MAXIMIZING THE ExoEarth CANDIDATE YIELD FROM A FUTURE DIRECT IMAGING MISSION

Stark, Christopher C.; Roberge, Aki; Mandell, Avi M.; Robinson, Tyler D.

doi:10.1088/0004-637x/795/2/122

Cited by 166 publications

(218 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…10 Two other studies looked at DRMs based on telescopes larger than WFIRST, in anticipation of an even more capable generation of exoplanet-finding telescopes, which could follow WFIRST, and these are of interest for context. The first of these is a paper by Stark et al, 11 and the second is a paper by Brown. 12 Both papers provide DRM studies of parameterized telescopes, with diameters in the 8-to 16-m class, with idealized coronagraphs and exoplanet populations, but applied to real stars, using observing scenarios optimized to maximize the yield of planet detections.…”

Section: Comparison To Other Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science yield estimate with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope coronagraph

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Breckinridge

Greene

et al. 2016

J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst

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Abstract. The coronagraph instrument (CGI) on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope will directly image and spectrally characterize planets and circumstellar disks around nearby stars. Here we estimate the expected science yield of the CGI for known radial-velocity (RV) planets and potential circumstellar disks. The science return is estimated for three types of coronagraphs: the hybrid Lyot and shaped pupil are the currently planned designs, and the phase-induced amplitude apodizing complex mask coronagraph is the backup design. We compare the potential performance of each type for imaging as well as spectroscopy. We find that the RV targets can be imaged in sufficient numbers to produce substantial advances in the science of nearby exoplanets. To illustrate the potential for circumstellar disk detections, we estimate the brightness of zodiacal-type disks, which could be detected simultaneously during RV planet observations.

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Section: Comparison To Other Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science yield estimate with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope coronagraph

Traub

Breckinridge

Greene

et al. 2016

J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst

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“…As mentioned in Section A.2, we use a surface brightness of M z,V = 23 mag arcsec −2 for Solar System zodiacal light. For exozodiacal light, we assume one zodi (i.e., N ez = 1) with a surface brightness of M ez,V = 22 mag arcsec −2 , which is a factor of ∼2 larger than Solar System zodiacal surface brightness, as exozodiacal dust both above and below the midplane contribute (Stark et al 2014). …”

Section: Baseline Parameters and Input Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing Rocky and Gaseous Exoplanets with 2 m Class Space-based Coronagraphs

Robinson

Stapelfeldt

Marley

2016

PASP

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Several concepts now exist for small, space-based missions to directly characterize exoplanets in reflected light. While studies have been performed that investigate the potential detection yields of such missions, little work has been done to understand how instrumental and astrophysical parameters will affect the ability of these missions to obtain spectra that are useful for characterizing their planetary targets. Here, we develop an instrument noise model suitable for studying the spectral characterization potential of a coronagraph-equipped, space-based telescope. We adopt a baseline set of telescope and instrument parameters appropriate for near-future planned missions like WFIRST-AFTA, including a 2 m diameter primary aperture, an operational wavelength range of 0.4-1.0 µm, and an instrument spectral resolution of λ/∆λ = 70, and apply our baseline model to a variety of spectral models of different planet types, including Earth twins, Jupiter twins, and warm and cool Jupiters and Neptunes. With -2 -our exoplanet spectral models, we explore wavelength-dependent planet-star flux ratios for main sequence stars of various effective temperatures, and discuss how coronagraph inner and outer working angle constraints will influence the potential to study different types of planets. For planets most favorable to spectroscopic characterization-cool Jupiters and Neptunes as well as nearby super-Earthswe study the integration times required to achieve moderate signal-to-noise ratio spectra. We also explore the sensitivity of the integration times required to either detect the bottom or presence of key absorption bands (for methane, water vapor, and molecular oxygen) to coronagraph raw contrast performance, exozodiacal light levels, and the distance to the planetary system. Decreasing detector quantum efficiency at longer visible wavelengths makes the detection of water vapor in the atmospheres of Earth-like planets extremely challenging, and also hinders detections of the 0.89 µm methane band. Additionally, most modeled observations have noise dominated by dark current, indicating that improving CCD performance could substantially drive down requisite integration times. Finally, we briefly discuss the extension of our models to a more distant future Large UV-Optical-InfraRed (LUVOIR) mission.

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“…Given an mission lifetime and a survey strategy (which include a fraction of the time for follow up observations), the former can be quantified using the methods described in the literature. 6,43,44 Note that the latter is somewhat more qualitative since it depends on how much of the followup/characterization time is dedicated to a given system. Because detection will be carried out in the Optical channel, nearby stars will be observed using the APLC since these sources will not suffer from the relatively large IW A DH and benefit from the robustness to stellar angular size.…”

Section: Impact On Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

The LUVOIR architecture ``A'' coronagraph instrument

Pueyo

Zimmerman

Bolcar

et al. 2017

UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes and Instruments: Innovative Technologies and Concepts VIII

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In preparation for the Astro 2020 Decadal Survey NASA has commissioned the study four flagship missions spanning to a wide range of observable wavelengths: the Origins Space Telescope (OST, formerly the Far-Infrared Surveyor), Lynx (formerly the X-ray Surveyor), the Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) and the Habitable Exoplanet Imager (HabEx). One of the key scientific objectives of the latter two is the detection and characterization of the earth-like planets around nearby stars using the direct imaging technique (along with a broad range of investigations regarding the architecture of and atmospheric composition exoplanetary systems using this technique). As a consequence dedicated exoplanet instruments are being studied for these mission concepts. This paper discusses the design of the coronagraph instrument for the architecture "A" (15 meters aperture) of LUVOIR. The material presented in this paper is aimed at providing an overview of the LUVOIR coronagraph instrument. It is the result of four months of discussions with various community stakeholders (scientists and technologists) regarding the instrument's basic parameters followed by meticulous design work by the the GSFC Instrument Design Laboratory team. In the first section we review the main science drivers, presents the overall parameters of the instrument (general architecture and backend instrument) and delve into the details of the currently envisioned coronagraph masks along with a description of the wavefront control architecture. Throughout the manuscript we describe the trades we made during the design process. Because the vocation of this study is to provide a baseline design for the most ambitious earth-like finding instrument that could be possibly launched into the 2030's, we have designed an complex system privileged that meets the ambitious science goals out team was chartered by the LUVOIR STDT exoplanet Working Group. However in an effort to minimize technological risk we tried to maximize the number of technologies that will be matured by the WFIRST coronagraph instruments.

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MAXIMIZING THE ExoEarth CANDIDATE YIELD FROM A FUTURE DIRECT IMAGING MISSION

Cited by 166 publications

References 29 publications

Science yield estimate with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope coronagraph

Science yield estimate with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope coronagraph

Characterizing Rocky and Gaseous Exoplanets with 2 m Class Space-based Coronagraphs

The LUVOIR architecture ``A'' coronagraph instrument

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