ExoTiC-3DWebb: Exoplanet Timeseries Characterisation: Unlocking the Third Dimension of Atmospheres with Webb

系外行星处于公众对太空兴趣的最前沿，并已成为一个领先的科学研究领域。现在在我们的太阳系外已经发现了近5000个世界，重要的是不仅要知道它们的存在，还要发现它们的真实性质：它们有大气层吗？大气层是由什么构成的？它们是如何形成的？这些世界和我们太阳系中的世界一样吗？最后，生命是地球上独一无二的吗？最近发射的詹姆斯韦伯太空望远镜（韦伯）标志着系外行星特征的新时代，它提供了超出当前研究范围的高精度和分辨率的红外光谱，并且可以测量H2O， CO， CO2和CH4等关键气体。作为韦伯保证时间观测的成员，通过竞争性奖励的观测项目，我有大量的数据可供我使用。我提出的数据分析和解释计划对于将我们的宜居世界置于银河系的背景下至关重要。该ERC项目基于可靠的数据分为三个工作包：1)从0.6-14微米红外透射和发射观测中构建典型热木星的3D地图；2)首次直接测量系外行星大气中的气溶胶成分；3)评估迷你海王星/超级地球半径边界上从原始大气到次级大气的转变。这些工作包将由四个关键目标支持：开发用于高保真光谱数据还原的软件，测量和解释行星大气的组成，包括气溶胶的影响，设计解决系外行星大气三维结构的方法，并使用这些数据为未来的研究和任务做出预测。为了完成这个雄心勃勃的项目，我将为我在布里斯托尔大学的团队招募两名博士后研究人员，在那里我们将开发工具、技术和基础数据集，为韦伯时代的系外行星研究奠定基础。

Exoplanets are at the forefront of public interest in space and have emerged as a leading scientific field of study. With nearly 5,000 worlds now discovered beyond our solar system it is important to not only know that they are there but also to discover their true nature: Do they have an atmosphere and what is it made from? How did they form? Are these worlds like those in our solar system? And ultimately, is life unique to our planet? The recent launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) marks a new era of exoplanet characterisation providing high precision and resolution spectra in the infrared (IR) beyond the reach of current studies and where key gases like H2O, CO, CO2, and CH4 can be measured. As a member of guaranteed time observations on Webb and through competitively awarded observing programs I have a plethora of data at my disposal. My proposed data analysis an interpretation programme will be crucial toplace our habitable world in a Galactic context. This ERC project is broken down into three work packages based on guaranteed data: 1) construct a 3D map of a quintessential hot Jupiter from 0.6-14 micrometre IR transmission and emission observations, 2) make the first direct measurements of aerosol compositions in exoplanet atmospheres, 3) evaluate the transition from primordial to secondary atmospheres over the mini-Neptune/super-Earth radius boundary. These work packages will be supported by four key goals: develop software for high fidelity spectroscopic data reduction, measure and interpret the composition of planetary atmospheres including the effect of aerosols, design methods to resolve the 3D structure of exoplanet atmospheres and use these data to make predictions for future studies and missions. To complete this ambitious project, I will recruit two postdoctoral researchers to my group at the University of Bristol where we will develop tools, techniques, and foundational datasets that will set the stage for exoplanet research in the era of Webb.