Lifting the Veil on Cold Planets in the Inner Galaxy

该项目旨在探索系外行星探测的一个独特方面：在银河系内部密度最大的恒星场中寻找与地球质量相当或更大的冷行星。红外摄像机将用于探测这种极端星系环境中的小行星。拟议中的项目将开启地面红外微透镜观测的新时代，并为下一代太空微透镜提供关键数据。这项工作与南希·格蕾丝·罗马望远镜（2026年发射）银河系外行星调查直接相关。预期的结果是大大提高了对行星形成到类地质量行星的理解，并改进了用引力微透镜探测冷行星的技术。

The project aims to explore a unique aspect of exoplanet detection: searches for cold planets of Earth mass and larger in the densest stellar fields of the inner Milky Way. Infrared cameras will be used to detect small planets in this extreme galactic environment. The proposed project will open a new era of infrared microlensing observations from the ground and supply critical data in preparation for the next generation of microlensing from space. This work directly links to the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope (2026 launch) Galactic Exoplanet Survey. Expected outcomes are a greatly improved understanding of planet formation down to terrestrial-mass planets, and improved techniques for cold planet detection with gravitational microlensing.