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

合作研究：将直接成像行星的光谱扩展到热红外

• 批准号: 1614320
• 负责人: Andrew Skemer
• 金额: $ 33.19万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-08-01 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1614320&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Extending; Spectroscopy; Directly

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.

新的“积分场光谱仪”（IFS）允许天文学家获得系外行星的光谱，或在其他恒星周围发现的行星。到目前为止，这些光谱已经覆盖了1 - 2微米的近红外波长。大多数气态巨行星产生自己的能量，在较长波长的热红外线中达到能量峰值。这个研究小组建立了世界上第一个热红外IFS。用于系外行星光谱学的亚利桑那小透镜（ALES）安装在亚利桑那州的2x8.4米大型双筒望远镜上。该项目将使用ALES获得10颗气态巨行星的3 - 4微米光谱。光谱将与近红外光谱相结合，以比较和对比气体巨型系外行星的性质，包括温度，云的性质和不同的化学性质。该项目通过显着推进我们对巨型气体系外行星性质的科学知识来服务于国家利益。调查人员每年将在圣克鲁斯县监狱教授两门数学课，这样每年有9名学生将获得大学代数课的学分。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），而气体巨星系外行星的光谱能量分布在热红外（3微米）中产生自己的光谱信号峰值。因此，大多数直接成像的系外行星已经具有近红外光谱，但没有一个具有热红外光谱。在很宽的波长范围内进行光谱表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凝聚样本。这个研究小组建立了世界上第一个热红外IFS。用于系外行星光谱学的亚利桑那小透镜（ALES）安装在2x8.4米大型双筒望远镜上。它提供了3 - 4微米的积分场光谱，光谱分辨率，灵敏度和对比度水平，以表征直接成像的系外行星。利用ALES，研究人员将获得10颗系外行星的3 - 4微米光谱，并结合现有的近红外数据进行分析。广泛的波长覆盖范围将使他们能够通过打破温度，云特性和非平衡化学之间的简并来完善系外行星大气模型。调查人员将在圣克鲁斯县监狱每年提供两门数学课，导致约9名学生获得大学代数课的大学学分。他们还将包括关于他们的科学的公开演讲。