Imaging the Youngest Exoplanets

为了研究围绕其他恒星的行星(称为“系外行星”)的形成和早期发展，该计划将测量幼年系外行星的性质。使用世界上最大、最灵敏的红外波长望远镜--山上的大型双筒望远镜--拍摄天文图像的新方法。亚利桑那州格雷厄姆--这个项目将着眼于其他成像系外行星的科学项目没有研究过的特定特征。这些计划中的观测可以探测到距离其宿主恒星非常近的年轻行星。观测将限制形成巨型行星的过程，并将提供行星处于萌芽阶段的图片。首席调查员将把调查结果纳入图森的公开讲座和教材中。大学生将参与这项研究的方方面面。这项拟议工作的一个不同寻常且非常有益的方面是能够同时探测高分辨率系外行星及其形成环境。研究人员将在望远镜上使用非冗余掩模干涉测量和自适应光学，这使得观测接近或在他们望远镜系统的衍射极限内。非冗余掩模提供了高精度的测量，当在自适应光学系统后面使用时，可以到达具有对比度的微弱目标和同伴。这将提供有关行星形成的边界条件的信息，包括初始组成，同时限制行星的组装方式。这一裁决反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

To study the formation and early development of planets around other stars (known as "exoplanets"), this program will measure the properties of infant exoplanets. Using new ways to make astronomical images at the world's largest and most sensitive infrared wavelength telescope--the Large Binocular Telescope at Mt. Graham, Arizona--this program will look at specific characteristics not studied by other scientific programs that image exoplanets. These planned observations can detect younger planets located very close to their host stars. The observations will constrain the processes that form giant planets, and will provide pictures of planets in their infancy. The Principal Investigator will incorporate the results into public lectures in Tucson and into teaching materials. University students will be involved with all aspects of the research.An unusual and highly beneficial aspect of the proposed work is the ability to probe simultaneously at high resolution exoplanets and the environments in which they are forming. The investigators will use non-redundant masking interferometry coupled with adaptive optics on the telescope, which allows observations close to or within the diffraction limit of their telescope system. Non-redundant masking provides high precision measurements, and when used behind an adaptive optics system, can reach faint targets and companions with contrast. This will provide information on the boundary conditions for planet formation, including initial composition, while at the same time constrain how planets are assembled.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.