J/A+A/713/A252ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/713/A252CDSBalsalobre-Ruza O.Christiaens V.Huelamo N.Hammond I.Benisty M.,Lacour S.Blakely D.van Holstein R.G.Latour J.Lillo-Box J.,Wahhaj Z.Trevascus D.Absil O.Bae J.Charalambous C.,de Gregorio-Monsalvo I.Leleu A.Mendigutia I.Petrovich C.Ribas A.,Juillard S.2026-09-22T09:42:47Z2026-09-22T10:41:09ZCDS support team

CDS, Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l'Universite, F-67000 Strasbourg, France

cds-question@unistra.frmultiple-starsexoplanetsinfrared-astronomyspectroscopyThe wide cavity in the PDS 70 protoplanetary disk harbors two directly imaged confirmed protoplanets. Several studies have proposed the existence of a third inner planet candidate at ~13au, labeled PDS 70 d. While its motion is consistent with a Keplerian orbit, its unusually blue spectrum challenges a planetary interpretation. We investigated the presence and nature of a third inner planet using new SPHERE and GRAVITY observations. Using the star-hopping strategy, we obtained new coronagraphic SPHERE/IRDIS observations of PDS 70 in dual-polarization imag- ing mode in the H-band, as well as non-coronagraphic observations with SPHERE/IRDIFS covering the Y JHK-bands. We also searched for a planetary-like signal using GRAVITY+ in astrometric mode with the four-unit-telescope configuration. We consistently detect two inner emission features with SPHERE: one corresponding to the previously proposed planet candidate at ~13au, and another that appears to share the same orbit while leading it by ~120deg (clockwise direction) with a more elongated morphology. Both features exhibit dust-scattered light spectra while displaying different colors, which may indicate differences in dust grain sizes. We show that such configuration is consistent with co-orbital dust accumulated at the stable Lagrangian regions of a yet undetected planet, distinct from the previously proposed candidate. The analysis of GRAVITY data at the predicted position of this newly proposed planet has resulted in a marginal (3sigma) detection located between the two clumps along the same orbit (rho=76.2+/-0.29mas, PA=226.50+/-0.21deg), and consistent with a ~3M_{Jup}_ planet. This planet-like signal is aligned with a narrow shadow detected in the outer disk with SPHERE. Additionally, we detect with SPHERE some polarized emission very close to the star likely arising from the inner disk, from which we roughly estimate an inclination of 50deg and a PA of ~135deg . The fact that the two dust clumps appear embedded within this polarized emission motivates an inner disk-related alternative scenario. We conclude that the emission from the previously reported third planet candidate could arise either from a dust clump trailing a yet undetected planet along the same orbit, or from a rotating substructure within the inner disk. Additional observations are required to further test these two proposed scenarios. In particular, confirming the new GRAVITY planet-like signal would support the use of co-orbital substructures as indirect tracers of embedded planets.2026A&A...713A.252Bhttps://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/713/A252CatalogResearchIsServedByTAP VizieR generic serviceIsServedByConesearch servicerelated-toJ/A+A/689/A65 : ALMA line emission obs. of PDS 70 disk (Rampinelli+, 2024)J/A+A/691/A148 : PDS 70 disk reduced JWST/MIRI MRS spectrum (Jang+, 2024)https://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.htmlhttps://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/713/A252https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/713/A252http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/713/A252https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/713/A252https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/713/A252http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/713/A252GETtext/xml+votablehttps://tapvizier.cds.unistra.fr/TAPVizieR/tapCone search capability for table J/A+A/713/A252/tableh4 (Astrometry and photometry of all detected sources)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh4?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh4?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh4?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true165.0000428-41.39797140.005555555555555556Cone search capability for table J/A+A/713/A252/tableh5 (Channel-by-channel astrometry and photometry of N and S)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh5?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh5?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/713/A252/tableh5?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true164.9999733-41.39793440.0055555555555555566/38297https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/moc/J/A+A/713/A252?format=asciiInfrareddefaultJ/A+A/713/A252/tableh4Astrometry and photometry of all detected sourcesrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintDateObservation datetime.epoch;obsnullableBandSPHERE observing bandinstr.bandpasscharObjectSource identifier (b, c, N, or S)meta.id;meta.maincharoRARelative right ascension offset (G1)maspos.eq.ra;arith.diffdoublee_oRAUncertainty in oRAmasstat.errordoubleoDERelative declination offset (G1)maspos.eq.dec;arith.diffdoublee_oDEUncertainty in oDEmasstat.errordoublerAngular separation from the starmaspos.angDistancedoublee_rUncertainty in rmasstat.errordoublePAPosition angledegpos.posAngdoublee_PAUncertainty in PAdegstat.errordoubleContrast? Contrast relative to the host starmagphot.flux;arith.ratiodoublenullablee_Contrast? Uncertainty in Contrastmagstat.errordoublenullableFlux? Flux density in BandW.m**-2.um**-1phot.flux.density;em.IRdoublenullablee_Flux? Uncertainty in FluxW.m**-2.um**-1stat.error;phot.fluxdoublenullableFoM/npcFigure of merit / number of principal componentsstat.fit.paramchar_RAComputed Right Ascension for Equinox: J2000degpos.eq.ra;meta.main_DEComputed Declination for Equinox: J2000degpos.eq.dec;meta.mainJ/A+A/713/A252/tableh5Channel-by-channel astrometry and photometry of N and SrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintlambdaEffective wavelengthumem.wl.effectivedoubleObjectDust clump identifier (N or S)meta.id;meta.maincharoRARelative right ascension offset (G1)maspos.eq.ra;arith.diffdoublee_oRAUncertainty in oRAmasstat.errordoubleoDERelative declination offset (G1)maspos.eq.dec;arith.diffdoublee_oDEUncertainty in oDEmasstat.errordoublerAngular separation from the starmaspos.angDistancedoublee_rUncertainty in rmasstat.errordoublePAPosition angledegpos.posAngdoublee_PAUncertainty in PAdegstat.errordoubleContrastContrast relative to the host starmagphot.flux;arith.ratiodoublee_ContrastUncertainty in Contrastmagstat.errordoubleFluxFlux density at lambdaW.m**-2.um**-1phot.flux.density;em.IRdoublee_FluxUncertainty in FWM2umW.m**-2.um**-1stat.error;phot.fluxdouble_RAComputed Right Ascension for Equinox: J2000degpos.eq.ra;meta.main_DEComputed Declination for Equinox: J2000degpos.eq.dec;meta.main