Detection and Characterization of Nearby Exoplanets - II

附近系外行星的探测和表征 - II

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-06777
• 负责人: Doyon, René
• 金额: $ 7.87万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=711944
• 关键词: Detection; Characterization; Nearby; Exoplanets; II

The long-term objective of this proposal is to find the nearest habitable terrestrial planets and probe their atmosphere to determine their chemical composition; this is a key stepping-stone in our quest for life outside the Solar System. I intend to play a pivotal role in this exciting endeavor through the deployment of three new state-of-the-art astronomical instruments whose operation will be initiated towards the end of this decade, two on the ground and one on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These instruments will be used to initiate long-term, all-sky programs dedicated to searching nearby habitable worlds and study them in detail, in particular to determine the main constituents of their atmosphere to assess their ability to harbor life. My research activities are twofold. I contribute to the development of state-of-the-art astronomical instruments specialized for the detection and characterization of exoplanets. I also actively participate in a wide variety of observational programs all dedicated to searching/studying exoplanets including their host star. This task involves the use of a variety of instruments, telescopes and observing techniques both ground- and space-based. The focus of my research program is on a special class of terrestrial exoplanets that happen to orbit in the so-called habitable zone (HZ), i.e. the region around a star that is temperate enough to sustain liquid water on the surface of the planet. Those planets may have the right conditions for life to strive. I am co-principal investigator of two international projects focused on the development of infrared velocimeter instruments (SPIRou in the north; NIRPS in the south) both optimized for detecting small rocky planets around nearby low-mass stars. Both projects are well underway with a strong (~50%) financial contribution from Canada under my leadership. Starting in 2018, both SPIRou and NIRPS will be allocated at least 1000 nights over five years to conduct two major exoplanet surveys: one focused on finding the closest habitable worlds and the other to perform crucial mass measurements of several 100s transiting systems. I will also be in a leadership position to probe the atmosphere of those habitable words using JWST through transit spectroscopy, a powerful technique used to recover the spectrum of an exoplanet atmosphere. I am principal investigator of the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, the Canadian-built JWST instrument that features a mode specifically designed for high-precision transit spectroscopy. Starting in the spring of 2019, my team and I will initiate a 200-hr long Guaranteed Time Observations program focused on atmospheric characterization of several types of exoplanets, including a few nearby transiting rocky systems. These programs promise to enable groundbreaking discoveries within my team, in Canada and all over the world.

该提案的长期目标是寻找最近的宜居类地行星并探测其大气层以确定其化学成分；这是我们寻找太阳系外生命的关键踏脚石。我打算通过部署三个新的最先进的天文仪器来在这项令人兴奋的努力中发挥关键作用，这些仪器将在本十年末开始运行，其中两个在地面，一个在詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜（JWST）上。这些仪器将用于启动长期的全天空计划，致力于搜索附近的宜居世界并对其进行详细研究，特别是确定其大气的主要成分，以评估其孕育生命的能力。 我的研究活动是双重的。我致力于开发专门用于探测和表征系外行星的最先进的天文仪器。 我还积极参与各种观测项目，所有这些项目都致力于搜索/研究系外行星，包括它们的主星。这项任务涉及使用各种仪器、望远镜以及地面和太空观测技术。我的研究项目的重点是一类特殊的类地系外行星，它们恰好在所谓的宜居带（HZ）内运行，即恒星周围的区域，其温度足以维持行星表面的液态水。这些行星可能拥有适合生命生存的条件。 我是两个国际项目的联合首席研究员，重点是开发红外测速仪（北部的 SPIRou；南部的 NIRPS），这两个项目都针对探测附近低质量恒星周围的小型岩石行星进行了优化。这两个项目均进展顺利，在我的领导下，加拿大提供了强劲的财政捐助（约 50%）。从 2018 年开始，SPIRou 和 NIRPS 将在五年内分配至少 1000 个夜晚来进行两项主要的系外行星调查：一项重点是寻找最近的宜居世界，另一项重点是对数百个凌日系统进行关键的质量测量。我还将发挥领导作用，利用 JWST 通过传输光谱来探测那些宜居词的大气层，这是一种用于恢复系外行星大气光谱的强大技术。我是近红外成像仪和无缝光谱仪的首席研究员，这是加拿大制造的 JWST 仪器，具有专为高精度传输光谱设计的模式。从 2019 年春季开始，我和我的团队将启动一项为期 200 小时的保证时间观测计划，重点关注几种类型系外行星的大气特征，包括一些附近的凌日岩石系统。这些项目有望在我的团队、加拿大和世界各地实现突破性的发现。