Detection limits for close eclipsing and transiting sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in the WASP survey

Understand

We have performed extensive simulations to explore the possibility of detecting eclipses and transits of close, sub-stellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in WASP light-curves.

• Our simulations cover companions $\sim0.3\Re<{\rm R}_{pl}<12\Re$ and orbital periods $2{\rm h}<P<15{\rm d}$, equivalent to orbital radii $0.003{\rm AU} < a < 0.1{\rm AU}$.
• For Gaussian random noise WASP is sensitive to transits by companions as small as the Moon orbiting a $\textrm{V}\simeq$12 white dwarf.
• For fainter white dwarfs WASP is sensitive to increasingly larger radius bodies.