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

新的“积分场光谱仪”（IFS）使天文学家能够获得系外行星或在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波长在1 - 2微米。大多数气态巨型系外行星产生自己的能量，其能量峰值是波长较长的热红外。这个研究小组已经建立了世界上第一个热红外IFS。亚利桑那州系外行星光谱学透镜（ALES）安装在亚利桑那州的2x8.4m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。这些光谱将与近红外光谱相结合，以比较和对比气态巨行星的特性，包括温度、云的特性和不同的化学成分。这个项目通过显著提高我们对气态巨行星特性的科学知识，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门数学课，这样每年就会有九名学生在大学代数课上获得大学学分。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）使直接成像的系外行星的光谱表征成为可能。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产生自己的光谱信号的光谱能量分布在热红外（3微米）达到峰值。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。宽波长范围内的光谱表征对于确定系外行星的总体特性至关重要。该项目将获得大量系外行星的3 - 4微米光谱，并在此过程中开发出可用于比较行星学的系外行星光谱凝聚力样本。这个研究小组已经建立了世界上第一个热红外IFS。亚利桑那州系外行星光谱学透镜（ALES）安装在2x8.4m大型双筒望远镜上。它提供3 - 4微米的积分场光谱，光谱分辨率，灵敏度和对比度水平要求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，他们将结合现有的近红外数据进行分析。较宽的波长覆盖范围将使他们能够通过打破温度、云性质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开设两门数学课，从而使大约9名学生在大学代数课上获得大学学分。它们还将包括有关其科学的公开演讲。

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.