distant Planets: Part 1"

The paper "A Pan-STARRS Search for Distant Planets: Part 1" by Holman et al. presents a comprehensive search for distant solar system planets using data from the Pan-STARRS1 survey. Through this work, the authors aim to identify new trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and potentially large planets in the distant parts of our solar system. The paper meticulously characterizes the observational biases of Pan-STARRS1, demonstrating a novel approach to the injection of synthetic detections directly into the source catalogs rather than the raw images.

Methodology and Findings

The authors utilize a control population of synthetic detections, finely calibrated to account for the survey's complex focal plane, and rigorously test their search by injecting these into the Pan-STARRS1 catalogs. They identify 692 solar system objects, 109 of which are previously unreported by the Minor Planet Center, underscoring the survey's potency. Among these, they classify 23 as dwarf planets.

Their results position this search sixth in terms of the number of detected TNOs in the Kuiper Belt, without focusing on objects within 80 astronomical units (au) of the Sun. Although no new large planetary objects were discovered, the findings effectively delineate the unexplored parameter space for potential bodies like Planet Nine; these constraints are largely aligned with regions concentrated near the galactic plane.

Implications and Future Directions

The research holds significant implications for theoretical models of solar system formation and the understanding of dynamical processes in the outer regions of our system. Although no large new planet was discovered, the constraints help refine models predicting where such an object might exist.

Practically, the paper exemplifies an effective methodology employing machine learning techniques for survey simulation, predicting object linkability in the data. This approach may enhance future large-scale sky surveys, enabling even more refined searches as they probe the sky for additional objects.

Moving forward, the research lays a robust foundation for similar initiatives with upcoming surveys like the Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), expected to further improve detection capabilities for large, distant solar system objects. The innovative techniques developed in this paper are expected to be integral when applied to even larger datasets, promising advancements in our understanding of the Kuiper Belt's resident bodies and the elusive Planet Nine.

In conclusion, Holman et al.'s paper reflects a rigorous step forward in celestial surveying, providing a detailed blueprint of the unexplored territories around the far solar system, driving us closer to unveiling its hidden giants.