Science with the Space Interferometry Mission
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SIM Space Interferometry Mission astrometric detec↗
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Results for “extrasolar planet detection”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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The astronomical detection of biosignatures on extrasolar terrestrial planets: the Virtual Planetary Laboratory
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astrobiology extrasolar planets remote sensing↗
The astronomical detection of biosignatures on extrasolar terrestrial planets: the Virtual Planetary Laboratory
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astrobiology extrasolar planets remote sensing↗
Final laboratory integration and test of the Keck Interferometer nuller
Mid-infrared nulling is a key observing mode planned for the NASA-funded Keck Interferometer at the Keck Observatory on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
extrasolar planet detection↗
Recent progress of visible light nulling interferometry and first 1 million null result
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nulling↗
Effects of diffraction and static wavefront errors on high-contrast imaging from the Thirty Meter Telescope
High-contrast imaging, particularly direct detection of extrasolar planets, is a major science driver for the next generation of extremely large telescopes such as the segmented Thirty Meter Telescope. This goal requires more than merely diffraction-limited imaging, but also attention to residual scattered light from wavefront errors and diffraction effects at the contrast level of 10-8-10-9. Using a wave-optics simulation of adaptive optics and a diffraction suppression system we investigate diffraction from the segmentation geometry, intersegment gaps, obscuration by the secondary mirror and its supports. We find that the large obscurations pose a greater challenge than the much smaller segment gaps. In addition the impact of wavefront errors from the primary mirror, including segment alignment and figure errors, are analyzed. Segment-to-segment reflectivity variations and residual segment figure error will be the dominant error contributors from the primary mirror. Strategies to mitigate these errors are discussed.
segmented mirrors↗
Exploring a Nearby Habitable World...Orbiting an M-Dwarf Star
Topics include: the landscape of extrasolar planets and detection techniques, direct and indirect detection methods, summary of the known exoplanets, exploiting transits to characterize super earth atmospheres, how to characterize exoplanet atmospheres, and emitted or reflected spectra of hot Jupiters.
Deming, Drake↗
Proceedings of Protostars and Planets V
Oral presentation sessions in this conference include: Clouds and cores; Star formation and protostars; Binaries and multiples; Newborn massive stars; jets and outflows; Clusters and associations; T Tauri stars and disks; Brown dwarfs; Planet formation and evolution; Extrasolar planets; Dust and protoplanetary disks; Early solar system and Astrobiology. Poster presentations included: Clouds and Cores. Collapse and Protostars, Binaries and Multiples, Clusters, Associations, and the IMF, Jets and Outflows, T Tauri Stars and Other Young Stars, Disks and Disk Accretion, Brown Dwarfs, Herbig Ae/Be Stars and Massive Stars, Solar System Objects, Planet Formation, Extrasolar Planets and Planet Detection, Properties of Protoplanetary Disks, Migration and Planetary Orbits and Meteoritics and Astrobiology
Source record↗
An Efficient End-To-End Model for the Kepler Photometer
The Kepler Mission is designed to characterize the frequency of Earth-sized planets in the habitable zones of solar-like stars in the solar galactic neighborhood by observing >100,000 main-sequence stars in a >100 square degree field of view (FOV) and seeking evidence of transiting planets. As part of the system engineering effort, we have developed an End-To-End Model (ETEM) of the photometer to better characterize the expected performance of the instrument and to guide us in making design trades. This model incorporates engineering information such as the point spread function, time histories of pointing offsets, operating temperature, quantization noise, the effects of shutterless readout, and read noise. Astrophysical parameters, such as a realistic distribution of stars vs. magnitude for the chosen FOV, zodiacal light, and cosmic ray events are also included. For a given set of design and operating parameters, ETEM generates pixel time series for all pixels of interest for a single CCD channel of the photometer. These time series are then processed to form light curves for the target stars and the impact of various noise sources on the combined differential photometric precision can be determined. This model is of particular value when investigating the effects of noise sources that cannot be easily subjected to direct analysis, such as residual pointing offsets, thermal drift or cosmic ray effects. This version of ETEM features extremely efficient computation times relative to the previous version while maintaining a high degree of fidelity with respect to the realism of the relevant phenomena.
performance modeling↗
The Space Interferometry Mission
In this paper we outline the design of the SIM Instrument, and how it will be used in the search for extrasolar planets. We also briefly describe some selected topics from the SIM astrometric science program.
interferometry↗
The Blue Dot Workshop: Spectroscopic Search for Life on Extrasolar Planets
This workshop explored the key questions and challenges associated with detecting life on an extrasolar planet. The final product will be a NASA Conference Publication which includes the abstracts from 21 talks, summaries of key findings, and recommendations for future research. The workshop included sessions on three related topics: the biogeochemistry of biogenic gases in the atmosphere, the chemistry and spectroscopy of planetary atmospheres, and the remote sensing of planetary atmospheres and surfaces. With the observation that planetary formation is probably a common phenomenon, together with the advent of the technical capability to locate and describe extrasolar planets, this research area indeed has an exciting future.
Des Marais, David J.↗
Antarctic Planet Interferometer
The Antarctic Planet Interferometer (API) is a concept designed to detect and characterize extrasolar planets by exploiting the unique potential of the best accessible site on Earth for thermal infrared interferometry.
interferometer↗
Remote sensing of planetary properties and biosignatures on extrasolar terrestrial planets
The major goals of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and the European Space Agency's Darwin missions are to detect terrestrial-sized extrasolar planets directly and to seek spectroscopic evidence of habitable conditions and life. Here we recommend wavelength ranges and spectral features for these missions. We assess known spectroscopic molecular band features of Earth, Venus, and Mars in the context of putative extrasolar analogs. The preferred wavelength ranges are 7-25 microns in the mid-IR and 0.5 to approximately 1.1 microns in the visible to near-IR. Detection of O2 or its photolytic product O3 merits highest priority. Liquid H2O is not a bioindicator, but it is considered essential to life. Substantial CO2 indicates an atmosphere and oxidation state typical of a terrestrial planet. Abundant CH4 might require a biological source, yet abundant CH4 also can arise from a crust and upper mantle more reduced than that of Earth. The range of characteristics of extrasolar rocky planets might far exceed that of the Solar System. Planetary size and mass are very important indicators of habitability and can be estimated in the mid-IR and potentially also in the visible to near-IR. Additional spectroscopic features merit study, for example, features created by other biosignature compounds in the atmosphere or on the surface and features due to Rayleigh scattering. In summary, we find that both the mid-IR and the visible to near-IR wavelength ranges offer valuable information regarding biosignatures and planetary properties; therefore both merit serious scientific consideration for TPF and Darwin.
Planets↗
Spectra and Biomarkers of Extrasolar Planets
During this period, and focussing on ow work at SAO only, we have produced significant results in five areas: coronagraphs, color, Earthshine, near infrared, and meetings. We developed the theory of a new type of coronograph for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets. We wrote two papers, the first laying out the one-dimensional theory, and the second developing the two-dimensional theory, plus additional results. We gained new insights into the role that simple color measurements can play in characterizing extrasolar planets.
Traub, Wesley A.↗
The Antarctic Planet Interferometer and the potential for interferometric observations of extrasolar planets from Dome C Antarctica
We present a concept for the Antarctic Planet Interferometer (API) and discuss the improvements in interferometric detection and characterization of extrasolar planets by exploiting the unique potential of the best accessbile site on Earth for thermal infrared interferometry.
interferometry extrasolar planets↗
Photometric Observations of 6000 Stars in the Cygnus Field
A small photometer to detect transits by extrasolar planets has been assembled and is being tested at Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton, California. The Vulcan photometer is constructed from a 30 cm focal length, F/2.5 AeroEktar reconnaissance lens and Photometrics PXL16800 CCD camera. A spectral filter is used to confine the pass band from 480 to 763 mn. It simultaneously monitors 6000 stars brighter than 12th magnitude within a single star field in the galactic plane. When the data are folded and phased to discover low amplitude transits, the relative precision of one-hour samples is about 1 part per thousand (10 x l0(exp -3)) for many of the brighter stars. This precision is sufficient to find jovian-size planets orbiting solar-like stars, which have signal amplitudes from 5 to 30 x l0(exp -3) depending on the inflation of the planet and the size of the star. Based on the frequency of giant inner-planets discovered by Doppler-velocity method, one or two planets should be detectable in a rich star field. The goal of the observations is to obtain the sizes of giant extrasolar planets in short-period orbits and to combine these with masses determined from Doppler velocity measurements to determine the densities of these planets. A further goal is to compare the measured planetary diameters with those predicted from theoretical models. From August 10 through September 30 of 1998, a forty nine square degree field in the Cygnus constellation centered at RA and DEC of 19 hr 47 min, +36 deg 55 min was observed. Useful data were obtained on twenty-nine nights. Nearly fifty stars showed some evidence of transits with periods between 0.3 and 8 days. Most had amplitudes too large to be associated with planetary transits. However, several stars showed low amplitude transits. The data for several transits of each of these two stars have been folded and been folded into 30 minute periods. Only Cygl433 shows any evidence of a flattened bottom that is expected when a small object transits a much larger primary. However when high-resolution spectra were obtained for both stars, the stars were found to be double-lined binaries so similar in size as to have indistinguishable transit depths. The low amplitude of the transits is explained if the stellar orbital planes are tipped approximately 5 degrees from the line of sight causing both binaries to show grazing transits. The two absorption lines, due to the H(sub beta) feature in each star, are apparent and indicate the presence of a binary system with similar components.
Borucki, W.↗
Formation and Detection of Planetary Systems
Modern theories of star and planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss possible characteristics of undiscovered planetary systems. The most detailed models of planetary growth are based upon observations of planets and smaller bodies within our own Solar System and of young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth as do terrestrial planets, but they become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed, and the methods that are being used and planned for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets are reviewed.
Lissauer, Jack J.↗
Planet Formation
Modern theories of star and planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss possible characteristics of undiscovered planetary systems. The most detailed models of planetary growth are based upon observations of planets and smaller bodies within our own Solar System and of young stars and their environments. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets begin their growth as do terrestrial planets, but they become massive enough that they are able to accumulate substantial amounts of gas before the protoplanetary disk dissipates. These models predict that rocky planets should form in orbit about most single stars. It is uncertain whether or not gas giant planet formation is common, because most protoplanetary disks may dissipate before solid planetary cores can grow large enough to gravitationally trap substantial quantities of gas. A potential hazard to planetary systems is radial decay of planetary orbits resulting from interactions with material within the disk. Planets more massive than Earth have the potential to decay the fastest, and may be able to sweep up smaller planets in their path. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed, and the methods that are being used and planned for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets are reviewed.
Lissauer, Jack J.↗