KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

     

Innovative Approaches to Exoplanet Spectra

November 10-13, 2009
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Workshop Overview:

We took a fresh look at exoplanet characterization science from the point of view of new instruments that could do breakthrough science or that could pave the way for the next generation of space missions. We were especially interested in generating ideas for near-term projects from innovative observing platforms, including but not limited to aircraft, balloons, rockets, and the International Space Station, with the understanding that these platforms may afford quicker access to near-space, and at lower cost, than a full space mission.

R. Carlson's notes from the study can be found here (pdf)

Workshop Participants:

  • Konstantin Batygin - Caltech
  • Chas A. Beichman - Caltech
  • Dan Belden - USAF
  • Rus Belikov - NASA Ames Reserach Center
  • Beth A. Biller - University of Hawaii
  • Jeff Booth - JPL
  • Eric Cady - Princeton University
  • Kerri Cahoy - NASA Ames Research Center
  • Roger Carlson - JPL
  • Joseph Carroll - Tether Applications Inc
  • Supriya Chakrabarti - Boston University
  • Pin Chen - JPL
  • Arvid P. Croonquist - JPL
  • Carl J. Grillmair - Caltech
  • Joseph Harrington - University of Central Florida
  • Brian Hicks - Boston University
  • Lynn Hillenbrand - Caltech
  • John A. Johnson - Caltech
  • Jeremy Kasdin - Princeton University
  • Nancy Kiang - NASA GISS
  • John Krist - JPL
  • Michael Line - Caltech
  • Tom H. Mace - NASA/DFRC
  • Bruce Macintosh - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Mark S. Marley - NASA Ames Research Center
  • Taro Matsuo - National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
  • Bertrand Mennesson - JPL
  • Calvin Netterfield - University of Toronto
  • Lewis C. Roberts - JPL
  • Rocco Samuele - Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
  • Dmitry Savransky - Princeton University
  • Gene Serabyn - JPL
  • Michael Shao - JPL
  • Steve Smith - Southwest Research Institute
  • Remi Soummer - Space Telescope Science Institute
  • Karl R. Stapelfeldt - JPL
  • Mark Swain - JPL
  • Wes A. Traub - JPL
  • John Trauger - JPL
  • Mitchell Troy - JPL
  • Stephen C. Unwin - JPL
  • Gautam Vasisht - JPL
  • Eliot Young - Southwest Reseach Institute
  • Erick Young - NASA Ames Research Center
  • Yuk Yung - Caltech

Short Course

Exoplanet Science: What we know now, what we could know, what we are likely to know

Chas Beichman
Caltech

Debris Disks: Challenge and Opportunity for the Detection of Exoplanets
(.pdf)

Lynne Hillenbrand
Caltech

Zody
(.pdf)

John Johnson
Caltech

Exoplanet properties, system architectures, and host stars
(.pdf)

Jeremy Kasdin
Princeton University

Planetary System Stability and Evolution
(.pdf)

Nancy Kiang

Photosynthetic Biosignatures JPL/GISS
(.pdf)

Yuk Yung
Caltech

Atmospheres of Exoplanets
(.pdf)

Exoplanet Techniques and Instrumentation: What's possible, what's easy, what's hard

Carl Grillmair
Caltech

Combined light transits, photometry and spectroscopy
(.pdf)

Mike Shao
JPL

Astrometry and Microlensing
(.pdf)

John Trauger
JPL

Direct detection: colors and spectroscopy
(.pdf)



Workshop Presentations

Wes Traub,
Yuk Yung

Workshop objectives and organization
(.pdf)

Near-term Science Goals

Joe Harrington
University of Central Florida

Multichannel Spitzer Observations of HD 149026b
(.pdf)

Mark Marley
NASA Ames Research Center

Spectra of Cool Giants
(.pdf)

Wes Traub
JPL

Super Earths: Reflection and Emission Spectra
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from Aircraft Platforms

Tom Mace
NASA/ Dryden Flight Research Center

Airborne Science Program: Observing Platforms for Earth System Science Investigations
(.pdf)

Erick Young
SOFIA Science and Mission Operations Center

SOFIA: The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from Balloon Platforms

Jeff Booth
JPL

Precision Pointing for Balloon Payloads: Some Initial Analysis
(.pdf)

Pin Chen
JPL

Balloon Environment
(.pdf)

Barth Netterfield
University of Toronto

Stratospheric Balloons
(.pdf)

Steve Smith
Southwest Research Institute

Scientific Ballooning & Lighter-Than Atmosphere (LTA) Vehicles
(.pdf)

Remi Soummer
Space Telescope Science Institute

Coronography from Balloons
(.pdf)

Eliot Young
Southwest Research Institute

Low Cost Access to Near Space (LCANS09): Bridging the Gap
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from suborbital rocket platforms

Supriya Chakrabarti
Center for Space Physics, Boston University

Exoplanets from Sounding Rockets: The PICTURE Experience and Some Random Thoughts
(.pdf)

Mike Shao
JPL

A Nulling AO Coronagraph on a Sounding Rocket Design & Implementation Considerations
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from commercial rockets

Matthew Isakowitz (via Webex)
Commercial Spaceflight Federation

Science opportunities with commercial rockets
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from orbiting platforms (secondary payloads, Air Force, etc.). Getting to orbit (LEO, MEO, HEO, L2, Drift)

Joe Carroll
Tether Applications

Missions, Rides and Payload Classes: Available Options and Key Issues
(.pdf)

Joe Harrington
University of Central Florida

Combined Light Photometry on Orbiting Platforms
(.pdf)

Taro Matsuo
NAOJ

ISS/JEM
(.pdf)

Remi Soummer
Space Telescope Science Institute

Coronography from Orbiting Platforms
(.pdf)

Eliot Young
Southwest Research Institute

Planetary Science Experiments as Hosted Payloads on Commercial Satellites
(.pdf)

Exoplanets from the International Space Station (ISS)

Mike Clayton (call in)
NASA/JSC

Airborne Imaging and Recording System (AIRS) and WB-57 Ascent Video Experiment (WAVE)
(.pdf)

Arvid Croonquist
JPL

ISS: Summary of Platform Specifications
(.pdf)

David Miller (call in)
MIT Space Systems Laboratory

Using ISS and Micro-Satellites in Support of Exo-Planet Detection and Characterization
(.pdf)