Photometric Detection of Extrasolar Planets by the Transit Method, in Brown Dwarfs and Extr.pdfVIP

Photometric Detection of Extrasolar Planets by theTransit MethodHans-Jorg DeegInstituto de Astrosica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife,SpainAbstract. The transit method for the detection of extrasolar planets isbased on the detection of stellar brightness variations, which result fromthe transit of a planet across a stars disk. This method is also knownas the photometric or occultation method. The transit method is theonly method that may lead to the detection of earth-class planets withcurrent technical means. For some stellar systems, detections of planetsin the earth-to-Neptune siz