Mapping Habitable Planetary Environments with Exoplanet Imaging

我们研究的目标是利用新的光子学技术，对附近恒星周围的近距离系外行星进行成像。在2022财年，我们继续升级斯巴鲁望远镜的AO系统，并验证了PNC的消色差移相器。我们也观测到了近距离的系外行星。我们正在努力使斯巴鲁望远镜成为最具能力的系外行星成像设备，用于观测距离恒星10天文单位以内的行星。具体来说(1)通过将PNC技术与近红外波长的高性能AO相结合，我们将开辟以前无法获得的小角度分离机制，(2)我们将成为第一个以2 kHz速度提供3000模式校正的8+m设施，(3)我们将成为第一个在天空中部署光子零化技术的大型望远镜，在未来3年内没有其他设施计划这样做。(4)我们正在为该项目开发的AO波前传感明显比现有的替代方案更敏感。我们的团队在2022财年宣布了两颗重大的系外行星发现。猎户座AB b行星（Currie et al. 2022, Nature Astronomy）是一颗仍在吸积的巨大行星，位于猎户座AB年轻恒星的尘埃和气体盘中。这一发现是引力不稳定行星形成模型的最佳证据，该模型认为，行星是在气体云在自身引力作用下突然坍缩时形成的。我们报道的HIP 99770 b行星的发现（Currie et al. 2023, Science）是通过天体测量加速度确定的目标跟踪发现的第一颗系外行星。

The goal of our research is to image close-in exoplanets around nearby stars using new photonics technologies. In FY2022, we have continued upgrades to the AO system at Subaru Telescope and validated achromatic phase shifters for the PNC. We have also observed close-in exoplanets.We are on track to make the Subaru Telescope the most capable exoplanet imaging facility for planets within ~10 a.u. of their stars. Specifically (1) By combining the PNC technology with high performance AO at near-IR wavelength, we will open up the small angular separation regime not previously accessible, (2) We will be the first 8+m facility to provide correction of 3000 modes at 2 kHz speed, (3) We will be the first large telescope to deploy the photonic nulling technology on-sky, with no other facility scheduled to do so within the next ~3yr, (4) The AO wavefront sensing we are developing for the project is significantly more sensitive than existing alternatives.Our team announced in FY2022 two major exoplanet discoveries. The AB Aurigae b planet (Currie et al. 2022, Nature Astronomy) is a still-accreting giant planet within the dust and gas disk of the AB Aur young star. The discovery is the best evidence for the gravitational instability planet formation model, where planets form as a gas cloud suddenly collapses under its own gravity. We reported discovery of the HIP 99770 b planet (Currie et al. 2023, Science) is the first exoplanet discovered by followup of targets identified by astrometric acceleration.