Direct detection and characterization of exoplanetary systems

系外行星系统的直接探测和表征

• 批准号: 1518332
• 负责人: Paul Kalas
• 金额: $ 36.7万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-15 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1518332&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Direct; detection; characterization; exoplanetary; systems

Searching for planets around other stars is an extremely difficult technical endeavor, yet the scientific benefits include understanding the circumstances that led to the development of life on Earth and estimating the number of planetary systems that resemble our own solar system. This project exploits the latest technical advances in astronomical methods to obtain images of Jupiter-like planets that may orbit a sample of 600 stars very close to the Sun. This survey for planetary systems will also map the locations of asteroid and comet belts in other planetary systems. It will also help identify nearby stars that should be targeted by future searches for smaller planets located in the habitable zones around these nearby stars. Graduate and undergraduate students will participate in all phases of this work.The cornerstone of the project is a 600-star, three-year, direct-imaging survey to be conducted with the recently commissioned Gemini Planet Imager at the Gemini South 8-meter telescope. The architectures of planetary systems beyond 5 AU will be probed, a region that is mostly inaccessible by transit and RV techniques. The team will also obtain follow-up observations at other facilities such as HST, Keck and ALMA. The key deliverables are: (a) multi-epoch astrometric measurements of directly detected exoplanets in order to calculate their orbital elements, (b) high resolution maps of the spatial distribution of dust grains associated with the collisional erosion of planetesimals in debris disks, and (c) analytic and numerical tools to infer the past, present and future dynamical interactions between planets and planetesimals.

寻找其他恒星周围的行星是一项极其困难的技术工作，但科学上的好处包括了解导致地球上生命发展的环境以及估计与我们太阳系相似的行星系统的数量。 该项目利用天文学方法的最新技术进步来获取类木行星的图像，这些行星可能围绕距离太阳非常近的 600 颗恒星样本运行。 这项行星系统调查还将绘制其他行星系统中小行星和彗星带的位置。 它还将有助于识别附近的恒星，未来搜索位于这些附近恒星周围宜居带的较小行星时应将这些恒星作为目标。 研究生和本科生将参与这项工作的所有阶段。该项目的基石是一项为期三年的 600 颗恒星的直接成像调查，将利用最近在双子座南 8 米望远镜上启用的双子座行星成像仪进行。 超过 5 个天文单位的行星系统的结构将被探测，这个区域基本上无法通过运输和 RV 技术到达。 该团队还将在 HST、Keck 和 ALMA 等其他设施进行后续观察。 关键成果是：（a）对直接探测到的系外行星进行多历元天体测量，以计算其轨道元素；（b）与碎片盘中星子碰撞侵蚀相关的尘埃颗粒空间分布的高分辨率图；（c）分析和数值工具，以推断行星和星子之间过去、现在和未来的动态相互作用。