Aims. The scope of this paper is twofold. First, it describes the simulation scenarios and the results of a large-scale, double-blind test campaign carried out to estimate the potential of Gaia for detecting and measuring planetary systems. The identified capabilities are then put in context by highlighting the unique contribution that the Gaia exoplanet discoveries will be able to bring to the science of extrasolar planets in the next decade. Methods. We use detailed simulations of the Gaia observations of synthetic planetary systems and develop and utilize independent software codes in double-blind mode to analyze the data, including statistical tools for planet detection and different algorithms for single and multiple Keplerian orbit fitting that use no a priori knowledge of the true orbital parameters of the systems. Results. 1) Planets with astrometric signatures α 3 times the assumed single-measurement error σ ψ and period P ≤ 5 yr can be detected reliably and consistently, with a very small number of false positives. 2) At twice the detection limit, uncertainties in orbital parameters and masses are typically 15−20%. 3) Over 70% of two-planet systems with well-separated periods in the range 0.2 ≤ P ≤ 9 yr, astrometric signal-to-noise ratio 2 ≤ α/σ ψ ≤ 50, and eccentricity e ≤ 0.6 are correctly identified. 4) Favorable orbital configurations (both planets with P ≤ 4 yr and α/σ ψ ≥ 10, redundancy over a factor of 2 in the number of observations) have orbital elements measured to better than 10% accuracy >90% of the time, and the value of the mutual inclination angle i rel determined with uncertainties ≤10• . 5) Finally, nominal uncertainties obtained from the fitting procedures are a good estimate of the actual errors in the orbit reconstruction. Extrapolating from the present-day statistical properties of the exoplanet sample, the results imply that a Gaia with σ ψ = 8 µas, in its unbiased and complete magnitude-limited census of planetary systems, will discover and measure several thousands of giant planets out to 3-4 AUs from stars within 200 pc, and will characterize hundreds of multiple-planet systems, including meaningful coplanarity tests. Finally, we put Gaia's planet discovery potential into context, identifying several areas of planetary-system science (statistical properties and correlations, comparisons with predictions from theoretical models of formation and evolution, interpretation of direct detections) in which Gaia can be expected, on the basis of our results, to have a relevant impact, when combined with data coming from other ongoing and future planet search programs.

Context. This paper is the last in a series devoted to the analysis of the binary content of the Hipparcos Catalogue. Aims. The comparison of the proper motions constructed from positions spanning a short (Hipparcos) or long time (Tycho-2) makes it possible to uncover binaries with periods of the order of or somewhat larger than the short time span (in this case, the 3 yr duration of the Hipparcos mission), since the unrecognised orbital motion will then add to the proper motion. Methods. A list of candidate proper motion binaries is constructed from a carefully designed χ 2 test evaluating the statistical significance of the difference between the Tycho-2 and Hipparcos proper motions for 103 134 stars in common between the two catalogues (excluding components of visual systems). Since similar lists of proper-motion binaries have already been constructed, the present paper focuses on the evaluation of the detection efficiency of proper-motion binaries, using different kinds of control data (mostly radial velocities). The detection rate for entries from the Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits (S B 9 ) is evaluated, as well as for stars like barium stars, which are known to be all binaries, and finally for spectroscopic binaries identified from radial velocity data in the Geneva-Copenhagen survey of F and G dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood. Results. Proper motion binaries are efficiently detected for systems with parallaxes in excess of ∼20 mas, and periods in the range 1000-30 000 d. The shortest periods in this range (1000-2000 d, i.e., once to twice the duration of the Hipparcos mission) may appear only as DMSA/G binaries (accelerated proper motion in the Hipparcos Double and Multiple System Annex). Proper motion binaries detected among S B 9 systems having periods shorter than about 400 d hint at triple systems, the proper-motion binary involving a component with a longer orbital period. A list of 19 candidate triple systems is provided. Binaries suspected of having low-mass (brown-dwarf-like) companions are listed as well. Among the 37 barium stars with parallaxes larger than 5 mas, only 7 exhibit no evidence for duplicity whatsoever (be it spectroscopic or astrometric). Finally, the fraction of proper-motion binaries shows no significant variation among the various (regular) spectral classes, when due account is taken for the detection biases.

Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data (IAD) have been used to derive astrometric orbital elements for spectroscopic binaries from the newly released Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits (S B 9 ). This endeavour is justified by the fact that (i) the astrometric orbital motion is often difficult to detect without the prior knowledge of the spectroscopic orbital elements, and (ii) such knowledge was not available at the time of the construction of the Hipparcos Catalogue for the spectroscopic binaries which were recently added to the S B 9 catalogue. Among the 1374 binaries from S B 9 which have an HIP entry (excluding binaries with visual companions, or DMSA/C in the Double and Multiple Stars Annex), 282 have detectable orbital astrometric motion (at the 5% significance level). Among those, only 70 have astrometric orbital elements that are reliably determined (according to specific statistical tests), and for the first time for 20 systems. This represents a 8.5% increase of the number of astrometric systems with known orbital elements (The Double and Multiple Systems Annex contains 235 of those DMSA/O systems). The detection of the astrometric orbital motion when the Hipparcos IAD are supplemented by the spectroscopic orbital elements is close to 100% for binaries with only one visible component, provided that the period is in the 50−1000 d range and the parallax is >5 mas. This result is an interesting testbed to guide the choice of algorithms and statistical tests to be used in the search for astrometric binaries during the forthcoming ESA Gaia mission. Finally, orbital inclinations provided by the present analysis have been used to derive several astrophysical quantities. For instance, 29 among the 70 systems with reliable astrometric orbital elements involve main sequence stars for which the companion mass could be derived. Some interesting conclusions may be drawn from this new set of stellar masses, like the enigmatic nature of the companion to the Hyades F dwarf HIP 20935. This system has a mass ratio of 0.98 but the companion remains elusive.

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Digital design tools and notably parametric ones have generated profound modifications of the architectural practice. In line with this evolution, technological and formal changes at the scale of architectural artifacts are underway, leading to a shift especially in regard of how architects deal on an everyday basis with CAD and morphological complexities. Big offices, thanks to their human and financial resources, have faced these difficulties and pushed the limits of their architectural projects. Little is known, however, about how smaller offices, accounting for the largest part of the European market, did adapt to these profound evolutions. Going through the results of a large-scale online survey, this paper analyzes the Belgian case regrouping mostly small and medium offices. The contribution discusses the meaning of parametric design for architects and reflects particularly on how architects do or do not implement these new digital tools in their everyday workflows. The results eventually shed light on the fact that parametric tools have the potential to free the creativity of SME’s and moreover unveil how these tools might overcome some of the current complexities of the daily architectural practice.