MSIP: The Keck Planet Finder

太阳系外行星的发现获得了2019年诺贝尔物理学奖，是人类期待已久的科学成就之一。对其他世界的沉思一直是理解我们在宇宙中的位置的重要组成部分，现在是天文学中增长最快的领域之一。 该奖项资助建造凯克行星探测器（KPF），这是W.M.的一种新仪器。凯克天文台，这将大大推进搜索和太阳系外行星的特征。 KPF将是一个高分辨率的光谱仪，它将使用凯克一号望远镜收集的可见光来测量星星光谱的微小多普勒频移，因为轨道行星在引力作用下拉扯星星。 该仪器具有新颖的设计，采用玻璃陶瓷材料，使其对温度变化不敏感。 KPF是对美国技术发展的一项投资，该技术旨在探测一颗围绕附近太阳星星运行的类地行星的信号。 KPF团队将开展多年的科学项目，包括搜索围绕附近恒星运行的行星，这些行星可能会被未来的太空和地面望远镜详细研究，探索“超级地球”和“亚海王星”行星的多样性，以及测量美国宇航局开普勒使命发现的地球大小的行星的质量。 KPF也将成为美国天文学界的通用多普勒设施。 KPF团队将为高中生组织一个行星科学学院，为系外行星科学提供身临其境的体验。该项目还将支持加州理工学院的一项公共教育计划，包括每月观星和一系列公共讲座。 凯克行星探测器（KPF）团队将为W.M.的10米凯克I望远镜建造和部署一个高分辨率光谱仪。凯克天文台。 KPF将通过精确的光谱学和多普勒测量发现和描述太阳系外行星。 KPF光谱仪具有独特的设计，包括一个全Zerodur光学组件，具有极高的热机械稳定性。 将与KPF一起开展四个多年期科学项目，解决社区优先事项。首先，KPF将发现和描述在附近绕太阳运行的行星。这些行星将是地球/超级地球，适用于美国宇航局的HabEx和LUVOIR使命概念的成像和光谱学，以及冰巨人，适用于美国宇航局的WFIRST使命的表征。其次，KPF将在附近冷恒星（M矮星）的可居住区发现类似地球的行星，这些行星可以通过未来的巨型分段镜望远镜来表征。第三，KPF将描述超级地球和次海王星行星的多样性。第四，KPF将确定在类太阳恒星的可居住区中无处不在的地球大小的行星是否像地球一样是岩石，或者被厚厚的气体包围，使它们与生命不相容。此外，KPF是一个通用的多普勒设施，将使广泛的科学为美国天文学界。 凯克天文台的40个夜晚的时间将被授予一般天文学界，无论其隶属关系如何。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The discovery of extrasolar planets, recognized with the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics, was one of humanity’s longest-awaited scientific achievements. The contemplation of other worlds has always been an important part of understanding our place in the universe and is now among the fastest growing domains in astronomy. This award funds construction of the Keck Planet Finder (KPF), a new instrument for the W.M. Keck Observatory that will significantly advance the search for and characterization of extrasolar planets. KPF will be a high-resolution spectrometer that will use optical light gathered by the Keck I telescope to measure the tiny Doppler shifts of a star’s spectrum as orbiting planets tug on the star gravitationally. The instrument has a novel design featuring a glass-ceramic material that makes it insensitive to temperature changes. KPF is an investment in the U.S. development of technology on the path to detecting the signal of an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby Sun-like star. The KPF team will carry out multi-year science projects, including searches for planets orbiting nearby stars that might be studied in detail by future space-borne and ground-based telescopes, explorations of the diverse population of ‘super-Earth’ and ‘sub-Neptune’ planets, and measurements of the masses of Earth-size planets discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission. KPF will also be a general-purpose Doppler facility for the U.S. astronomy community. The KPF team will organize a Planet Finder Academy for high school students to provide an immersive experience in exoplanet science. The project will also support a public education program at the California Institute of Technology with events including monthly stargazing and a public lecture series. The Keck Planet Finder (KPF) team will build and deploy a high-resolution spectrometer for the 10-m Keck I telescope at the W.M. Keck Observatory. KPF will discover and characterize extrasolar planets with precise spectroscopy and Doppler measurements. The KPF spectrometer has a unique design that includes an all-Zerodur optical assembly for extreme thermomechanical stability. Four multi-year science projects will be carried out with KPF that address community priorities. First, KPF will discover and characterize planets orbiting nearby, Sun-like stars. These planets will be Earths/super-Earths suitable for imaging and spectroscopy by NASA's HabEx and LUVOIR mission concepts and ice giants for characterization by NASA's WFIRST mission. Second, KPF will discover Earth-analog planets in the Habitable Zones of nearby cool stars (M dwarfs) that can be characterized by future giant segmented mirror telescopes. Third, KPF will characterize the diversity of super-Earths and sub-Neptune planets. Fourth, KPF will determine if the ubiquitous Earth-size planets in the Habitable Zones of Sun-like stars are rocky like Earth or are enshrouded in thick gas envelopes making them incompatible with life. In addition, KPF is a general-purpose Doppler facility that will enable a broad range of science for the U.S. astronomy community. Forty nights of Keck Observatory time will be awarded to the general astronomical community irrespective of affiliation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.