The JWST Early Release Science Program for the Direct Imaging & Spectroscopy of Exoplanetary Systems
Sasha Hinkley, Aarynn L. Carter, Shrishmoy Ray, Andrew Skemer, Beth Biller, Elodie Choquet, Maxwell A. Millar-Blanchaer, Stephanie Sallum, Brittany Miles, Niall… 展开作者
Sasha Hinkley, Aarynn L. Carter, Shrishmoy Ray, Andrew Skemer, Beth Biller, Elodie Choquet, Maxwell A. Millar-Blanchaer, Stephanie Sallum, Brittany Miles, Niall Whiteford, Polychronis Patapis, Marshall D. Perrin, Laurent Pueyo, Glenn Schneider, Karl Stapelfeldt, Jason Wang, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Brendan P. Bowler, Anthony Boccaletti, Julien H. Girard, Dean Hines, Paul Kalas, Jens Kammerer, Pierre Kervella, Jarron Leisenring, Eric Pantin, Yifan Zhou, Michael Meyer, Michael C. Liu, Mickael Bonnefoy, Thayne Currie, Michael McElwain, Stanimir Metchev, Mark Wyatt, Olivier Absil, Jea Adams, Travis Barman, Isabelle Baraffe, Mariangela Bonavita, Mark Booth, Marta Bryan, Gael Chauvin, Christine Chen, Camilla Danielski, Matthew De Furio, Samuel M. Factor, Jonathan J. Fortney, Carol Grady, Alexandra Greenbaum, Thomas Henning, Markus Janson, Grant Kennedy, Matthew Kenworthy, Adam Kraus, Masayuki Kuzuhara, Pierre-Olivier Lagage, Anne-Marie Lagrange, Ralf Launhardt, Cecilia Lazzoni, James Lloyd, Sebastian Marino, Mark Marley, Raquel Martinez, Christian Marois, Brenda Matthews, Elisabeth C. Matthews, Dimitri Mawet, Mark Phillips, Simon Petrus, Sascha P. Quanz, Andreas Quirrenbach, Julien Rameau, Isabel Rebollido, Emily Rickman, Matthias Samland, B. Sargent, Joshua E. Schlieder, Anand Sivaramakrishnan, Jordan M. Stone, Motohide Tamura, Pascal Tremblin, Taichi Uyama, Malavika Vasist, Arthur Vigan, Kevin Wagner, Marie Ygouf
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21 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for Publication in PASP
The direct characterization of exoplanetary systems with high contrast imaging is among the highest priorities for the broader exoplanet community. As large space missions will be necessary for detecting and characterizing exo-Earth twins, developing the techniques and technology for direct imaging of exoplanets is a driving focus for the community. For the first time, JWST will directly observe extrasolar planets at mid-infrared wavelengths beyond 5$μ$m, deliver detailed spectroscopy revealing much more precise chemical abundances and atmospheric conditions, and provide sensitivity to analogs of our solar system ice-giant planets at wide orbital separations, an entirely new class of exoplanet. However, in order to maximise the scientific output over the lifetime of the mission, an exquisite understanding of the instrumental performance of JWST is needed as early in the mission as possible. In this paper, we describe our 55-hour Early Release Science Program that will utilize all four JWST instruments to extend the characterisation of planetary mass companions to $\sim$15$μ$m as well as image a circumstellar disk in the mid-infrared with unprecedented sensitivity. Our program will also assess the performance of the observatory in the key modes expected to be commonly used for exoplanet direct imaging and spectroscopy, optimize data calibration and processing, and generate representative datasets that will enable a broad user base to effectively plan for general observing programs in future cycles.
We present a set of recommended best practices for JWST data collection for members of the community focussed on the direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanetary systems. These findings and recommendations are based on the early analysis of the JWST Early Release Science Program 1386, "High-Contrast Imaging of Exoplanets and Exoplanetary Systems with JWST." Our goal is for this information to be useful for observers in preparation of JWST proposals for Cycle 2 and beyond. In addition to compiling a set of best practices from our ERS program, in a few cases we also draw on the expertise gain…
JWST Exoplanetary Worlds and Elemental Survey (JEWELS) II: Condensation Temperature Trends and Galactic Chemical Evolution in JWST Planet-Hosting Stars
Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, School of Physics and Astronomy, & State Key Laboratory of Dark Matter Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University(上海交通大学物理与天文学院、汤川研究所、暗物质物理国家重点实验室);Department of Physics, King’s College London(伦敦国王学院物理系);Department of Astronomy, Tsinghua University(清华大学天文系);National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院国家天文台)
We present here the first release of the open-source python package ExoTETHyS, which aims to provide a stand-alone set of tools for modeling spectro-photometric observations of the transiting exoplanets. In particular, we describe: (1) a new calculator of stellar limb-darkening coefficients that outperforms the existing software by one order of magnitude in terms of light-curve model accuracy, i.e., down to <10 parts per million (ppm); (2) an exact transit light-curve generator based on the entire stellar intensity profile rather than limb-darkening coefficients. New tools will be added in lat…
We describe how the accurate characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres in the ELT and JWST era will inevitably require taking into consideration the stellar inhomogeneities caused by convection and magnetic fields. The existing evidence that demonstrates the mixture of stellar and planetary signatures in observed transiting spectra is presented. Finally, we discuss how to disentangle these two components through a multipronged approach that includes new solar reference spectra, improved MHD modeling, and synergistic collaborations between the communities involved, from solar to stellar and …
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems. VII. Molecular Mapping Performance with JWST/MIRI MRS: VHS 1256 b as a case study
Johns Hopkins University(约翰斯·霍普金斯大学);Space Telescope Science Institute(太空望远镜科学研究所);Observatoire de Paris(巴黎天文台);CNRS(法国国家科学研究中心);Sorbonne Université(索邦大学);Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux(波尔多天体物理学实验室)
Atmospheric retrievals on exoplanets usually involve computationally intensive Bayesian sampling methods. Large parameter spaces and increasingly complex atmospheric models create a computational bottleneck forcing a trade-off between statistical sampling accuracy and model complexity. It is especially true for upcoming JWST and ARIEL observations. We introduce ExoGAN, the Exoplanet Generative Adversarial Network, a new deep learning algorithm able to recognise molecular features, atmospheric trace-gas abundances and planetary parameters using unsupervised learning. Once trained, ExoGAN is wid…
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems IV: NIRISS Aperture Masking Interferometry Performance and Lessons Learned
Characterization of the atmospheres of transiting exoplanets relies on accurate measurements of the extent of the optically thick area of the planet at multiple wavelengths with a precision $\lesssim$100 parts per million (ppm). Next-generation instruments onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are expected to achieve $\sim$10 ppm precision for several tens of targets. A similar precision can be obtained in modelling only if other astrophysical effects, including the stellar limb-darkening, are accounted for properly. In this paper, we explore the limits on precision due to the mathemat…
Exoplanetary science is on the verge of an unprecedented revolution. The thousands of exoplanets discovered over the past decade have most recently been supplemented by discoveries of potentially habitable planets around nearby low-mass stars. Currently, the field is rapidly progressing towards detailed spectroscopic observations to characterise the atmospheres of these planets. While various surveys from space and ground are expected to detect numerous more exoplanets orbiting nearby stars, the imminent launch of JWST along with large ground-based facilities are expected to revolutionise exop…
From Hubble to HWO: Bridging the Frontier of White Dwarf Exoplanet Science
NOIRLab(国家光学红外天文研究实验室);University of Leicester(莱斯特大学);University of Victoria(维多利亚大学);University of Cambridge(剑桥大学);University of Warwick(华威大学);Center for Astrophysics — Harvard & Smithsonian(哈佛-史密森尼天体物理中心);Space Telescope Science Institute(太空望远镜科学研究所);Université de Montréal(蒙特利尔大学);Centre de recherche en astrophysique du Québec(魁北克天体物理学研究中心);Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic(蒙梅格尼克天文台)
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will perform exoplanet transit spectroscopy in the coming decade promising transformative science results. All four instruments on board can be used for this technique which reconstructs the atmospheric transmission or emission spectrum of an exoplanet from wavelength-dependent light curve measurements. Astrophysical and instrumental noise and systematics can affect the precision and accuracy of the final spectrum, and hence, the atmospheric properties derived from the spectrum. Correlated noise and time-dependent systematics that can bias the measured sig…
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems II: A 1 to 20 Micron Spectrum of the Planetary-Mass Companion VHS 1256-1257 b
We use globular cluster data from the Resolved Stellar Populations Early Release Science (ERS) program to validate the flux calibration for the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We find a significant flux offset between the eight short wavelength detectors, ranging from 1-23% (about 0.01-0.2 mag) that affects all NIRCam imaging observations. We deliver improved zeropoints for the ERS filters and show that alternate zeropoints derived by the community also improve the calibration significantly. We also find that the detector offsets appear to be time variab…
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems III: Aperture Masking Interferometric Observations of the star HIP 65426 at 3.8 um
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems V: Do Self-Consistent Atmospheric Models Represent JWST Spectra? A Showcase With VHS 1256 b
In this chapter we examine how our knowledge of present day Venus can inform terrestrial exoplanetary science and how exoplanetary science can inform our study of Venus. In a superficial way the contrasts in knowledge appear stark. We have been looking at Venus for millennia and studying it via telescopic observations for centuries. Spacecraft observations began with Mariner 2 in 1962 when we confirmed that Venus was a hothouse planet, rather than the tropical paradise science fiction pictured. As long as our level of exploration and understanding of Venus remains far below that of Mars, major…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), currently scheduled to launch in 2021, will dramatically advance our understanding of exoplanetary systems with its ability to directly image and characterise planetary-mass companions at wide separations through coronagraphy. Using state-of-the-art simulations of JWST performance, in combination with the latest evolutionary models, we present the most sophisticated simulated mass sensitivity limits of JWST coronagraphy to date. In particular, we focus our efforts towards observations of members within the nearby young moving groups $β$ Pictoris and TW Hy…
Transmission spectroscopy of exoplanets has revealed signatures of water vapor, aerosols, and alkali metals in a few dozen exoplanet atmospheres. However, these previous inferences with the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes were hindered by the observations' relatively narrow wavelength range and spectral resolving power, which precluded the unambiguous identification of other chemical species$-$in particular the primary carbon-bearing molecules. Here we report a broad-wavelength 0.5-5.5 $μ$m atmospheric transmission spectrum of WASP-39 b, a 1200 K, roughly Saturn-mass, Jupiter-radius exopla…
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems VIII: patchy forsterite and enstatite clouds in the atmosphere of VHS 1256 b, retrieval lessons learned and outlook to the future
American Museum of Natural History(美国自然历史博物馆);University of Hertfordshire(赫特福德大学);Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin(都柏林三一学院,都柏林大学);Universidad de Valparaíso(瓦尔帕莱索大学);Millennium Nucleus on Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS)(系外行星及其卫星年轻世代千年核(YEMS));Universidad de Santiago de Chile(智利圣地亚哥大学);ETH Zurich(苏黎世联邦理工学院)
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems I: High Contrast Imaging of the Exoplanet HIP 65426 b from 2-16 $μ$m
Detection of CO, H$_2$O, and OH in WASP-18b with JWST/NIRISS using Direct-Extracted Spectra and Cross-Correlation
University of Science and Technology of China(中国科学技术大学);Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院);Purple Mountain Observatory(紫金山天文台);Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias(加那利天体物理研究所);Universidad de La Laguna(拉各拉纳大学)
Phosphine could be a key molecule in the understanding of exotic chemistry happening in (exo)planetary atmospheres. While it has been detected in the Solar System's giant planets, it has not been observed in exoplanets yet. In the exoplanetary context however it has been theorized as a potential biosignature molecule. The goal of our study is to identify which illustrative science cases for PH3 chemistry are observable with a space-based mid-infrared nulling interferometric observatory like the LIFE (Large Interferometer For Exoplanets) concept. We identified a representative set of scenarios …
Pyrat Bay 2.0: an Upgraded Framework for Exoplanet Atmosphere Modeling in the JWST Era
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences(奥地利科学院空间研究所);INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino(意大利国家天体物理研究所都灵天文台);Department of Physics, New York University Abu Dhabi(阿布扎比纽约大学物理系);Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS), New York University Abu Dhabi(阿布扎比纽约大学天体物理学与空间科学中心);Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - CSIC(安达卢西亚天体物理研究所-西班牙国家研究委员会)
Pyrat Bay 2.0框架新增chemcat等功能,经代码验证后用于气态巨行星大气研究,发现JWST数据可准确恢复大气垂直丰度变化,忽略该变化会导致丰度约束偏差。
We present observations of WASP-63b by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) as part of "A Preparatory Program to Identify the Single Best Transiting Exoplanet for JWST Early Release Science". WASP-63b is one of the community targets under consideration for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Science (ERS) program. We present a spectrum derived from a single observation by HST Wide Field Camera 3 in the near infrared. We engaged groups across the transiting exoplanet community to participate in the analysis of the data and present results from each. There is general agreement amongs…
The James Webb Space Telescope will revolutionize transiting exoplanet atmospheric science due to its capability for continuous, long-duration observations and its larger collecting area, spectral coverage, and spectral resolution compared to existing space-based facilities. However, it is unclear precisely how well JWST will perform and which of its myriad instruments and observing modes will be best suited for transiting exoplanet studies. In this article, we describe a prefatory JWST Early Release Science (ERS) program that focuses on testing specific observing modes to quickly give the com…
Transmission spectroscopy provides insight into the atmospheric properties and consequently the formation history, physics, and chemistry of transiting exoplanets. However, obtaining precise inferences of atmospheric properties from transmission spectra requires simultaneously measuring the strength and shape of multiple spectral absorption features from a wide range of chemical species. This has been challenging given the precision and wavelength coverage of previous observatories. Here, we present the transmission spectrum of the Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b obtained using the SOSS mode of…
NASA's Pandora SmallSat Mission: Simulated Modeling and Retrieval of Near-Infrared Exoplanet Transmission Spectra
Space Science Institute(空间科学研究所);Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory(劳伦斯利弗莫尔国家实验室);School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University(亚利桑那州立大学地球与空间探索学院);Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology(麻省理工学院地球、大气与行星科学系);Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology(麻省理工学院卡弗里天体物理与空间研究研究所);NASA Goddard Space Flight Center(美国宇航局戈达德太空飞行中心);Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona(亚利桑那大学斯图尔德天文台);Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, The University of Arizona(亚利桑那大学月球与行星实验室)
The third Gaia data release includes a catalog of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates identified via the star's astrometric motion. This paper reports on tests for consistency between the Gaia two-body orbital solutions and precise Doppler velocities, for the stars currently amenable to such a comparison. For BD 17-0063, HD 81040, and HD 132406, the Gaia orbital solution and the Doppler data were found to be consistent, and were fitted jointly to obtain the best possible constraints on the planets' orbits and masses. Inconsistencies were found for 4 stars: HD 111232, probably due to additional…
Measuring the metallicity and carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio in exoplanet atmospheres is a fundamental step towards constraining the dominant chemical processes at work and, if in equilibrium, revealing planet formation histories. Transmission spectroscopy provides the necessary means by constraining the abundances of oxygen- and carbon-bearing species; however, this requires broad wavelength coverage, moderate spectral resolution, and high precision that, together, are not achievable with previous observatories. Now that JWST has commenced science operations, we are able to observe exoplanets a…
Measuring the abundances of carbon and oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres is considered a crucial avenue for unlocking the formation and evolution of exoplanetary systems. Access to an exoplanet's chemical inventory requires high-precision observations, often inferred from individual molecular detections with low-resolution space-based and high-resolution ground-based facilities. Here we report the medium-resolution (R$\sim$600) transmission spectrum of an exoplanet atmosphere between 3-5 $μ$m covering multiple absorption features for the Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b, obtained with JWST NIRSpec…
Young giant planets are the best targets for characterization with direct imaging. The Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) of the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will give access to the first spectroscopic data for direct imaging above 5 $μ$m with unprecedented sensitivity at a spectral resolution up to 3700. This will provide a valuable complement to near-infrared data from ground-based instruments for characterizing these objects. We aim to evaluate the performance of MIRI/MRS to detect molecules in the atmosphere of exoplanets and t…
Several of NASA missions (TESS, JWST, WFIRST, etc.) and mission concepts (LUVOIR, HabEx, and OST) emphasize the exploration and characterization of exoplanets, and the study of the interstellar medium. We anticipate that a much broader set of chemical environments exists on exoplanets, necessitating data from a correspondingly broader set of chemical reactions. Similarly, the conditions that exist in astrophysical environments are very different from those traditionally probed in laboratory chemical kinetics studies. These are areas where quantum mechanical theory, applied to important reactio…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is expected to revolutionize the field of exoplanets. The broad wavelength coverage and the high sensitivity of its instruments will allow characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres with unprecedented precision. Following the Call for the Cycle 1 Early Release Science Program, the Transiting Exoplanet Community was awarded time to observe several targets, including WASP-43b. The atmosphere of this hot Jupiter has been intensively observed but still harbors some mysteries, especially concerning the day-night temperature gradient, the efficiency of the atm…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) presents the opportunity to transform our understanding of planets and the origins of life by revealing the atmospheric compositions, structures, and dynamics of transiting exoplanets in unprecedented detail. However, the high-precision, time-series observations required for such investigations have unique technical challenges, and prior experience with other facilities indicates that there will be a steep learning curve when JWST becomes operational. In this paper we describe the science objectives and detailed plans of the Transiting Exoplanet Community …
Exoplanetary atmospheric retrieval refers to the inference of atmospheric properties of an exoplanet given an observed spectrum. The atmospheric properties include the chemical compositions, temperature profiles, clouds/hazes, and energy circulation. These properties, in turn, can provide key insights into the atmospheric physicochemical processes of exoplanets as well as their formation mechanisms. Major advancements in atmospheric retrieval have been made in the last decade, thanks to a combination of state-of-the-art spectroscopic observations and advanced atmospheric modeling and statistic…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is nearing its launch date of 2018, and will undoubtedly revolutionize our knowledge of exoplanet atmospheres. While several studies have explored what the limits of the telescope will be in terms of exoplanet characterization, less has been done to specifically identify which observing modes will be most useful for characterizing a diverse range of exoplanetary atmospheres. We use an information content based approach commonly used in the studies of Solar System atmospheres. We develop a system based upon these information content methods to trace the ins…
With the upcoming launch of space telescopes dedicated to the study of exoplanets, the \textit{Atmospheric Remote-Sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey} (ARIEL) and the \textit{James Webb Space Telescope} (JWST), a new era is opening in the exoplanetary atmospheric explorations. However, especially in relatively cold planets around later-type stars, photochemical hazes and clouds may mask the composition of the lower part of the atmosphere, making it difficult to detect any chemical species in the troposphere or to understand whether there is a surface or not. This issue is particularly exac…
A Next-Generation Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrieval Framework for Transmission Spectroscopy (NEXOTRANS): Comparative Characterization for WASP-39 b Using JWST NIRISS, NIRSpec PRISM, and MIRI Observations
Quantifying the differences in transmission and emission spectra for hot irradiated gaseous exoplanet atmospheres: A comparison of 1D and 3D modeling using JWST
A Next-Generation Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrieval Framework NEXOTRANS for Emission Spectroscopy: New Constraints and Atmospheric Characterization of WASP-69b Using JWST NIRCam and MIRI Observations
The Mid-Infrared instrument (MIRI) on board the James Webb Space Telescope will perform the first ever characterization of young giant exoplanets observed by direct imaging in the 5-28 microns spectral range. This wavelength range is key for both determining the bolometric luminosity of the cool known exoplanets and for accessing the strongest ammonia bands. In conjunction with shorter wavelength observations, MIRI will enable a more accurate characterization of the exoplanetary atmospheric properties. Here we consider a subsample of the currently known exoplanets detected by direct imaging an…
We highlight how guaranteed time observations (GTOs) and early release science (ERS) will advance understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and provide a glimpse into what transiting exoplanet science will be done with JWST during its first year of operations. These observations of 27 transiting planets will deliver significant insights into the compositions, chemistry, clouds, and thermal profiles of warm-to-hot gas-dominated planets well beyond what we have learned from HST, Spitzer, and other observatories to date. These data and insights will in turn inform our understanding of planet formati…
Advancements in our understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres, from massive gas giants down to rocky worlds, depend on the constructive challenges between observations and models. We are now on a clear trajectory for improvements in exoplanet observations that will revolutionize our ability to characterize the atmospheric structure, composition, and circulation of these worlds. These improvements stem from significant investments in new missions and facilities, such as JWST and the several planned ground-based extremely large telescopes. However, while exoplanet science currently has a wide ra…
Exoplanets with cloud-free, haze-free atmospheres at the pressures probed by transmission spectroscopy represent a valuable opportunity for detailed atmospheric characterization and precise chemical abundance constraints. We present the first optical to infrared (0.3-5 microns) transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-62b, measured with Hubble/STIS and Spitzer/IRAC. The spectrum is characterized by a 5.1-sigma detection of Na I absorption at 0.59 microns, in which the pressure-broadened wings of the Na D-lines are observed from space for the first time. A spectral feature at 0.4 microns i…