KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Exoplanet Imaging and Characterization: Coherent Differential Imaging and Signal Detection Statistics

August 22 - 26, 2016
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Workshop Overview:

Direct imaging of a planet around another star is exceedingly challenging. For even the closest stars observed with the largest ground-based telescopes, the angular separation between star and planet will be near the classical diffraction limit. Moreover, a typical star will be about a billion times brighter than the planet to be imaged, a challenge even for the most stable telescope in space. The planetary image is also buried in “speckle noise,” which is the result of uncorrected wavefront errors that propagate through the atmosphere and even the most accurately polished optical system. This speckle noise has complex properties which are different from planetary signals. While algorithms now exist that exploit some differences between the signal and noise characteristics, there has been little effort to address the full problem in a rigorous and comprehensive way. Our focus on speckle discrimination and control is motivated by key scientific measurements of exoplanetary systems:

  • Pure detection: Is there a planet present in the image(s)?
  • Astrometry: Where precisely is the planet located?
  • Photometry: How bright is the planet, and does its brightness vary with time?
  • Estimation of orbital parameters: How does it move relative to other bodies in the system?
  • Spectrometry: What are the spectral characteristics of the light from the planet?
  • Detection of life: Does the spectrum contain components consistent with living organisms?

Given the advent of high-precision focal plane wavefront control and low-noise fast-frame-rate detectors as well as the ongoing development of new facilities for exoplanet study, our proposed KISS workshop seeks to address several questions related to the development of statistically grounded strategies for detecting faint signals in the presence of both coherent and incoherent backgrounds:

  • What are the fundamental limits to focal-plane wavefront sensing and coherent differential imaging?
  • How is modulation best used in source-speckle discrimination and in speckle control?
  • How do ground-based focal-plane wavefront sensing and control differ from the space-based case?
  • What is the potential impact of new post-processing techniques, and rigorous statistical analyses on the next-generation instruments for extremely large ground- and space-based telescopes?

Monday, August 22, 2016

Hameetman Auditorium, Cahill Building ‐ Caltech

Short Course: Mastering the Wave ‐ The Whys and Hows of Exoplanet Imaging
Introductory Lectures ‐ Open to all interested students, researchers and faculty

Time
Event
Speaker

8:15 - 8:45

Coffee and Refreshments

8:45 - 9:00

Logistics / Introduction to Short Course

Michele Judd
Team Leads

9:00 - 10:00

Exoplanet Direct Imaging Science (45 min talk, 15 min Q&A)

Karl Stapelfeldt

10:00 - 11:00

Exoplanet High Contrasting Imaging Technologies (45 min talk, 15 min Q&A)

Eric Cady
Jared Males

11:00- 11:30

Break

11:30 - 12:30

An Overview of Machine Learning Approaches: Applications to Exoplanet Detection ( 45 min talk, 15 min Q&A)

Rob Fergus

12:30- 1:30

Short Course Ends: Informal Lunch is provided on Cahill Patio

Invitation‐Only Workshop Begins
Keck Center ‐ Think Tank, Room 155

1:30- 1:45

Walk to Keck Center, pick up badge and welcome packet, find seat in the Think Tank

1:45 - 2:30

Workshop Logistics and Introduction to KISS

Michele Judd
Tom Prince

2:30 ‐ 3:00

Participant Introductions

Michele Judd

3:00 ‐ 3:30

Study vision and goals for this workshop

Team Leads

3:30 ‐ 4:00

Break

4:00 ‐ 5:00

Finalize study vision and workshop goals via plenary discussion

Team Leads

5:00 ‐ 5:30

Solicitation of Lightning Talks

Team Leads

5:30 ‐ 6:00

Pack up and walk to the Athenaeum

All

6:00

Dinner at the Athenaeum


Tuesday August 23, 2016

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker

7:30 - 8:30

Institute open for free think time, Tolman/Bacher House rooms available

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and informal breakfast pastries / free think time continued

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Update

Michele Judd
Team Leads

9:15 - 9:45

Wavefront Control (20 mins plus 10 mins Q&A)

A. J. Riggs

9:45 ‐ 10:15

Detector Technology (20 mins plus 10 mins Q&A)

Ben Mazin

10:15 ‐ 10:45

Break

10:45 ‐ 12:15

Determine breakout teams and begin breakout sessions

All

12:15 ‐ 12:30

Group picture, walk to the Athenaeum

12:30 ‐ 2:00

Lunch at the Athenaeum

2:00 ‐ 2:45

Report outs from breakout groups (15 mins each)

Groups

2:45 ‐ 3:30

Early Career Participant Research Briefs/Talks

Early Career
Participants

3:30 ‐ 4:00

Break

4:00 ‐ 5:00

Early Career Participant Research Briefs/Talks

Early Career
Participants

5:00 ‐ 7:00

POSTER SESSION and Informal food truck dinner at the Keck Center (dinner starts at 6:30 pm)


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker

7:30 ‐ 8:30

Institute open for free think time, Tolman/Bacher House rooms available

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and informal breakfast pastries / free think time continued

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Update

Michele Judd
Team Leads

9:15 - 9:45

Post‐Processing (20 mins plus 10 mins Q&A)

Laurent Pueyo

9:45 ‐ 10:30

Lightning talks (3 ‐ each 10 mins plus 5 mins Q&A)

TBD by participants

10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 12:30

Breakout Groups Meet

All

12:30 - 2:00

Lunch at the Athenaeum

2:00 - 3:00

Breakouts (continued)

All

3:00 - 3:45

Return to Plenary Session, Breakout Groups Report Out

All

3:45 ‐ 4:15

Break

4:15 ‐ 5:15

Lightning talks (4 ‐ each 10 mins plus 5 mins Q&A)

Groups

5:15 ‐ 5:45

Plenary Discussion, selection of final breakout groups

All

5:45

Pack up and drive to dinner

All

6:00

Optional: Organized no‐host dinner in Pasadena (KISS to host postdocs and grad students)


Thursday, August 25, 2016

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker

7:30 ‐ 8:30

Institute open for free think time, Tolman/Bacher House rooms available

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and informal breakfast pastries / free think time continued

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Update

Michele Judd
Team Leads

9:15 - 10:15

Final Lightning Talks (4 ‐ each 10 mins plus 5 mins Q&A)

Groups

10:15 ‐ NOON

Breakout Groups Meet (teams are encouraged to include a short break on a team by team basis)

All

NOON ‐ 2:00

Lunch on your own / free think time

2:00 ‐ 2:45

Return to Plenary Session, Breakout Groups Report Out

All

2:45 ‐ 3:30

Plenary Discussion about next steps, outcomes and recommendations for the next 1‐10 years

All

3:30 ‐ 4:00

Break

4:00 ‐ 4:45

Plenary Discussion (continues)

Groups

4:45 ‐ 5:45

Breakout Groups Meet: Advocacy Session

All

5:45

Pack up and walk to Athenaeum

All

6:00

Dinner at the Athenaeum (with spouses / significant others / special guests)


Friday, August 26, 2016

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker

7:30 ‐ 8:30

Institute open for free think time, Tolman/Bacher House rooms available

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and informal breakfast pastries / free think time continued

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Update

Michele Judd
Team Leads

9:15 - 9:45

Report Out from Breakout Groups

All

9:45 ‐ 12:30

Writing Breakout Groups

All

12:30 ‐ 1:30

Informal Lunch at the Institute

1:30 ‐ 2:00

Plenary Session ‐ Report Out Open Topics from Writing Sessions

All

2:00 ‐ 3:00

Plenary Session Discussion ‐ Future Funding Opportunities, Follow‐Up Studies, Other Workshops and Proposals

All

3:00 ‐ 3:30

Break

3:30 ‐ 4:30

Post Workshop Activities and Assignments ‐ Group Discussion

All

4:30 ‐ 5:00

Workshop Closeout

Michele Judd

5:00

Workshop Concludes


Workshop Participants:

  • Vanessa Bailey - Stanford University
  • Michael Bottom - JPL
  • Jim Breckinridge - Caltech
  • Eric Cady - JPL
  • Elodie Choquet - JPL
  • Christian Delacroix – Cornell University
  • Rob Fergus –New York University
  • Michael Fitzgerald – UCLA
  • Richard Frazin - University of Michigan
  • Sean Goebel – University of Hawaii
  • Carlos Gomez Gonzalez – University of Liege
  • Olivier Guyon – University of Arizona & National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)
  • Rebecca Jensen-Clem - Caltech
  • Jeremy Kasdin – Princeton University
  • John Krist - JPL
  • Jared Males - University of Arizona
  • Dimitri Mawet - Caltech
  • Ben Mazin – UC Santa Barbara
  • Bertrand Mennesson - JPL
  • Tiffany Meshkat - JPL
  • David Mouillet – Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de l'Observatoire de Grenoble (LAOG)
  • Laurent Pueyo – Space Telescope Science Institute
  • Roberta Raileanu – New York University
  • A.J. Riggs - JPL
  • Garreth Ruane - Caltech
  • Gene Serabyn - JPL
  • Garima Singh - JPL
  • Karl Stapelfeldt - JPL
  • Gautam Vasisht - JPL
  • J. Kent Wallace - JPL
  • Alex Walter – UC Santa Barbara
  • Ji Wang - Caletch
  • Elizabeth Young – Rhodes College

Short Course Presentations

Karl Stapelfeldt
JPL
Exoplanet Direct Imaging Science
(13.2 MB .pdf)
(video)
Jared Males
University of Arizona
Exoplanet High Contrast Imaging Technologies Ground
(2.7 MB .pdf)
(video)
Eric Cady
JPL
Exoplanet High Contrast Imaging: Space
(2.5 MB .pdf)
Rob Fergus
NYU
Machine Learning for Astronomy
(4.6 MB .pdf)
(video)

Workshop Presentations

Vanessa Bailey
Stanford
AO Telemetry and Performance (Caution: Ground-Based Bias!)
(1.0 MB .pdf)
Michael Bottom
JPL
Focal plane wavefront sensing and companion detection using phase-shifting interferometry
(12.9 MB .pdf)
J. B. Breckinridge
Caltech/University of Arizona
Physical optics of image formation coronagraphs: The Point Spread Function
(5.4 MB .pdf)

Eric Cady

JPL

Exoplanet High Contrast Imaging: Space
(2.5 MB .pdf)
Christian Delacroix
Cornell University
Machine Learning for Astronomy
(2.2 MB .pdf)
Rob Fergus
NYU
Machine Learning for Astronomy
(4.6 MB .pdf)
Richard A. Frazin
University of Michigan
Millisecond Exposures in Ground-Based Exoplanet Imaging
(1.5 MB .pdf)
Carlos Gomez Gonzalez
University of Liege
Post Processing For High-Contrast Imaging
(3.4 MB .pdf)

Rebecca Jensen-Clem
Caltech

Signal Detection Review
(7.1 MB .pdf)

Jared Males
University of Arizona

Exoplanet High Contrast Imaging Technologies Ground
(2.7 MB .pdf)

How to beat the photon noise limit In your WFS&C system
(1.3 MB .pdf)

Ben Mazin

UCSB

MKIDs for Exoplanet Direct Imaging
(6.8 MB .pdf)

Laurent Pueyo
Space Telescope Science Institute
PCA data analysis
(10.4 MB .pdf)
Garreth Ruane
Caltech
Coronagraph Design Considerations
(14.7 MB .pdf)

Karl Stapelfeldt
JPL

Overview of Exoplanet Direct Imaging Science
(13.2 MB .pdf)
J. Kent Wallace
JPL
ZWFS Update
(2.69 MB .pdf)

Ji Wang

Caltech

Reducing AO-Fed High Resolution Spectroscopic Data
(1.0 MB .pdf)