Collaborative Research: Extending Spectroscopy of Directly Imaged Planets into the Thermal Infrared

新的“积分场光谱仪”使天文学家能够获得系外行星或其他恒星周围发现的行星的光谱。到目前为止，这些光谱已经覆盖了近红外的1-2微米的波长。大多数气态巨型系外行星都会产生自己的能量，这种能量在长波长的热红外中达到峰值。这个研究小组建造了世界上第一个热红外自动驾驶系统。亚利桑那州系外行星光谱透镜(ALES)安装在亚利桑那州的2x8.4米大双筒望远镜上。该项目将使用ALE获得10颗气态巨型系外行星的3-4微米光谱。这些光谱将与近红外光谱相结合，以比较和对比气态巨型系外行星的性质，包括温度、云的性质和不同的化学成分。该项目通过显著提高我们对气态巨型系外行星性质的科学知识，服务于国家利益。调查人员每年将在圣克鲁斯县监狱教授两节数学课，这样每年就有九名学生获得大学代数课的大学学分。他们还将向公众讲述他们的科学。自适应光学积分场光谱仪(IFS)已经能够对直接成像的系外行星进行光谱表征。然而，这些仪器仅限于近红外波长(1-2微米)，而在热红外(3微米)产生其自身光谱信号峰值的气态巨型系外行星的光谱能量分布。因此，大多数直接成像的系外行星已经有了近红外光谱，但没有一个有热红外光谱。在宽波长范围内的光谱特征对于确定太阳系外行星的整体性质至关重要。该项目将获得大量系外行星的3-4微米光谱，并在此过程中开发可用于比较行星学的系外行星光谱的内聚样本。这个研究小组建造了世界上第一个热红外自动驾驶系统。亚利桑那州系外行星光谱透镜(ALES)安装在2x8.4米大双筒望远镜上。它提供3-4微米的积分场光谱学，光谱分辨率、灵敏度和对比度水平是表征直接成像的系外行星所需的。利用ALE，研究人员将获得10颗系外行星的3-4微米光谱，他们将结合现有的近红外数据进行分析。宽广的波长覆盖范围将使他们能够通过打破温度、云层特性和非平衡化学之间的简并来改进系外行星大气模型。调查人员将在圣克鲁斯县监狱每年提供两节数学课，导致约9名学生获得大学代数课的大学学分。它们还将包括关于他们的科学的公开演讲。

New "integral field spectrographs" (IFS) allow astronomers to get spectra of exoplanets, or planets found around other stars. Until now, these spectra have covered wavelengths in the near infrared at 1 - 2 microns. Most gas-giant exoplanets generate their own power that peaks in energy in the thermal infrared at longer wavelengths. This research group has built the world's first thermal infrared IFS. The Arizona Lenslets for Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ALES) is installed on the 2x8.4m Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. This project will use the ALES to obtain 3 - 4 micron spectra of 10 gas-giant exoplanets. The spectra will be combined with near-infrared spectra in order to compare and contrast the properties of the gas-giant exoplanets, including temperature, the properties of clouds, and different chemistry. This project serves the national interest by significantly advancing our scientific knowledge of the properties of gas-giant exoplanets. The investigators will teach two math classes each year at the Santa Cruz County Jail, so that each year, nine students will get college credit for a college algebra class. They will also talk about their science to the public.Adaptive optics integral field spectrographs (IFS) have enabled spectroscopic characterization of directly-imaged exoplanets. These instruments have, however, been limited to near-infrared wavelengths (1 - 2 microns), while the spectral energy distributions of gas giant exoplanets that generate their own spectral signal peak in the thermal infrared (3 microns). As a result, most directly-imaged exoplanets already have near-infrared spectra, but none has a thermal infrared spectrum. Spectroscopic characterization over a broad wavelength range is critical for determining the bulk properties of extrasolar planets. This project will obtain 3 - 4 micron spectra of a large number of exoplanets, and, in the process, develop a cohesive sample of exoplanet spectra that can be used for comparative planetology. This research group has built the world's first thermal infrared IFS. The Arizona Lenslets for Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ALES) is installed on the 2x8.4m Large Binocular Telescope. It provides integral field spectroscopy from 3 - 4 microns at the spectral resolution, sensitivity and contrast levels required to characterize directly-imaged exoplanets. Using ALES, the investigators will obtain 3 - 4 micron spectra of 10 exoplanets, which they will analyze in combination with existing near-infrared data. The broad wavelength coverage will allow them to refine exoplanet atmosphere models by breaking degeneracies between temperature, cloud properties, and non-equilibrium chemistry. The investigators will offer two math classes per year at the Santa Cruz County Jail, resulting in ~9 students receiving college credit for a college algebra class. They will also include public talks on their science.