# Presentation: 196168

## Exo-Planet Task Force (ExoPTF)A Strategy for the Detection and Characterization of ExoplanetsPreliminary Findings Briefing 

- “Do there exist many worlds, or is there but a single world? This is one of the most noble and exalted questions in the study of Nature.”
*-Albertus Magnus *
*1193-1280*

## Publications and Planets

## Recent Results for ExoSystems

- Many detections
- Rich variety of exosystems
- Multi-planet systems
- Lower masses
- Closer to solar system analogues
- Potentially Earth-like planets may be common

## Astronomy and Astrophysics Decade Review2007 - 2010

- AAAC ExoPlanet Task Force2006 - 2007

## Slide 5

## Slide 6

## Slide 7

## Task Force Membership

| Debra Fischer
San Francisco State  | Gary Melnick
CFA |
| --- | --- |
| Heidi Hammel
Space Science Institute | David Monet
USNO |
| Lynne Hillenbrand
Cal Tech | Charley Noecker
Ball |
| James Kasting
Penn State | Stan Peale
UCSB |
| Greg Laughlin
UCSC | Andreas Quirrenbach
Landessternwarte Heidelberg |
| Bruce Macintosh
Lawrence Livermore | Sara Seager
MIT |
| Mark Marley
NASA Ames | Josh Winn
MIT |

- Jonathan Lunine (chair) - Lunar & Planetary Lab

- Thomas Henning (ESA liaison) - Max Planck Inst Heidelberg

## Meetings and Invited Briefings

- February 20-21 (Washington - NSF and NASA HQ)
- Debra Fischer - Status of exoplanet detections
- Doug Lin - Jovian exoplanets
- Vicki Meadows/ Jim Kasting - Terrestrial exoplanets
- Wes Traub - Exoplanet detection approaches I
- David Charbonneau - Exoplanet detection approaches II
- April 10-11 (Cambridge):
- Michael Perryman - European exoplanet detection and study programs
- Jamie Lloyd - RV measurements in the IR
- Mark Clampin - JWST potential
- Scott Gaudi - Microlensing techniques
- May 2-3 (Tucson)
- Dave Latham - Kepler and Kepler follow-up
- Phil Pinto - LSST capabilities
- Phil Hinz - Imaging of exoplanet disk systems
- Shri Kulkarni - SIM
- Dan Coulter - TPF
- Greg Laughlin - Testing planet formation models
- Bruce Macintosh - Imaging with ELT’s
- August 14-15 (San Francisco)
- 	   James Marr--Astrometric Planet Hunter
- 	    Pete Worden--Mission costs
- September 11-12 (Washington-NSF)--report preparation

## Contributed Exoplanet White Papers

- 84 papers
- 308 distinct contributors
- 48 institutions
- 23 states
- 13 countries

## The most compelling questions and how to answer them

- What are the characteristics of Earth-size/Earth-mass planets in the habitable zones around bright, nearby stars?
- RV measurements
- Spitzer/JWST transit photometry
- Astrometric measurements
- Visible/IR Characterization
- What is the architecture of planetary systems?
- Microlensing photometry and follow-up
- Kepler transit studies
- Astrometric measurements

## Recommendations

- Intensify RV studies to reach lower mass planets (more time/precision).
- Search for transiting terrestrial exo-planets around nearby M dwarfs, characterize with Warm Spitzer and JWST
- Prepare for a characterization mission around Sun-like stars - need actual earth-like targets with known orbits
- Technology: sub m/s RV, sub micro-arcsec astrometry, spaceborne coronagraphy
- Exozodi--need measurements down to 10 zodii around nearby stars
- An astrometric mission does not need to wait for Kepler’s
- A characterization mission--coronagraphy/occulter first, then interferometry
- Once stars are known from astrometry, mission is simplified
- Microlensing for large-scale architectures
- Augment ground-based facilities
- Spaceborne mission - if possible at Discovery level or below.
- Flexibility of approach
- Adjust timing: Could slow astrometry/coronagraphy
- Adjust ambition of characterization effort
- Maintain pace on the M-dwarfs

## 1-5 yrs

- 5-10 yrs

- 10-15 yrs

- Two-pronged strategy:

- M dwarfs

- F, G, K dwarfs

- Fast-track
- ground-based, and existing space assets

- Requires technology investments
- And new space-based facilities

## 1-5 yrs

- 5-10 yrs

- 10-15 yrs

- If       is > 0.1:

*RV  +  Transit surveys--*> Spitzer-->JWST

-         ,masses, addresses   Density, detectability      Characterize for habitability

- M
- dwarfs

- F
- G
- K

- Corot/ Kepler   *--*>  Astrometry+RV  -->       Coronagraphy/
- 							occulter

- Density, addresses                   Characterize for habitability

- Exo-zodi studies

## 1-5 yrs

- 5-10 yrs

- 10-15 yrs

- If  exo-zodis are large (> 10 zodis):

*RV  +  Transit surveys--> *Spitzer-->JWST* **	**	*

-         ,masses, addresses   Density, detectability

- M
- dwarfs

- F
- G
- K

- Corot/ Kepler     Astrometry+Microlensing

- Planetary architecture

- Nearby stars: Ground-based extreme AO on ELT for giant planets

- Exo-zodi studies

## 1-5 yrs

- 5-10 yrs

- 10-15 yrs

- If       is < 0.1:

*RV  +  Transit surveys**	**	*

-         ,masses, addresses   Density, detectability

- M
- dwarfs

- F
- G
- K

- Corot/ Kepler     Astrometry+Microlensing

- Planetary architecture

- Nearby stars: Ground-based extreme AO for giant planets.
- Possible participation in Darwin

- Exo-zodi studies

## 1-5 yrs

- 5-10 yrs

- 10-15 yrs

-    Advanced and intensive RV studies - Kepler followup
-                  Advanced ground-based microlensing
-                                Advanced ground-based transit searches
-                                                              ELT advanced imaging (extreme AO)
- Fellowships, supporting observational and laboratory science, theory

- Technology development

- Discovery Microlensing Mission

- Spitzer transit followup

- JWST transit followup

- Kepler

- Astrometric mission

- IR Characterization

- Visible Characterization

- Exozodi characterization

- Ground-based

- Existing Missions

- Proposed Missions

- Recommended Programs, Missions and Activities

## General doppler vs eta_e

- Constructing figures of merit for different techniques: example

- Log(mass)

- Log(semi-major axis)

## Observations of planet-forming and debris disks

***, JWST***

- Note that additional axes (such as surface brightness sensitivity) are required to evaluate differing capabilities between, eg., ground-based and JWST.

## Structure of the Report

- 1.    Executive Summary
- 2.    The scientific and philosophical significance of detecting other Earths
- 3.    Goals and Methodologies for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets
- 4.    Findings of the Exoplanet Task Force
- 5.    Exoplanet detection scenarios from the present to detect/char other Earths
- 6.    Recommendations of the Exoplanet Task Force
- 7.    State of knowledge of extrasolar planets
- 8.    Figures of merit for exoplanet detection/characterization
- 9.    Technique performance projections...(0-5), (6-10), (11-15) years
- A.    RV
- B.    Astrometry
- C.    Transit
- D.    Microlensing
- E.    Coronography
- F.    Interferometry
- G.    Indirect inference via debris disk properties
- 10.    Laboratory, theory, and technology investments required
- 11.    References
- 12.    Acknowledgments
- 13.    Technical Appendix

- Conclusions

- The plan addresses the key questions in exoplanet research:
- Are there habitable planets around other stars?
- What is the architecture of planetary systems?
- How do planets fit in to the process of star formation?
- 2. The plan provides the opportunity for early discoveries and risk reduction; spaceborne coronagraphy is significantly simplified.
- 3. Plan depends on a balance of ground- and space; existing and future assets
- 4. Plan is flexible to surprises, failures and new discoveries.
- 4. Plan is already streamlined in cost but can be stretched out