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M. Huerta (Rice University), L. Prato (Lowell Observatory), P. Hartigan, C. M. Johns-Krull (Rice University), D. Jaffe (University of Texas at Austin)
High precision radial velocity surveys of main sequence stars have discovered numerous extra solar planets and a few brown dwarfs over the last decade. However, no such objects have yet been found around pre-main-sequences stars, limiting our information about when low-mass companions may form. We present early results of a new radial velocity survey of T Tauri stars using the coudé echelle spectrograph on the 2.7m telescope at McDonald Observatory. Wavelength calibration was performed using thorium-argon lamps taken just before and after each stellar observation. Radial velocity standards observed on each night show a scatter of about 100 m s-1. Three T-Tauri stars monitored on each night of our 2004 ten-day observing run show significantly stronger radial velocity variations (a standard deviation of ~ 500 m s-1) than any of the radial velocity standards. Simultaneous photometric monitoring of the same stars reveal no obvious correlation with the radial velocity variability. In addition, we observed a few known high-amplitude extrasolar planetary systems. Our data are consistent with their published orbital parameters.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.