山田 亨

We present high-contrast angular differential imaging (ADI) observations of the debris disk around HD32297 in H-band, as well as the first polarimetric images for this system in polarized differential imaging (PDI) mode with Subaru/HICIAO. In ADI, we detect the nearly edge-on disk at > 5 sigma levels from similar to 0.45 '' to similar to 1.7 '' (50-192AU) from the star and recover the spine deviation from the midplane already found in previous works. We also find for the first time imaging and surface brightness (SB) indications for the presence of a gapped structure on both sides of the disk at distances of similar to 0.75 '' (NE side) and similar to 0.65 '' (SW side). Global forward-modelling work delivers a best-fit model disk and well-fitting parameter intervals that essentially match previous results, with high-forward scattering grains and a ring located at 110AU. However, this single ring model cannot account for the gapped structure seen in our SB profiles. We create simple double ring models and achieve a satisfactory fit with two rings located at 60 and 95AU, respectively, low-forward scattering grains and very sharp inner slopes. In polarized light we retrieve the disk extending from similar to 0.25-1.6 '', although the central region is quite noisy and high S/N are only found in the range similar to 0.75-1.2 ''. The disk is polarized in the azimuthal direction, as expected, and the departure from the midplane is also clearly observed. Evidence for a gapped scenario is not found in the PDI data. We obtain a linear polarization degree of the grains that increases from similar to 10% at 0.55 '' to similar to 25% at 1.6 ''. The maximum is found at scattering angles of similar to 90 degrees, either from the main components of the disk or from dust grains blown out to larger radii.

We have observed the dust continuum of 10 z = 3.1 Lyman break galaxies with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at similar to 450 mas resolution in Band 7. We detect and resolve the 870 mu m emission in one of the targets with a flux density of S-870 = 192 +/- 57 mu Jy, and measure a stacked 3 sigma signal of S-870 = 67 +/- 23 mu Jy for the remaining nine. The total infrared luminosities are L8-1000 = (8.4 +/- 2.3) x 10(10) L-circle dot for the detection and L8-1000 = (2.9 +/- 0.9) x 10(10) L-circle dot for the stack. With Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys I-band imaging we map the rest-frame UV emission on the same scale as the dust, effectively resolving the "infrared excess" (IRX = L-FIR/L-UV) in a normal galaxy at z = 3. Integrated over the galaxy we measure IRX = 0.56 +/- 0.15, and the galaxy-averaged UV slope is beta = -1.25 +/- 0.03. This puts the galaxy a factor of similar to 10 below the IRX-beta relation for local starburst nuclei of Meurer et al. However, IRX varies by more than a factor of 3 across the galaxy, and we conclude that the complex relative morphology of the dust relative to UV emission is largely responsible for the scatter in the IRX-beta relation at high-z. A naive application of a Meurer-like dust correction based on the UV slope would dramatically overestimate the total star formation rate, and our results support growing evidence that when integrated over the galaxy, the typical conditions in high-z star-forming galaxies are not analogous to those in the local starburst nuclei used to establish the Meurer relation.

We present a new analysis of multi-epoch, H-band, scattered light images of the AB Aur system. We use a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code to simultaneously model the system's spectral energy distribution (SED) and H-band polarized intensity (PI) imagery. We find that a disk-dominated model, as opposed to one that is envelope-dominated, can plausibly reproduce AB Aur's SED and near-IR imagery. This is consistent with previous modeling attempts presented in the literature and supports the idea that at least a subset of AB Aur's spirals originate within the disk. In light of this, we also analyzed the movement of spiral structures in multi-epoch H-band total light and PI imagery of the disk. We detect no significant rotation or change in spatial location of the spiral structures in these data, which span a 5.8-year baseline. If such structures are caused by disk-planet interactions, the lack of observed rotation constrains the location of the orbit of planetary perturbers to be >47 au.

We present a Herschel/Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) survey of three protoclusters at z = 2-3 (2QZCluster, HS1700, SSA22). Based on the SPIRE colours (S-350/S-250 and S-500/S-350) of 250 mu m sources, we selected high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies potentially associated with the protoclusters. In the 2QZCluster field, we found a 4 sigma overdensity of six SPIRE sources around 4.5 arcmin (similar to 2.2 Mpc) from a density peak of H alpha emitters at z = 2.2. In the HS1700 field, we found a 5 sigma overdensity of eight SPIRE sources around 2.1 arcmin (similar to 1.0 Mpc) from a density peak of Lyman-break galaxies at z = 2.3. We did not find any significant overdensities in SSA22 field, but we found three 500 mu m sources are concentrated 3 arcmin (similar to 1.4 Mpc) east to the Ly alpha emitters overdensity. If all the SPIRE sources in these three overdensities are associated with protoclusters, the inferred star formation rate densities are 10(3)-10(4) times higher than the average value at the same redshifts. This suggests that dusty star formation activity could be very strongly enhanced in z similar to 2-3 protoclusters. Further observations are needed to confirm the redshifts of the SPIRE sources and to investigate what processes enhance the dusty star formation activity in z similar to 2-3 protoclusters.

We present the first near-infrared scattered-light detection of the transitional disk around V1247 Ori, which was obtained using high-resolution polarimetric differential imaging observations with Subaru/HiCIAO. Our imaging in the H band reveals the disk morphology at separations of similar to 0.'' 14-0.'' 86 (54-330 au) from the central star. The polarized intensity image shows a remarkable arc-like structure toward the southeast of the star, whereas the fainter northwest region does not exhibit any notable features. The shape of the arm is consistent with an arc of 0.'' 28 +/- 0.'' 09 in radius (108 au from the star), although the possibility of a spiral arm with a small pitch angle cannot be excluded. V1247 Ori features an exceptionally large azimuthal contrast in scattered, polarized light; the radial peak of the southeastern arc is about three times brighter than the northwestern disk measured at the same distance from the star. Combined with the previous indication of an inhomogeneous density distribution in the gap at less than or similar to 46 au, the notable asymmetry in the outer disk suggests the presence of unseen companions and/or planet-forming processes ongoing in the arc.

A radial velocity (RV) survey for intermediate-mass giants has been in operation for over a decade at Okayama Astrophysical Observatory (OAO). The OAO survey has revealed that some giants show long-term linear RV accelerations (RV trends), indicating the presence of outer companions. Direct-imaging observations can help clarify what objects generate these RV trends. We present the results of high-contrast imaging observations of six intermediate-mass giants with long-term RV trends using the Subaru Telescope and HiCIAO camera. We detected co-moving companions to gamma Hya B (0.61(-0.14)(+0.12)M(circle dot)), HD 5608 B (0.10 +/- 0.01M(circle dot)), and HD 109272 B (0.28 +/- 0.06M(circle dot)). For the remaining targets (iota Dra, 18 Del, and HD 14067), we exclude companions more massive than 30-60 M-Jup at projected separations of 1 ''-7 ''. We examine whether these directly imaged companions or unidentified long-period companions can account for the RV trends observed around the six giants. We find that the Kozai mechanism can explain the high eccentricity of the inner planets iota Dra b, HD 5608 b, and HD 14067 b.

We report on the identification of the old stellar population galaxy candidates at z greater than or similar to 5. We developed a new infrared color selection scheme to isolate galaxies with the strong Balmer breaks at z greater than or similar to 5, and applied it to the ultra-deep and wide infrared survey data from the Spitzer Extended Deep Survey (SEDS) and the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey. The eight objects satisfying K - [3.6] > 1.3 and K - [3.6] > 2.4([3.6] - [4.5]) + 0.6 are selected in the 0.34 deg(2) SEDS Ultra Deep Survey field. Rich multi-wavelength imaging data from optical to far-infrared are also used to reject blending sources and strong nebular line emitters, and we finally obtained the three most likely evolved galaxies at z greater than or similar to 5. Their stacked spectral energy distribution is fitted well with the old stellar population template with M-* = (7.5 +/- 1.5) x 10(10) M-circle dot, star formation rate = 0.9 +/- 0.2M(circle dot) yr(-1), dust A(V) < 1, and age = 0.7 +/- 0.4 Gyr at z = 5.7 +/- 0.6, where the dusty star-forming galaxies at z similar to 2.8 are disfavored because of the faintness in the 24 mu m. The stellar mass density of these evolved galaxy candidates, (6 +/- 4) x 10(4) M-circle dot Mpc(-3), is much lower than that of star-forming galaxies, but the non-zero fraction suggests that initial star-formation and quenching have been completed by z similar to 6.

We study the extent to which very bright (-23.0 < M-UV < -21.75) Lyman-break-selected galaxies at redshifts z similar or equal to 7 display detectable Ly alpha emission. To explore this issue, we obtained follow-up optical spectroscopy of 9 z similar or equal to 7 galaxies from a parent sample of 24 z similar or equal to 7 galaxy candidates selected from the 1.65 deg(2) COSMOS-UltraVISTA and SXDS-UDS survey fields using the latest near-infrared public survey data, and new ultra-deep Subaru z'-band imaging (which we also present and describe in this paper). Our spectroscopy yielded only one possible detection of Ly alpha at z=7.168 with a rest-frame equivalent width EW0 = 3.7(-1.1)(+1.7) angstrom. The relative weakness of this line, combined with our failure to detect Ly alpha emission from the other spectroscopic targets, allows us to place a new upper limit on the prevalence of strong Ly alpha emission at these redshifts. For conservative calculation and to facilitate comparison with previous studies at lower redshifts, we derive a 1 sigma upper limit on the fraction of UV-bright galaxies at z similar or equal to 7 that display EW0 > 50 angstrom, which we estimate to be < 0.23. This result may indicate a weak trend where the fraction of strong Ly alpha emitters ceases to rise, and possibly falls between z similar or equal to 6 and z similar or equal to 7. Our results also leave open the possibility that strong Ly alpha may still be more prevalent in the brightest galaxies in the reionization era than their fainter counterparts. A larger spectroscopic sample of galaxies is required to derive a more reliable constraint on the neutral hydrogen fraction at z similar or equal to 7 based on the Ly alpha fraction in the bright galaxies.

We present high-contrast H-band polarized intensity images of the transitional disk around the young solar-like star LkCa 15. By utilizing Subaru/HiCIAO for polarimetric differential imaging, the angular resolution and the inner working angle reach 0.'' 07 and r = 0.'' 1, respectively. We obtained a clearly resolved gap (width less than or similar to 27 au) at similar to 48 au from the central star. This gap is consistent with images reported in previous studies. We also confirmed the existence of a bright inner disk with a misaligned position angle of 13 degrees +/- 4 degrees with respect to that of the outer disk, i. e., the inner disk is possibly warped. The large gap and the warped inner disk both point to the existence of a multiple planetary system with a mass of less than or similar to 1 M-Jup.

Using galaxies as background light sources to map the Ly alpha absorption lines is a novel approach to study Damped Ly alpha Absorbers (DLAs). We report the discovery of an intervening z = 3.335 +/- 0.007 DLA along a galaxy sight-line identified among 80 Lyman Break Galaxy (LBG) spectra obtained with our Very Large Telescope/Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph survey in the SSA22 field. The measured DLA neutral hydrogen (H-I) column density is log(N-H I/cm(-2)) = 21.68 +/- 0.17. The DLA covering fraction over the extended background LBG is >70% (2 sigma), yielding a conservative constraint on the DLA area of greater than or similar to 1 kpc(2). Our search for a counterpart galaxy hosting this DLA concludes that there is no counterpart galaxy with star formation rate larger than a few M-circle dot yr(-1), ruling out an unobscured violent star formation in the DLA gas cloud. We also rule out the possibility that the host galaxy of the DLA is a passive galaxy with M-* greater than or similar to 5 x 10(10) M-circle dot or a heavily dust-obscured galaxy with E(B - V) greater than or similar to 2. The DLA may coincide with a large-scale overdensity of the spectroscopic LBGs. The occurrence rate of the DLA is compatible with that of DLAs found in QSO sight-lines.

We report the discovery of an extremely dense group of massive galaxies at the centre of the protocluster at z = 3.09 in the SSA22 field from near-infrared spectroscopy conducted with the multi-object infrared camera and spectrograph (MOIRCS) on the Subaru Telecope. The newly discovered group comprises seven galaxies confirmed at z(spec) approximate to 3.09 within 180 kpc, including fivemassive objectswith the stellarmasses larger than 10(10.5) M-circle dot and is associated with a bright submillimetre source SSA22-AzTEC14. The dynamical mass of the group estimated from the line-of-sight velocity dispersion of the members is M-dyn similar to 1.6 +/- 0.3 x 10(13)M(circle dot). Such a dense group is expected to be very rare at high redshift, as we have found only a few comparable systems in large-volume cosmological simulations. Such rare groups in simulations are hosted in collapsed haloes with M-vir = 10(13.4)-10(14.0)M(circle dot) and evolve into the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) of the most massive clusters at present. The observed AzTEC14 group at z = 3.09 is therefore very likely to be a proto-BCG in the multiple merger phase. The observed total stellar mass of the group is 5.8(-2.0)(+5.1) x 10(11)M(circle dot), which suggests that over half the stellar mass of its descendant had been formed by z = 3. Moreover, we have identified over two members for each of the four Ly alpha blobs (LABs) using our new spectroscopic data. This verifies our previous argument that many of the LABs in the SSA22 protocluster associated with multiple developed stellar components.

We report the results of 1'.5. x 3' mapping at 1.1 mm with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array toward the central region of the z = 3.09 SSA22 protocluster. By combining our source catalog with archival spectroscopic redshifts, we find that eight submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) with flux densities, S-1.1 mm = 0.7-6.4 mJy (L-IR similar to 10(12.1) - 10(13.1) L-circle dot) are at z = 3.08-3.10. Not only are these SMGs members of the protocluster, but they in fact reside within the node at the junction of the 50 Mpc scale filamentary three-dimensional structure traced by Ly alpha emitters in this field. The eight SMGs account for a star formation rate density (SFRD) similar to 10M(circle dot)yr(-1) Mpc(-3) in the node, which is two orders of magnitudes higher than the global SFRD at this redshift. We find that four of the eight SMGs host an X-ray-luminous active galactic nucleus. Our results suggest that the vigorous star formation activity and the growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) occurred simultaneously in the densest regions at z similar to 3, which may correspond to the most active historical phase of the massive galaxy population found in the core of the clusters in the present universe. Two SMGs are associated with Lya blobs, implying that the two populations coexist in high-density environments for a few cases.

Coronagraphic imagery of the circumstellar disk around HD 169142 in H-band polarized intensity (PI) with Subaru/HiCIAO is presented. The emission scattered by dust particles at the disk surface in 0".2 <= r <= 1".2, or 29 <= r <= 174 AU, is successfully detected. The azimuthally-averaged radial profile of the PI shows a double power-law distribution, in which the PIs in r=29-52 AU and r=81.2-145 AU respectively show r(-3)-dependence. These two power-law regions are connected smoothly with a transition zone (TZ), exhibiting an apparent gap in r=40-70 AU. The PI in the inner power-law region shows a deep minimum whose location seems to coincide with the point source at lambda = 7 mm. This can be regarded as another sign of a protoplanet in TZ. The observed radial profile of the PI is reproduced by a minimally flaring disk with an irregular surface density distribution or with an irregular temperature distribution or with the combination of both. The depletion factor of surface density in the inner power-law region (r<50 AU) is derived to be >= 0.16 from a simple model calculation. The obtained PI image also shows small scale asymmetries in the outer power-law region. Possible origins for these asymmetries include corrugation of the scattering surface in the outer region, and shadowing effect by a puffed up structure in the inner power-law region.

We report on the multi-wavelength identification of the X-ray sources found in the Subaru-XMM-Newton Deep Survey (SXDS) using deep imaging data covering the wavelength range between the far-UV and mid-IR (MIR). We select a primary counterpart of each X-ray source by applying the likelihood ratio method to R-band, 3.6 mu m, near-UV, and 24 mu m source catalogs as well as matching catalogs of active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates selected in 1.4 GHz radio and i'-band variability surveys. Once candidates for Galactic stars, ultra-luminous X-ray sources in a nearby galaxy, and clusters of galaxies are removed there are 896 AGN candidates in the sample. We conduct spectroscopic observations of the primary counterparts with multi-object spectrographs in the optical and NIR; 65% of the X-ray AGN candidates are spectroscopically identified. For the remaining X-ray AGN candidates, we evaluate their photometric redshift with photometric data in 15 bands. Utilizing the multi-wavelength photometric data of the large sample of X-ray-selected AGNs, we evaluate the stellar masses, M-*, of the host galaxies of the narrow-line AGNs. The distribution of the stellarmass is remarkably constant from z=0.1 to 4.0. The relation between M-* and 2-10 keV luminosity can be explained with strong cosmological evolution of the relationship between the black hole mass and M-*. We also evaluate the scatter of the UV-MIR spectral energy distribution (SED) of the X-ray AGNs as a function of X-ray luminosity and absorption by the nucleus. The scatter is compared with galaxies which have redshift and stellarmass distributionmatched with the X-ray AGN. The UV-NIR (near-IR) SEDs of obscured X-ray AGNs are similar to those of the galaxies in the matched sample. In the NIR-MIR range, the median SEDs of X-ray AGNs are redder, but the scatter of the SEDs of the X-ray AGN broadly overlaps that of the galaxies in the matched sample.

We present the results of deep Chandra imaging of the central region of the Extended Groth Strip, the AEGIS-X Deep (AEGIS-XD) survey. When combined with previous Chandra observations of a wider area of the strip, AEGIS-X Wide (AEGIS-XW), these provide data to a nominal exposure depth of 800 ks in the three central ACIS-I fields, a region of approximately 0.29 deg(2). This is currently the third deepest X-ray survey in existence; a factor similar to 2-3 shallower than the Chandra Deep Fields (CDFs), but over an area similar to 3 times greater than each CDF. We present a catalog of 937 point sources detected in the deep Chandra observations, along with identifications of our X-ray sources from deep ground-based, Spitzer, GALEX, and Hubble Space Telescope imaging. Using a likelihood ratio analysis, we associate multiband counterparts for 929/937 of our X-ray sources, with an estimated 95% reliability, making the identification completeness approximately 94% in a statistical sense. Reliable spectroscopic redshifts for 353 of our X-ray sources are available predominantly from Keck (DEEP2/3) and MMT Hectospec, so the current spectroscopic completeness is similar to 38%. For the remainder of the X-ray sources, we compute photometric redshifts based on multiband photometry in up to 35 bands from the UV to mid-IR. Particular attention is given to the fact that the vast majority the X-ray sources are active galactic nuclei and require hybrid templates. Our photometric redshifts have mean accuracy of sigma = 0.04 and an outlier fraction of approximately 5%, reaching sigma = 0.03 with less than 4% outliers in the area covered by CANDELS. The X-ray, multiwavelength photometry, and redshift catalogs are made publicly available.

We present the first spatially resolved polarized scattered light H-band detection of the DoAr 28 transitional disk. Our two epochs of imagery detect the scattered light disk from our effective inner working angle of 0".10 (13 AU) out to 0".50 (65 AU). This inner working angle is interior to the location of the system's gap inferred by previous studies using spectral energy distribution modeling (15 AU). We detected a candidate point source companion 1".08 northwest of the system; however, our second epoch of imagery strongly suggests that this object is a background star. We constructed a grid of Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer models of the system, and our best fit models utilize a modestly inclined (50 degrees), 0.01 M-circle dot disk that has a partially depleted inner gap from the dust sublimation radius out to similar to 8 AU. Subtracting this best fit, axi-symmetric model from our polarized intensity data reveals evidence for two small asymmetries in the disk, which could be attributable to a variety of mechanisms.

We present new high-resolution (similar to 0."09) H-band imaging observations of the circumstellar disk around the T Tauri star SU Aur. Our observations with Subaru-HiCIAO have revealed the presence of scattered light as close as 0."15 (similar to 20 AU) to the star. Within our image, we identify bright emission associated with a disk with a minimum radius of similar to 90 AU, an inclination of similar to 35 degrees from the plane of the sky, and an approximate PA of 15 degrees for the major axis. We find a brightness asymmetry between the northern and southern sides of the disk due to a non-axisymmetric disk structure. We also identify a pair of asymmetric tail structures extending east and west from the disk. The western tail extends at least 2."5 (350 AU) from the star, and is probably associated with a reflection nebula previously observed at optical and near-IR wavelengths. The eastern tail extends at least 1. (140 AU) at the present signal-to-noise. These tails are likely due to an encounter with an unseen brown dwarf, but our results do not exclude the explanation that these tails are outflow cavities or jets.

The TMT Detailed Science Case describes the transformational science that the Thirty Meter Telescope will enable. Planned to begin science operations in 2024, TMT will open up opportunities for revolutionary discoveries in essentially every field of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, seeing much fainter objects much more clearly than existing telescopes. Per this capability, TMT's science agenda fills all of space and time, from nearby comets and asteroids, to exoplanets, to the most distant galaxies, and all the way back to the very first sources of light in the Universe. More than 150 astronomers from within the TMT partnership and beyond offered input in compiling the new 2015 Detailed Science Case. The contributing astronomers represent the entire TMT partnership, including the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of California, the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA) and US associate partner, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).

We conduct a deep narrowband imaging survey of 13 Ly alpha blobs (LABs) located in the SSA22 proto-cluster at z similar to 3.1 in the C IV. and He II. emission lines in an effort to constrain the physical process powering the Ly alpha emission in LABs. Our observations probe down to unprecedented surface brightness (SB) limits of (2.1-3.4) x 10(-18) erg s(-1) cm(-2) arcsec(-2) per 1 arcsec(2) aperture (5 sigma) for the He II lambda 1640 and C IV lambda 1549 lines, respectively. We do not detect extended He II. and C IV. emission in any of the LABs, placing strong upper limits on the He II/Ly alpha and C IV/Ly alpha line ratios, of 0.11 and 0.16, for the brightest two LABs in the field. We conduct detailed photoionization modeling of the expected line ratios and find that, although our data constitute the deepest ever observations of these lines, they are still not deep enough to rule out a scenario where the Ly alpha emission is powered by the ionizing radiation from an obscured active galactic nucleus. Our models can accommodate He II/Ly alpha and C IV/Ly alpha ratios as low as similar or equal to 0.05 and similar or equal to 0.07, respectively, implying that one needs to reach SB as low as (1-1.5) x 10(-18) erg s(-1) cm(-2) arcsec(-2). (at 5 sigma) in order to rule out a photoionization scenario. These depths will be achievable with the new generation of image-slicing integral field units such as the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on VLT and the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI). We also model the expected He II/Ly alpha and C IV/Ly alpha in a different scenario, where Ly alpha emission is powered by shocks generated in a large-scale superwind, but find that our observational constraints can only be met for shock velocities v(s) greater than or similar to 250 km s(-1), which appear to be in conflict with recent observations of quiescent kinematics in LABs.

We have obtained deep J and Ks-band images centered on a bright radio quiet QSO UM402 (z(em) = 2.856) using the IRCS camera and adaptive optics systems that are part of the Subaru Telescope, as well as retrieved WFC3/F140W archive images of this object. A faint galaxy (m(k) = 23.32 +/- 0.05 in the Vega magnitude system) that lies similar to 2.4 '' north of the QSO sightline has been clearly resolved in all three deep high resolution datasets, and appears as an irregular galaxy with two close components in the Ks-band images (separation similar to 0.3 ''). Given the small impact parameter (b = 19.6 kpc, at z(lls) = 2.531), as well as the red color of (J - Ks)(Vega) similar to 1.6, it might be a candidate galaxy giving rise to the Lyman Limit system absorption at z(abs) = 2.531 seen in the QSO spectrum. After carefully subtracting the point spread function from the QSO images, the host galaxy of this bright radio quiet QSO at z similar to 3 was marginally revealed. We placed a lower limit on the host component of m(k) similar to 23.3 according to our analyses.

We present a new Subaru/HiCIAO high-contrast H-band polarized intensity (PI) image of a nearby transitional disk associated with TW Hydrae. The scattered light from the disk was detected from 0 ''.2 to 1 ''.5 (11-81 AU) and the PI image shows a clear axisymmetric depression in PI at similar to 0 ''.4 (similar to 20 AU) from the central star, similar to the similar to 80 AU gap previously reported from Hubble Space Telescope images. The azimuthal PI profile also shows that the disk beyond 0 ''.2 is almost axisymmetric. We discuss two possible scenarios explaining the origin of the PI depression: (1) a gap structure may exist at similar to 20 AU from the central star because of a shallow slope seen in the PI profile, and (2) grain growth may be occurring in the inner region of the disk. Multi-band observations at near-infrared and millimeter/submillimeter wavelengths play a complementary role in investigating dust opacity and may help reveal the origin of the gap more precisely.

We exploit wide-field Ly alpha imaging with Subaru to probe the environment around TN J1338-1942, a powerful radio galaxy with a > 100 kpc Ly alpha halo at z = 4.11. We used a sample of Ly alpha emitters (LAEs) down to log (L-Ly alpha [erg s(-1)]) similar to 42.8 to measure the galaxy density around TN J1338-1942, compared to a control sample from a blank field taken with the same instrument. We found that TN J1338-1942 resides in a region with a peak over-density of delta(LAE) = 2.8 +/- 0.5 on scales of 8 h(-1) Mpc (on the sky) and 112 h(-1) Mpc (line of sight) in comoving coordinates. Adjacent to this overdensity, we found a strong underdensity where virtually no LAEs are detected. We used a semi-analytical model of LAEs derived from the Millennium Simulation to compare our results with theoretical predictions. While the theoretical density distribution is consistent with the blank field, overdense regions such as that around TN J1338-1942 are very rare, with a number density of 6.4 x 10(-8) Mpc(-3) (comoving), corresponding to the densest < 0.4 percentile at z similar or equal to 4.1. We also found that the Ly alpha luminosity function in the TN J1338-1942 field differs from that in the blank field: the number of bright LAEs (log(L-Ly alpha [ergs(-1)]) greater than or similar to 43.3) is enhanced, while the number of fainter LAEs is relatively suppressed. These results suggest that some powerful radio galaxies associated with Ly a nebulae reside in extreme overdensities on similar to 3-6 Mpc scales, where star formation and AGN activity may be enhanced via frequent galaxy mergers or high rates of gas accretion from the surroundings.

Spatially-resolved imaging of Herbig stars and related objects began with HST, but intensified with commissioning of high-contrast imagers on 8-m class telescopes. The bulk of the data taken from the ground have been polarized intensity imagery at H-band, with the majority of the sources observed as part of the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS) survey. Sufficiently many systems have been imaged that we discuss disk properties in scattered, polarized light in terms of groups defined by the IR spectral energy distribution. We find novel phenomena in many of the disks, including spiral density waves, and discuss the disks in terms of clearing mechanisms. Some of the disks have sufficient data to map the dust and gas components, including water ice dissociation products.

We compared the number of faint stars detected in deep survey fields with the current stellar distribution model of the Galaxy and found that the detected number in the H band is significantly smaller than the predicted number. This indicates that M-dwarfs, the major component, are fewer in the halo and the thick disk. We used archived data of several surveys in both the north and south field of GOODS (Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey), MODS (MOIRCS Deep Survey) in GOODS-N, and ERS (Early Release Science) and CANDELS (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) in GOODS-S. The number density of M-dwarfs in the halo has to be 20%+/- 13% relative to that in the solar vicinity, in order for the detected number of stars fainter than 20.5 mag in the H band to match with the predicted value from the model. In the thick disk, the number density of M-dwarfs must be reduced (52%+/- 13%) or the scale height must be decreased (similar to 600 pc). Alternatively, overall fractions of the halo and thick disks can be significantly reduced to achieve the same effect, because our sample mainly consists of faint M-dwarfs. Our results imply that the M-dwarf population in regions distant from the Galactic plane is significantly smaller than previously thought. We then discussed the implications this has on the suitability of the model predictions for the prediction of non-companion faint stars in direct imaging extrasolar planet surveys by using the best-fitting number densities.

We present the first resolved near-infrared imagery of the transition disk Oph IRS 48 (WLY 2-48), which was recently observed with ALMA to have a strongly asymmetric submillimeter flux distribution. H-band polarized intensity images show a similar to 60 AU radius scattered light cavity with two pronounced arcs of emission, one from northeast to southeast and one smaller, fainter, and more distant arc in the northwest. K-band scattered light imagery reveals a similar morphology, but with a clear third arc along the southwestern rim of the disk cavity. This arc meets the northwestern arc at nearly a right angle, revealing the presence of a spiral arm or local surface brightness deficit in the disk, and explaining the east-west brightness asymmetry in the H-band data. We also present 0.8-5.4 mu m IRTF SpeX spectra of this object, which allow us to constrain the spectral class to A0 +/- 1 and measure a low mass accretion rate of 10(-8.5) M-circle dot yr(-1), both consistent with previous estimates. We investigate a variety of reddening laws in order to fit the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution of Oph IRS 48 and find a best fit consistent with a younger, higher luminosity star than previous estimates.

The formation scenario of a gapped disk, i.e., transitional disk, and its asymmetry is still under debate. Proposed scenarios such as disk-planet interaction, photoevaporation, grain growth, anticyclonic vortex, eccentricity, and their combinations would result in different radial distributions of the gas and the small (sub-mu m size) and large (millimeter size) dust grains as well as asymmetric structures in a disk. Optical/near-infrared (NIR) imaging observations and (sub-)millimeter interferometry can trace small and large dust grains, respectively; therefore multi-wavelength observations could help elucidate the origin of complicated structures of a disk. Here we report Submillimeter Array observations of the dust continuum at 1.3 mm and (CO)-C-12 J = 2 -> 1 line emission of the pre-transitional protoplanetary disk around the solar-mass star PDS 70. PDS 70, a weak-lined T Tauri star, exhibits a gap in the scattered light from its disk with a radius of similar to 65 AU at NIR wavelengths. However, we found a larger gap in the disk with a radius of similar to 80 AU at 1.3 mm. Emission from all three disk components (the gas and the small and large dust grains) in images exhibits a deficit in brightness in the central region of the disk, in particular, the dust disk in small and large dust grains has asymmetric brightness. The contrast ratio of the flux density in the dust continuum between the peak position to the opposite side of the disk reaches 1.4. We suggest the asymmetries and different gap radii of the disk around PDS 70 are potentially formed by several (unseen) accreting planets inducing dust filtration.

We present results of Herschel/SPIRE observation in 2QZ cluster at z = 2.23. 2QZ cluster is discovered as an overdensity of QSOs and H alpha emitters (HAEs), which was originally identified as a concentration of 5 QSOs in the 2dF Quasar Redshift survey. We find an overdensity of SPIRE color selected far-infrared bright galaxies (3.9 sigma compared with COSMOS field) similar to 5' west of the HAEs density peak of in a radius of 6 co-Mpc. This suggests 2QZ cluster is experiencing enhanced dusty star-formation. However, SPIRE color selection with S-500/S-350 vs S-350/S-250 has a redshift uncertainty, we need spectroscopic observation with ALMA to confirm the precise redshifts.

We present the results of near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the K-band-selected candidate galaxies in the protocluster at z = 3.09 in the SSA22 field. We observed 67 candidates with KAB < 24 and confirmed redshifts of the 39 galaxies at 2.0 < z(spec) < 3.4. Of the 67 candidates, 24 are certainly protocluster members with 3.04 <= z(spec) <= 3.12, which are massive red galaxies that have been unidentified in previous optical observations of the SSA22 protocluster. Many distant red galaxies (J -K-AB > 1.4), hyper extremely red objects (J -K-AB > 2.1), Spitzer MIPS 24 mu m sources, active galactic nuclei (AGNs) as well as the counterparts of Ly alpha blobs and the AzTEC/ASTE 1.1mm sources in the SSA22 field are also found to be protocluster members. The mass of the SSA22 protocluster is estimated to be similar to 2-5 x 10(14) M circle dot, and this system is plausibly a progenitor of the most massive clusters of galaxies in the current universe. The reddest (J -K-AB >= 2.4) protocluster galaxies are massive galaxies with M-star similar to 10(11) M circle dot showing quiescent star formation activities and plausibly dominated by old stellar populations. Most of these massive quiescent galaxies host moderately luminous AGNs detected by X-ray. There are no significant differences in the [O (III)]lambda 5007/H beta emission line ratios and [O (III)]lambda 5007 line widths and spatial extents of the protocluster galaxies from those of massive galaxies at z similar to 2-3 in the general field.

A high angular resolution near-infrared image that shows the intensity of polarization for the GG Tau A binary system was obtained with the Subaru Telescope. The image shows a circumbinary disk scattering the light from the central binary. The azimuthal profile of the intensity of polarization for the circumbinary disk is roughly reproduced by a simple disk model with the Henyey-Greenstein phase function and the Rayleigh function, indicating there are small dust grains at the surface of the disk. Combined with a previous observation of the circumbinary disk, our image indicates that the gap structure in the circumbinary disk orbits counterclockwise, but material in the disk orbits clockwise. We propose that there is a shadow caused by material located between the central binary and the circumbinary disk. The separations and position angles of the stellar components of the binary in the past 20 yr are consistent with the binary orbit with a = 33.4 AU and e = 0.34.

We present a new method of analysis for determining the surface geometry of five protoplanetary disks observed with near-infrared imaging polarimetry using Subaru-HiCIAO. Using as inputs the observed distribution of polarized intensity (PI), disk inclination, assumed properties for dust scattering, and other reasonable approximations, we calculate a differential equation to derive the surface geometry. This equation is numerically integrated along the distance from the star at a given position angle. We show that, using these approximations, the local maxima in the PI distribution of spiral arms (SAO 206462, MWC 758) and rings (2MASS J16042165-2130284, PDS 70) are associated with local concave-up structures on the disk surface. We also show that the observed presence of an inner gap in scattered light still allows the possibility of a disk surface that is parallel to the light path from the star, or a disk that is shadowed by structures in the inner radii. Our analysis for rings does not show the presence of a vertical inner wall as often assumed in studies of disks with an inner gap. Finally, we summarize the implications of spiral and ring structures as potential signatures of ongoing planet formation.

We conduct a statistical analysis of a combined sample of direct imaging data, totalling nearly 250 stars. The stars cover a wide range of ages and spectral types, and include five detections (kappa And b, two similar to 60 M-J brown dwarf companions in the Pleiades, PZ Tel B, and CD-35 2722B). For some analyses we add a currently unpublished set of SEEDS observations, including the detections GJ 504b and GJ 758B. We conduct a uniform, Bayesian analysis of all stellar ages using both membership in a kinematic moving group and activity/rotation age indicators. We then present a new statistical method for computing the likelihood of a substellar distribution function. By performing most of the integrals analytically, we achieve an enormous speedup over brute-force Monte Carlo. We use this method to place upper limits on the maximum semimajor axis of the distribution function derived from radialvelocity planets, finding model-dependent values of similar to 30-100 AU. Finally, we model the entire substellar sample, from massive brown dwarfs to a theoretically motivated cutoff at similar to 5 M-J, with a single power-law distribution. We find that p(M, a) alpha M-0.65 +/- 0.60 alpha(-0.85 +/- 0.39) (1 sigma errors) provides an adequate fit to our data, with 1.0%-3.1% (68% confidence) of stars hosting 5-70 M-J companions between 10 and 100 AU. This suggests that many of the directly imaged exoplanets known, including most (if not all) of the low-mass companions in our sample, formed by fragmentation in a cloud or disk, and represent the low-mass tail of the brown dwarfs.

We present the results from a 1.1-mm imaging survey of the SSA22 field, known for having an overdensity of z = 3.1 Lyman alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs), taken with the astronomical thermal emission camera (AzTEC) on the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE). We imaged a 950-arcmin(2) field down to a 1 sigma sensitivity of 0.7-1.3 mJy beam(-1) to find 125 submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) with a signal-to-noise ratio >= 3.5. Counterpart identification using radio and near/mid-infrared data was performed and one or more counterpart candidates were found for 59 SMGs. Photometric redshifts based on optical to near-infrared images were evaluated for 45 of these SMGs with Spitzer/IRAC data and the median value is found to be z = 2.4. By combining these estimations with estimates from the literature, we determined that 10 SMGs might lie within the large-scale structure at z = 3.1. The two-point angular cross-correlation function between LAEs and SMGs indicates that the positions of the SMGs are correlated with the z = 3.1 protocluster. These results suggest that the SMGs were formed and evolved selectively in the high dense environment of the high-redshift Universe. This picture is consistent with the predictions of the standard model of hierarchical structure formation.

The unprecedentedly bright optical afterglow of GRB 130606A located by Swift at a redshift close to the reionization era (z = 5.913) provides a new opportunity to probe the ionization status of the intergalactic medium (IGM). Here we present an analysis of the red Ly alpha damping wing of the afterglow spectrum taken by Subaru/FOCAS during 10.4-13.2 hr after the burst. We find that the minimal model including only the baseline power-law and HI absorption in the host galaxy does not give a good fit, leaving residuals showing concave curvature in 8400-8900 angstrom with an amplitude of about 0.6% of the flux. Such a curvature in the short wavelength range cannot be explained either by extinction at the host with standard extinction curves, intrinsic curvature of afterglow spectra, or by the known systematic uncertainties in the observed spectrum. The red damping wing by intervening HI gas outside the host can reduce the residual by about 3 sigma statistical significance. We find that a damped Ly alpha system is not favored as the origin of this intervening HI absorption, from the observed Ly beta and metal absorption features. Therefore absorption by diffuse IGM remains as a plausible explanation. A fit by a simple uniform IGM model requires an HI neutral fraction of f(HI) similar to 0.1-0.5 depending on the distance to the GRB host, implying high f(HI) IGM associated with the observed dark Gunn-Peterson (GP) troughs. This gives new evidence that the reionization is not yet complete at z = 6.

We present results from the first three years of observations of moving group (MG) targets in the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS) high-contrast imaging survey of exoplanets and disks using the Subaru telescope. We achieve typical contrasts of similar to 10(5) at 1 '' and similar to 10(6) beyond 2 '' around 63 proposed members of nearby kinematic MGs. We review each of the kinematic associations to which our targets belong, concluding that five, beta Pictoris (similar to 20 Myr), AB Doradus (similar to 100 Myr), Columba (similar to 30 Myr), Tucana-Horogium (similar to 30 Myr), and TW Hydrae (similar to 10 Myr), are sufficiently well-defined to constrain the ages of individual targets. Somewhat less than half of our targets are high-probability members of one of these MGs. For all of our targets, we combine proposed MG membership with other age indicators where available, including Ca II HK emission, X-ray activity, and rotation period, to produce a posterior probability distribution of age. SEEDS observations discovered a substellar companion to one of our targets,. And, a late B star. We do not detect any other substellar companions, but do find seven new close binary systems, of which one still needs to be confirmed. A detailed analysis of the statistics of this sample, and of the companion mass constraints given our age probability distributions and exoplanet cooling models, will be presented in a forthcoming paper.

To reveal the structures of a transition disk around a young stellar object in Lupus, Sz 91, we have performed aperture synthesis 345 GHz continuum and CO(3-2) observations with the Submillimeter Array (similar to 1"-3" resolution) and high-resolution imaging of polarized intensity at the K-s-band using the HiCIAO instrument on the Subaru Telescope (0".25 resolution). Our observations successfully resolved the inner and outer radii of the dust disk to be 65 and 170 AU, respectively, which indicates that Sz 91 is a transition disk source with one of the largest known inner holes. The model fitting analysis of the spectral energy distribution reveals an H-2 mass of 2.4 Chi 10(-3) M-circle dot in the cold (T < 30 K) outer part at 65 AU < r < 170 AU by assuming a canonical gas-to-dust mass ratio of 100, although a small amount (> 3 Chi 10(-9)M(circle dot)) of hot (T similar to 180 K) dust possibly remains inside the inner hole of the disk. The structure of the hot component could be interpreted as either an unresolved self-luminous companion body (not directly detected in our observations) or a narrow ring inside the inner hole. Significant CO(3-2) emission with a velocity gradient along the major axis of the dust disk is concentrated on the Sz 91 position, suggesting a rotating gas disk with a radius of 420 AU. The Sz 91 disk is possibly a rare disk in an evolutionary stage immediately after the formation of protoplanets because of the large inner hole and the lower disk mass than other transition disks studied thus far.

Context. We previously reported the direct detection of a low-mass companion at a projected separation of 55 +/- 2 AU around the B9-type star kappa Andromedae. The properties of the system (mass ratio, separation) make it a benchmark for understanding the formation and evolution of gas giant planets and brown dwarfs on wide orbits.Aims. We present new angular differential imaging (ADI) images of the system at 2.146 (K-s), 3.776 (L'), 4.052 (NB_4.05), and 4.78 mu m (M') obtained with Keck/NIRC2 and LBTI/LMIRCam, as well as more accurate near-infrared photometry of the star with the MIMIR instrument. We aim to determine the near-infrared spectral energy distribution of the companion and use it to characterize the object.Methods. We used analysis methods adapted to ADI to extract the companion flux. We compared the photometry of the object to reference young, and old objects and to a set of seven PHOENIX-based atmospheric models of cool objects accounting for the formation of dust. We used evolutionary models to derive mass estimates considering a wide range of plausible initial conditions. Finally, we used dedicated formation models to discuss the possible origin of the companion.Results. We derive a more accurate J = 15.86 +/- 0.21, H = 14.95 +/- 0.13, K-s = 14.32 +/- 0.09 mag for kappa And b. We detect the companion in all our high-contrast observations. We confirm previous contrasts obtained at K-s and L' band. We derive NB_4.05 = 13.0 +/- 0.2, and M' = 13.3 +/- 0.3 mag and estimate log(10)(L/L-circle dot) = -3.76 +/- 0.06. Atmospheric models yield T-eff = 1900(-200)(+100) K. They do not set any constraint on the surface gravity. "Hot-start" evolutionary models predict masses of 14(-2)(+25) M-Jup based on the luminosity and temperature estimates, and when considering a conservative age range for the system (30(-10)(+120) Myr), "warm-start" evolutionary tracks constrain the mass to M >= 10 M-Jup.Conclusions. The mass of kappa Andromedae b mostly falls in the brown-dwarf regime, owing to remaining uncertainties in age and in mass-luminosity models. According to the formation models, disk instability in a primordial disk may account for the position and a wide range of plausible masses of kappa And b.

We measure the angular clustering of 33 415 extremely red objects (EROs) in the Elais-N1 field covering 5.33 deg(2), which cover the redshift range z = 0.8 to 2. This sample was made by merging the UKIDSS Deep eXtragalactic Survey (DXS) with the optical Subaru and Pan-STARRS PS1 data sets. We confirm the existence of a clear break in the angular correlation function at similar to 0.02 degrees corresponding to 1 h(-1) Mpc at z similar to 1. We find that redder or brighter EROs are more clustered than bluer or fainter ones. Halo occupation distribution (HOD) model fits imply that the average mass of dark matter haloes which host EROs is over 10(13) h(-1) M-circle dot and that EROs have a bias ranging from 2.7 to 3.5. Compared to EROs at z similar to 1.1, at z similar to 1.5 EROs have a higher bias and fewer are expected to be satellite galaxies. Furthermore, EROs reside in similar dark matter haloes to those that host 10(11.0) M-circle dot < M-* < 10(11.5) M-circle dot galaxies. We compare our new measurement and HOD fits with the predictions of the GALFORM semi-analytical galaxy formation model. Overall, the clustering predicted by GALFORM gives an encouraging match to our results. However, compared to our deductions from the measurements, GALFORM puts EROs into lower mass haloes and predicts that a larger fraction of EROs are satellite galaxies. This suggests that the treatment of gas cooling may need to be revised in the model. Our analysis illustrates the potential of clustering analyses to provide observational constraints on theoretical models of galaxy formation.

WISH is a new space science mission concept whose primary goal is to study the first galaxies in the early universe. The primary science goal of the WISH mission is to push the high-redshift frontier beyond the epoch of reionization by utilizing its unique imaging and spectrocopic capabilities and the dedicated survey strategy. WISH will be a 1.5m telescope equipped with a 1000 arcmin(2) wide-field Near-IR camera to conduct unique ultra-deep and wide-area sky imaging surveys in the wavelength range 1 -5 mu m. A spectroscopic mode (Integral-Field Unit) in the same Near-IR range and with a field of view of 0.5 - 1 arcmin and a spectral resolution R = 1000 is also planned. The difference between WISH and EUCLID in terms of wavelength range explains why the former concentrates on the reionization period while the latter focuses on the universe at z < 3. WISH and JWST feature different instantaneous fields of view and are therefore also very complementary.

We study the properties of K-band-selected galaxies (K-AB < 24) in the z = 3.09 SSA22 protocluster field. 430 galaxies at 2.6 < z(phot) < 3.6 are selected as potential protocluster members in a 112 arcmin(2) area based on their photometric redshifts. We find that approximate to 20% of the massive galaxies with stellar masses >10(11) M-circle dot at z(phot) similar to 3.1 have colors consistent with those of quiescent galaxies with ages >0.5 Gyr. This fraction increases to approximate to 50% after correcting for unrelated foreground/background objects. We also find that 30% of the massive galaxies are heavily reddened, dusty, star-forming galaxies. Few such quiescent galaxies at similar redshifts are seen in typical survey fields. An excess surface density of 24 mu m sources at z(phot) similar to 3.1 is also observed, implying the presence of dusty star-formation activity in the protocluster. Cross-correlation with the X-ray data indicates that the fraction of K-band-selected protocluster galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is also high compared with the field. The sky distribution of the quiescent galaxies, the 24 mu m sources, and the X-ray AGNs show clustering around a density peak of z = 3.1 Ly alpha emitters. A significant fraction of the massive galaxies have already become quiescent, while dusty star-formation is still active in the SSA22 protocluster. These findings indicate that we are witnessing the formation epoch of massive early-type galaxies in the centers of the predecessors to present-day rich galaxy clusters.

Most exoplanets detected by direct imaging thus far have been characterized by relatively hot (greater than or similar to 1000 K) and cloudy atmospheres. A surprising feature in some of their atmospheres has been a distinct lack of methane, possibly implying non-equilibrium chemistry. Recently, we reported the discovery of a planetary companion to the Sun-like star GJ 504 using Subaru/HiCIAO within the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru survey. The planet is substantially colder (<600 K) than previously imaged planets, and has indications of fewer clouds, which implies that it represents a new class of planetary atmospheres with expected similarities to late T-type brown dwarfs in the same temperature range. If so, one might also expect the presence of significant methane absorption, which is characteristic of such objects. Here, we report the detection of deep methane absorption in the atmosphere of GJ 504 b, using the Spectral Differential Imaging mode of HiCIAO to distinguish the absorption features around 1.6 mu m. We also report updated JHK photometry based on new K-s-band data and a re-analysis of the existing data. The results support the notion that GJ 504 b has atmospheric properties distinct from other imaged exoplanets, and will become a useful reference object for future planets in the same temperature range.

Several exoplanets have recently been imaged at wide separations of > 10 AU from their parent stars. These span a limited range of ages (<50 Myr) and atmospheric properties, with temperatures of 800-1800 K and very red colors (J - H > 0.5 mag), implying thick cloud covers. Furthermore, substantial model uncertainties exist at these young ages due to the unknown initial conditions at formation, which can lead to an order of magnitude of uncertainty in the modeled planet mass. Here, we report the direct-imaging discovery of a Jovian exoplanet around the Sun-like star GJ 504, detected as part of the SEEDS survey. The system is older than all other known directly imaged planets; as a result, its estimated mass remains in the planetary regime independent of uncertainties related to choices of initial conditions in the exoplanet modeling. Using the most common exoplanet cooling model, and given the system age of 160(-60)(+350) Myr, GJ 504b has an estimated mass of 4(-1.0)(+4.5) Jupiter masses, among the lowest of directly imaged planets. Its projected separation of 43.5 AU exceeds the typical outer boundary of similar to 30 AU predicted for the core accretion mechanism. GJ 504b is also significantly cooler (510(-20)(+30) K) and has a bluer color (J - H = -0.23 mag) than previously imaged exoplanets, suggesting a largely cloud-free atmosphere accessible to spectroscopic characterization. Thus, it has the potential of providing novel insights into the origins of giant planets as well as their atmospheric properties.

Debris disks around young main-sequence stars often have gaps and cavities which for a long time have been interpreted as possibly being caused by planets. In recent years, several giant planet discoveries have been made in systems hosting disks of precisely this nature, further implying that interactions with planets could be a common cause of such disk structures. As part of the SEEDS high-contrast imaging survey, we are surveying a population of debris-disk-hosting stars with gaps and cavities implied by their spectral energy distributions, in order to attempt to spatially resolve the disk as well as to detect any planets that may be responsible for the disk structure. Here, we report on intermediate results from this survey. Five debris disks have been spatially resolved, and a number of faint point sources have been discovered, most of which have been tested for common proper motion, which in each case has excluded physical companionship with the target stars. From the detection limits of the 50 targets that have been observed, we find that beta Pic b-like planets (similar to 10 M-jup planets around G-A-type stars) near the gap edges are less frequent than 15%-30%, implying that if giant planets are the dominant cause of these wide (27 AU on average) gaps, they are generally less massive than beta Pic b.

We present near-infrared coronagraphic imaging polarimetry of RY Tau. The scattered light in the circumstellar environment was imaged at the H band at a high resolution (similar to 0 ''.05) for the first time, using Subaru/HiCIAO. The observed polarized intensity (PI) distribution shows a butterfly-like distribution of bright emission with an angular scale similar to the disk observed at millimeter wavelengths. This distribution is offset toward the blueshifted jet, indicating the presence of a geometrically thick disk or a remnant envelope, and therefore the earliest stage of the Class II evolutionary phase. We perform comparisons between the observed PI distribution and disk models with (1) full radiative transfer code, using the spectral energy distribution (SED) to constrain the disk parameters; and (2) monochromatic simulations of scattered light which explore a wide range of parameters space to constrain the disk and dust parameters. We show that these models cannot consistently explain the observed PI distribution, SED, and the viewing angle inferred by millimeter interferometry. We suggest that the scattered light in the near-infrared is associated with an optically thin and geometrically thick layer above the disk surface, with the surface responsible for the infrared SED. Half of the scattered light and thermal radiation in this layer illuminates the disk surface, and this process may significantly affect the thermal structure of the disk.

We carried out an imaging survey for extrasolar planets around stars in the Pleiades (125 Myr, 135 pc) in the H and K-S bands using HiCIAO combined with adaptive optics, AO188, on the Subaru telescope. We found 13 companion candidates fainter than 14.5 mag in the H band around 9 stars. Five of these 13 were confirmed to be background stars by measurement of their proper motion. One was not found in the second epoch observation, and thus was not a background or companion object. One had multi-epoch images, but the precision of its proper motion was not sufficient to conclude whether it was a background object. Four other candidates are waiting for second-epoch observations to determine their proper motion. Finally, the remaining two were confirmed to be 60 M-J brown dwarf companions orbiting around HD 23514 (G0) and HII 1348 (K5), respectively, as had been reported in previous studies. In our observations, the average detection limit for a point source was 20.3 mag in the H band beyond 1.'' 5 from the central star. On the basis of this detection limit, we calculated the detection efficiency to be 90% for a planet with 6 to 12 Jovian masses and a semi-major axis of 50-1000 AU. For this reason we extrapolated the distribution of the planet mass and the semi-major axis derived from radial velocity observations, and adopted the planet evolution model Baraffe et al. (2003, A&A, 402, 701). Since there was no detection of a planet, we estimated the frequency of such planets to be less than 17.9% (2 sigma) around one star of the Pleiades cluster.

The Spitzer Extended Deep Survey (SEDS) is a very deep infrared survey within five well-known extragalactic science fields: the UKIDSS Ultra-Deep Survey, the Extended Chandra Deep Field South, COSMOS, the Hubble Deep Field North, and the Extended Groth Strip. SEDS covers a total area of 1.46 deg(2) to a depth of 26 AB mag (3s) in both of the warm Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) bands at 3.6 and 4.5 mu m. Because of its uniform depth of coverage in so many widely-separated fields, SEDS is subject to roughly 25% smaller errors due to cosmic variance than a single-field survey of the same size. SEDS was designed to detect and characterize galaxies from intermediate to high redshifts (z = 2-7) with a built-in means of assessing the impact of cosmic variance on the individual fields. Because the full SEDS depth was accumulated in at least three separate visits to each field, typically with six- month intervals between visits, SEDS also furnishes an opportunity to assess the infrared variability of faint objects. This paper describes the SEDS survey design, processing, and publicly-available data products. Deep IRAC counts for the more than 300,000 galaxies detected by SEDS are consistent with models based on known galaxy populations. Discrete IRAC sources contribute 5.6 +/- 1.0 and 4.4 +/- 0.8 nW m(-2) sr(-1) at 3.6 and 4.5 mu m to the diffuse cosmic infrared background (CIB). IRAC sources cannot contribute more than half of the total CIB flux estimated from DIRBE data. Barring an unexpected error in the DIRBE flux estimates, half the CIB flux must therefore come from a diffuse component.

We present the first near infrared (NIR) spatially resolved images of the circumstellar transitional disk around SR21. These images were obtained with the Subaru HiCIAO camera, adaptive optics, and the polarized differential imaging technique. We resolve the disk in scattered light at H-band for stellocentric 0 ''.1 <= r <= 0 ''.6 (12 less than or similar to r less than or similar to 75 AU). We compare our results with previously published spatially resolved 880 mu m continuum Submillimeter Array images that show an inner r less than or similar to 36 AU cavity in SR21. Radiative transfer models reveal that the large disk depletion factor invoked to explain SR21's sub-mm cavity cannot be "universal" for all grain sizes. Even significantly more moderate depletions (delta = 0.1, 0.01 relative to an undepleted disk) than those that reproduce the sub-mm cavity (delta similar to 10(-6)) are inconsistent with our H-band images when they are assumed to carry over to small grains, suggesting that surface grains scattering in the NIR either survive or are generated by whatever mechanism is clearing the disk midplane. In fact, the radial polarized intensity profile of our H-band observations is smooth and steeply inwardly-increasing (r(-3)), with no evidence of a break at the 36 AU sub-mm cavity wall. We hypothesize that this profile is dominated by an optically thin disk envelope or atmosphere component. We also discuss the compatibility of our data with the previously postulated existence of a sub-stellar companion to SR21 at r similar to 10-20 AU, and find that we can neither exclude nor verify this scenario. This study demonstrates the power of multiwavelength imaging of transitional disks to inform modeling efforts, including the debate over precisely what physical mechanism is responsible for clearing these disks of their large midplane grains.

We describe Algorithms for Calibration, Optimized Registration, and Nulling the Star in Angular Differential Imaging (ACORNS-ADI), a new, parallelized software package to reduce high-contrast imaging data, and its application to data from the SEEDS survey. We implement several new algorithms, including a method to register saturated images, a trimmed mean for combining an image sequence that reduces noise by up to similar to 20%, and a robust and computationally fast method to compute the sensitivity of a high-contrast observation everywhere on the field of view without introducing artificial sources. We also include a description of image processing steps to remove electronic artifacts specific to Hawaii2-RG detectors like the one used for SEEDS, and a detailed analysis of the Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI) algorithm commonly used to reduce high-contrast imaging data. ACORNS-ADI is written in python. It is efficient and open-source, and includes several optional features which may improve performance on data from other instruments. ACORNS-ADI requires minimal modification to reduce data from instruments other than HiCIAO. It is freely available for download at www.github.com/t-brandt/acorns-adi under a Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) license.

We present the direct imaging discovery of an extrasolar planet, or possible low-mass brown dwarf, at a projected separation of 55 +/- 2 AU (1 ''.058 +/- 0 ''.007) from the B9-type star kappa And. The planet was detected with Subaru/HiCIAO during the SEEDS survey and confirmed as a bound companion via common proper motion measurements. Observed near-infrared magnitudes of J = 16.3 +/- 0.3, H = 15.2 +/- 0.2, K-s = 14.6 +/- 0.4, and L' = 13.12 +/- 0.09 indicate a temperature of similar to 1700 K. The galactic kinematics of the host star are consistent with membership in the Columba Association, implying a corresponding age of 30(-10)(+20) Myr. The system's age, combined with the companion photometry, points to a model-dependent companion mass similar to 12.8 M-Jup. The host star's estimated mass of 2.4-2.5 M-circle dot places it among the most massive stars ever known to harbor an extrasolar planet or low-mass brown dwarf. While the mass of the companion is close to the deuterium burning limit, its mass ratio, orbital separation, and likely planet-like formation scenario imply that it may be best defined as a "super-Jupiter" with properties similar to other recently discovered companions to massive stars.

We present Subaru/HiCIAO H-band high-contrast images of the debris disk around HIP 79977, whose presence was recently inferred from an infrared excess. Our images resolve the disk for the first time, allowing characterization of its shape, size, and dust grain properties. We use angular differential imaging (ADI) to reveal the disk geometry in unpolarized light out to a radius of similar to 2 '', as well as polarized differential imaging to measure the degree of scattering polarization out to similar to 1 ''.5. In order to strike a favorable balance between suppression of the stellar halo and conservation of disk flux, we explore the application of principal component analysis to both ADI and reference star subtraction. This allows accurate forward modeling of the effects of data reduction on simulated disk images, and thus direct comparison with the imaged disk. The resulting best-fit values and well-fitting intervals for the model parameters are a surface brightness power-law slope of S-out = -3.2[-3.6,-2.9], an inclination of i = 84 degrees[81 degrees, 86 degrees], a high Henyey-Greenstein forward-scattering parameter of g = 0.45[0.35, 0.60], and a nonsignificant disk-star offset of u = 3.0[-1.5, 7.5] AU = 24[-13, 61] mas along the line of nodes. Furthermore, the tangential linear polarization along the disk rises from similar to 10% at 0 ''.5 to similar to 45% at 1 ''.5. These measurements paint a consistent picture of a disk of dust grains produced by collisional cascades and blown out to larger radii by stellar radiation pressure.