Interferometric Space Missions for Exoplanet Science: Legacy of Darwin/TPF
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Michael Garcia Hubble Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC)
Hubble Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC) April 16, 2015 Michael Garcia HST Program Scientist [email protected] 1 Hubble Sees Supernova Split into Four Images by Cosmic Lens 2 NASA’s Hubble Observations suggest Underground Ocean on Jupiter’s Largest Moon Ganymede file:///Users/ file:///Users/ mrgarci2/Desktop/mrgarci2/Desktop/ hs-2015-09-a-hs-2015-09-a- web.jpg web.jpg 3 NASA’s Hubble detects Distortion of Circumstellar Disk by a Planet 4 The Exoplanet Travel Bureau 5 TESS Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite CURRENT STATUS: • Downselected April 2013. • Major partners: - PI and science lead: MIT - Project management: NASA GSFC - Instrument: Lincoln Laboratory - Spacecraft: Orbital Science Corp • Agency launch readiness date NLT June 2018 (working launch date August 2017). • High-Earth elliptical orbit (17 x 58.7 Earth radii). Standard Explorer (EX) Mission PI: G. Ricker (MIT) • Development progressing on plan. Mission: All-Sky photometric exoplanet - Systems Requirement Review (SRR) mapping mission. successfully completed on February Science goal: Search for transiting 12-13, 2014. exoplanets around the nearby, bright stars. Instruments: Four wide field of view (24x24 - Preliminary Design Review (PDR) degrees) CCD cameras with overlapping successfully completed Sept 9-12, 2014. field of view operating in the Visible-IR - Confirmation Review, for approval to enter spectrum (0.6-1 micron). implementation phase, successfully Operations: 3-year science mission after completed October 31, 2014. launch. - Mission CDR on track for August 2015 6 JWST Hardware Progress JWST remains on track for an October 2018 launch within its replan budget guidelines 7 WFIRST / AFTA Widefield Infrared Survey Telescope with Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets Coronagraph Technology Milestones Widefield Detector Technology Milestones 1 Shaped Pupil mask fabricated with reflectivity of 7/21/14 1 Produce, test, and analyze 2 candidate 7/31/14 -4 10 and 20 µm pixel size. -
Technology Development for Future Sparse Aperture Telescopes and Interferometers in Space
A Technology Whitepaper submitted to the 2010 Decadal Survey Technology Development for Future Sparse Aperture Telescopes and Interferometers in Space 24 March 2009 NASA Centers: GSFC: Kenneth G. Carpenter, Keith Gendreau, Jesse Leitner, Richard Lyon, Eric Stoneking MSFC: H. Philip Stahl Industrial Partners: Aurora Flight Systems: Joe Parrish LMATC: Carolus J. Schrijver, Robert Woodruff NGST – Amy Lo, Chuck Lillie Seabrook Engineering: David Mozurkewich University/Astronomical Institute Partners: College de France: Antoine Labeyrie MIT: David Miller NOAO: Ken Mighell SAO: Margarita Karovska, James Phillips STScI: Ronald J. Allen UCO/Boulder: Webster Cash Abstract We describe the major technology development efforts that need to occur throughout the 2010 decade in order to enable a wide variety of sparse aperture and interferometric missions in the following decade. These missions are critical to achieving the next major revolution in astronomical observations by dramatically increasing the achievable angular resolution by more than 2 orders of magnitude, over wavelengths stretching from the x-ray and ultraviolet into the infrared and sub-mm. These observations can only be provided by long-baseline interferometers or sparse aperture telescopes in space, since the aperture diameters required are in excess of 500m - a regime in which monolithic or segmented designs are not and will not be feasible - and since they require observations at wavelengths not accessible from the ground. The technology developments needed for these missions are challenging, but eminently feasible with a reasonable investment over the next decade to enable flight in the 2025+ timeframe. That investment would enable tremendous gains in our understanding of the structure of the Universe and of its individual components in ways both anticipated and unimaginable today. -
Report by the ESA–ESO Working Group on Extra-Solar Planets
Report by the ESA–ESO Working Group on Extra-Solar Planets 4 March 2005 Summary Various techniques are being used to search for extra-solar planetary signatures, including accurate measurement of radial velocity and positional (astrometric) dis- placements, gravitational microlensing, and photometric transits. Planned space experiments promise a considerable increase in the detections and statistical know- ledge arising especially from transit and astrometric measurements over the years 2005–15, with some hundreds of terrestrial-type planets expected from transit mea- surements, and many thousands of Jupiter-mass planets expected from astrometric measurements. Beyond 2015, very ambitious space (Darwin/TPF) and ground (OWL) experiments are targeting direct detection of nearby Earth-mass planets in the habitable zone and the measurement of their spectral characteristics. Beyond these, ‘Life Finder’ (aiming to produce confirmatory evidence of the presence of life) and ‘Earth Imager’ (some massive interferometric array providing resolved images of a distant Earth) arXiv:astro-ph/0506163v1 8 Jun 2005 appear as distant visions. This report, to ESA and ESO, summarises the direction of exo-planet research that can be expected over the next 10 years or so, identifies the roles of the major facilities of the two organisations in the field, and concludes with some recommendations which may assist development of the field. The report has been compiled by the Working Group members and experts (page iii) over the period June–December 2004. Introduction & Background Following an agreement to cooperate on science planning issues, the executives of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) Science Programme and representatives of their science advisory structures have met to share information and to identify potential synergies within their future projects. -
Exoplanet Community Report
JPL Publication 09‐3 Exoplanet Community Report Edited by: P. R. Lawson, W. A. Traub and S. C. Unwin National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California March 2009 The work described in this publication was performed at a number of organizations, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Publication was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Compiling and publication support was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement by the United States Government, or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. © 2009. All rights reserved. The exoplanet community’s top priority is that a line of probeclass missions for exoplanets be established, leading to a flagship mission at the earliest opportunity. iii Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................................1 1.2 EXOPLANET FORUM 2008: THE PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BEGINS.....................................................2 -
Stsci Newsletter: 2011 Volume 028 Issue 02
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Interacting Galaxies UGC 1810 and UGC 1813 Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) 2011 VOL 28 ISSUE 02 NEWSLETTER Space Telescope Science Institute We received a total of 1,007 proposals, after accounting for duplications Hubble Cycle 19 and withdrawals. Review process Proposal Selection Members of the international astronomical community review Hubble propos- als. Grouped in panels organized by science category, each panel has one or more “mirror” panels to enable transfer of proposals in order to avoid conflicts. In Cycle 19, the panels were divided into the categories of Planets, Stars, Stellar Rachel Somerville, [email protected], Claus Leitherer, [email protected], & Brett Populations and Interstellar Medium (ISM), Galaxies, Active Galactic Nuclei and Blacker, [email protected] the Inter-Galactic Medium (AGN/IGM), and Cosmology, for a total of 14 panels. One of these panels reviewed Regular Guest Observer, Archival, Theory, and Chronology SNAP proposals. The panel chairs also serve as members of the Time Allocation Committee hen the Cycle 19 Call for Proposals was released in December 2010, (TAC), which reviews Large and Archival Legacy proposals. In addition, there Hubble had already seen a full cycle of operation with the newly are three at-large TAC members, whose broad expertise allows them to review installed and repaired instruments calibrated and characterized. W proposals as needed, and to advise panels if the panelists feel they do not have The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), the expertise to review a certain proposal. Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS), Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), and The process of selecting the panelists begins with the selection of the TAC Chair, Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) were all close to nominal operation and were avail- about six months prior to the proposal deadline. -
Spectral Analysis of Atmospheres by Nulling Interferometry
Molecules in the Atmospheres of Extrasolar Planets ASP Conference Series, Vol. 450 J-P. Beaulieu, S. Dieters, and G. Tinetti, eds. c 2011 Astronomical Society of the Pacific Spectral Analysis of Atmospheres by Nulling Interferometry M. Ollivier and S. Jacquinod Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale - Université de Paris-Sud 11 and CNRS (UMR 8617) Abstract. Nulling interferometry has often been considered as one of the most promising techniques to get spectra, in the thermal infrared spectral range, of exo- planet and particularly telluric ones. The required performance, in terms of nulling depth, spectral bandwidth and stability begins to be achievable in the laboratory. How- ever, concrete observatory projects have strong difficulties to emerge in space agencies programs, because of mission requirements complexity. In this paper, I present the per- formance various scientific objectives need and the state of the art of this technique, including mission aspects. I finally propose elements that could help defining a first space mission project. 1. Nulling Interferometry : Theoretical Aspects 1.1. Principle of Nulling Interferometry Nulling interferometry has been proposed in the late 70s as a possible technique to detect and spectroscopically characterize planets around nearby stars at wavelengths where diffraction prevents from the use of single aperture telescopes (Bracewell 1978). The principle of nulling interferometry in a 2-telescope configuration is described in figure 1 (left). The idea is to use two small telescopes, pointed in the direction of the star and to combine their beams. On the beam combiner the wavefronts from both star and planet create interferences. If we introduce a π phase-shift in one arm of the inter- ferometer, the stellar interference is destructive (the optical path difference is equal to zero). -
OLLI Talk on Exoplanets
OLLI SC211 SPACE EXPLORATION: THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH April 13, 2017 Michal Peri NASA Solar System Ambassador Exoplanet2 Detection • Methods • Missions • Discoveries • Resources Image: C. Pulliam & D. Aguilar/CfA A long history … in our imaginations 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno#/media/File:Relief_Bruno_Campo_dei_Fiori_n1.jpg Giordano Bruno in his De l'infinito universo et mondi (1584) suggested that "stars are other suns with their own planets” that “have no less virtue nor a nature different to that of our earth" and, like Earth, "contain animals and inhabitants.” For this heresy, he was burned by the inquisition. 3 https://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7148 5 Detection Methods Radial Velocity 619 planets Gravitational Microlensing 44 planets Direct Imaging 44 planets Transit 2771 planets Velocity generates Doppler 7 Shift Sound star receding star approaching Light wave “stretched” → red shift wave “squashed” → blue shift Orbiting planet causes Doppler shift in starlight 8 https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/interactable/11/ Radial Velocity Method 9 • The most successful method of detecting exoplanets pre-2010 • Doppler shifts in the stellar spectrum reveal presence of planetary companion(s) • Measure lower limit of the planetary mass and orbital parameters Doppler Shift Time Nikole K. Lewis, STScI Radial Velocity Detections Radial Velocity 1992 Planetary Mass 10 Detection Methods Radial Velocity 619 planets Gravitational Microlensing 44 planets Direct Imaging 44 planets Transit 2771 planets • Microlens -
An Implementation Concept for the ASPIRE Mission
An Implementation Concept for the ASPIRE Mission. W. D. Deininger* ([email protected]), W. Purcell,* P. Atcheson,*G. Mills,* S. A Sandford,** R. P. Hanel,** M. McKelvey,** and R. McMurray** *Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. (BATC) P. O. Box 1062 Boulder, CO, USA 80306-1062 **NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, USA 94035 Abstract—The Astrobiology Space Infrared Explorer complex and tied to the cyclic process whereby these (ASPIRE) is a Probe-class mission concept developed as elements are ejected into the diffuse interstellar medium part of NASA’s Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept (ISM) by dying stars, gathered into dense clouds and studies. 1 2 ASPIRE uses infrared spectroscopy to explore formed into the next generation of stars and planetary the identity, abundance, and distribution of molecules, systems (Figure 1). Each stage in this cycle entails chemical particularly those of astrobiological importance throughout alteration of gas- and solid-state species by a diverse set of the Universe. ASPIRE’s observational program is focused astrophysical processes: hocks, stellar winds, radiation on investigating the evolution of ices and organics in all processing by photons and particles, gas-phase neutral and phases of the lifecycle of carbon in the universe, from ion chemistry, accretion, and grain surface reactions. These stellar birth through stellar death while also addressing the processes create new species, destroy old ones, cause role of silicates and gas-phase materials in interstellar isotopic enrichments, shuffle elements between chemical organic chemistry. ASPIRE achieves these goals using a compounds, and drive the universe to greater molecular Spitzer-derived, cryogenically-cooled, 1-m-class telescope complexity. -
Astronomers Mull Merger of Missions
NEWS IN FOCUS project along these lines — was indefinitely postponed in 2007, but the agency has contin- ued to put US$6 million a year into developing technology for exoplanet searches. Now planet NASA/JPL-CALTECH hunters think that joining forces with COPAG will be the winning strategy. Jim Kasting, a plan- etary scientist at Pennsylvania State University in University Park who is chair of the exoplanet group, says the two communities would both like to see a 4–8-metre telescope in space that would cost in excess of $5 billion. “Our interests are basically aligned,” he says. Such a mission would compete for top billing in the next decadal survey of astronomy by the US National Academy of Sciences, due in 2020. The big question, which follow-up meetings will consider, is whether the same technology can do both kinds of science. A cosmic-origins mission would need to collect as much ultraviolet and visible light as possible to image intergalactic gas, star formation and Exoplanet hunters want something to replace the postponed Terrestrial Planet Finder. Sun-like stars in nearby galaxies. A planet-hunt- ing probe would need a coronagraph to block SPACE SCIENCE direct light from host stars, and would have to be sensitive to the visible and near-infrared wavelengths that Earth-like planets primar- ily emit. The infrared 6.5-metre James Webb Astronomers mull Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for launch in 2014, will be able to see larger planets but will not be sensitive to Earth-sized ones. The key to making the joint concept work will be develop- merger of missions ing a reflective coating for the telescope’s mirror that works from the ultraviolet to the infrared ranges and does not distort the incoming light Cosmic-origins scientists convene with exoplanet hunters. -
Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group
Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group Ken Sembach (STScI) 2014 COPAG Execuve CommiEee Daniela Julianne Dennis James Sally CalzeH Dalcanton Ebbets Green Heap Lynn David James Paul Ken Hillenbrand Leisawitz Lowenthal Scowen Sembach2 2014 COPAG Ex-Officio Members Susan Neff Mario Perez Michael Garcia GSFC COR Program Office NASA HQ NASA HQ COPAG members recently compleCng service: Jonathan Gardner Paul Goldsmith Charles Lillie Christopher MarCn 3 Cosmic Origins Quesons • How did we get here? – How and when did galaxies form? – How do stars form, evolve, and eventually die? – How are maer and the chemical elements distributed throughout the universe? 4 COPAG Tasks • Solicit and coordinate community input into the development and execuCon of NASA’s Cosmic Origins (COR) Program • Analyze this input in support of the planning and prioriCzaon of future exploraon within the COR program • Specific types of tasks include – ArCculang and prioriCzing key science drivers for COR research – Evaluang capabiliCes of potenCal missions for achieving COR science goals – Providing input and analysis on related acCviCes (e.g., ground-based observing, theory invesCgaons, laboratory astrophysics, suborbital invesCgaons, data archiving, etc) needed to achieve COR science goals – IdenCfying focus areas for technologies needed to advance COR science • All input is provided to the NASA Astrophysics SubcommiEee 5 2014 Science Analysis Groups (SAGs) and Science Interest Groups (SIGs) • SAG #6: Cosmic Origins Science Enabled by the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph • SAG #7: Science -
Infrared Direct Imaging
Infrared Imaging of Exoplanets William C. Danchi January 5, 2012 ExoPAG #7 In 2009 we had the Exoplanet Community Report: The Infrared Chapter: DetecKng Earth-area Planets is Difficult and the Thermal Infrared is a Good Spectral Region . DetecKng light from planets beyond solar system is hard: – Earth sized planet emits few photons/sec/m2 at 10 μm – Parent star emits 106 more – Planet within 1 AU of star ~ 10-10 ~ 10-7 – Exozodi dust emission in target solar system x 300 brighter than earth-area planet for equiValent of ONE Solar System Zodi Earth Spectrum Peaks in the mid-IR Earth’s spectrum shows absorpKon features from many species, including ozone, nitrous oxide, water Vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane Biosignatures are molecules out of equilibrium such as oxygen, ozone, and methane or nitrous oxide. Spectroscopy with R ~ 50 is adequate to resolVe these features. Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer Salient Features • Formaon flying mid-IR nulling Interferometer • Starlight suppression to 10-5 • Heavy launch Vehicle • L2 baseline orbit • 5 year mission life (10 year goal) • PotenKal collaboraon with European Space Agency Science Goals • Detect as many as possible Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of nearby stars Via their thermal emission • Characterize physical properKes of detected Earth-like planets (size, orbital parameters, presence of atmosphere) and make low resoluKon spectral obserVaons looking for eVidence of a habitable planet and bio-markers such as O2, CO2, CH4 and H2O • Detect and characterize the components of nearby planetary systems including disks, terrestrial planets, giant planets and mulKple planet systems • Perform general astrophysics inVesKgaons as capability and Kme permit W. -
The Fourier–Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI)
C. R. Physique 8 (2007) 396–407 http://france.elsevier.com/direct/COMREN/ Optical techniques for direct imaging of exoplanets/Techniques optiques pour l’imagerie directe des exoplanètes The Fourier–Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI)—A practical infrared space interferometer on the path to the discovery and characterization of Earth-like planets around nearby stars a, b William C. Danchi ∗, Bruno Lopez a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA b Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, UMR 6203, BP 4229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France Available online 11 June 2007 Abstract During the last few years, considerable effort has been directed towards large-scale (>$1 billion USD) missions to detect and characterize Earth-like planets around nearby stars, such as the Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer (TPF-I) and Darwin mis- sions. However, technological issues such as formation flying, cryocooling, null depth for broadband signals, control of systematic noise sources, budgetary pressures, and shifting science priorities at NASA and ESA, will prevent these missions from entering Phase A until the middle of the next decade. A simplified nulling interferometer operating in the near- to mid-infrared (e.g. 3–8 microns), like the Fourier–Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI), can characterize the atmospheres of a large sample of the kno∼ wn planets. Many other scientific problems can be addressed with a system like FKSI, including the imaging of debris disks, active galactic nuclei, and low mass companions around nearby stars. We discuss the rationale, both scientific and technological, for a competed mission in the $450–600 million (USD) range, of which FKSI is an example.