Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:1112.2728)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (24) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
EChO. Exoplanet characterisation observatory
Authors:
Tinetti, G.; Beaulieu, J. P.; Henning, T.; Meyer, M.; Micela, G.; Ribas, I.; Stam, D.; Swain, M.; Krause, O.; Ollivier, M.; Pace, E.; Swinyard, B.; Aylward, A.; van Boekel, R.; Coradini, A.; Encrenaz, T.; Snellen, I.; Zapatero-Osorio, M. R.; Bouwman, J.; Cho, J. Y.-K.; Coudé de Foresto, V.; Guillot, T.; Lopez-Morales, M.; Mueller-Wodarg, I.; Palle, E.; Selsis, F.; Sozzetti, A.; Ade, P. A. R.; Achilleos, N.; Adriani, A.; Agnor, C. B.; Afonso, C.; Allende Prieto, C.; Bakos, G.; Barber, R. J.; Barlow, M.; Batista, V.; Bernath, P.; Bézard, B.; Bordé, P.; Brown, L. R.; Cassan, A.; Cavarroc, C.; Ciaravella, A.; Cockell, C.; Coustenis, A.; Danielski, C.; Decin, L.; De Kok, R.; Demangeon, O.; Deroo, P.; Doel, P.; Drossart, P.; Fletcher, L. N.; Focardi, M.; Forget, F.; Fossey, S.; Fouqué, P.; Frith, J.; Galand, M.; Gaulme, P.; Hernández, J. I. González; Grasset, O.; Grassi, D.; Grenfell, J. L.; Griffin, M. J.; Griffith, C. A.; Grözinger, U.; Guedel, M.; Guio, P.; Hainaut, O.; Hargreaves, R.; Hauschildt, P. H.; Heng, K.; Heyrovsky, D.; Hueso, R.; Irwin, P.; Kaltenegger, L.; Kervella, P.; Kipping, D.; Koskinen, T. T.; Kovács, G.; La Barbera, A.; Lammer, H.; Lellouch, E.; Leto, G.; Lopez Morales, M.; Lopez Valverde, M. A.; Lopez-Puertas, M.; Lovis, C.; Maggio, A.; Maillard, J. P.; Maldonado Prado, J.; Marquette, J. B.; Martin-Torres, F. J.; Maxted, P.; Miller, S.; Molinari, S.; Montes, D.; Moro-Martin, A.; Moses, J. I.; Mousis, O.; Nguyen Tuong, N.; Nelson, R.; Orton, G. S.; Pantin, E.; Pascale, E.; Pezzuto, S.; Pinfield, D.; Poretti, E.; Prinja, R.; Prisinzano, L.; Rees, J. M.; Reiners, A.; Samuel, B.; Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Forcada, J. Sanz; Sasselov, D.; Savini, G.; Sicardy, B.; Smith, A.; Stixrude, L.; Strazzulla, G.; Tennyson, J.; Tessenyi, M.; Vasisht, G.; Vinatier, S.; Viti, S.; Waldmann, I.; White, G. J.; Widemann, T.; Wordsworth, R.; Yelle, R.; Yung, Y.; Yurchenko, S. N.
Affiliation:
AA(University College London), AB(Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris), AC(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), AD(Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule), AE(INAF, Palermo), AF(IEEC-CSIC, Institut de Ciencies de l'Espai), AG(SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research), AH(Jet Propulsion Laboratory), AI(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), AJ(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), AK(Un. Firenze), AL(UCL-RAL), AM(University College London), AN(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), AO(INAF, Palermo), AP(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), AQ(University of Leiden), AR(CAB), AS(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), AT(QMUL), AU(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), AV(Obs. Nice), AW(IEEC), AX(Imperial College), AY(IAC), AZ(Un. Bordeaux), BA(INAF, Palermo), BB(Cardiff University), BC(University College London), BD(INAF, Palermo), BE(QMUL), BF(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), BG(IAC), BH(Princeton), BI(University College London), BJ(University College London), BK(Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris), BL(University of York), BM(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), BN(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), BO(Jet Propulsion Laboratory), BP(Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris), BQ(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), BR(INAF, Palermo), BS(ROE), BT(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), BU(University College London), BV(IvS), BW(SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research), BX(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), BY(Jet Propulsion Laboratory), BZ(University College London), CA(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), CB(University of Oxford), CC(Un. Firenze), CD(LMD), CE(University College London), CF(Obs-MIP), CG(UH), CH(Imperial College), CI(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), CJ(IAC), CK(Un. Nantes), CL(INAF, Palermo), CM(TUB), CN(Cardiff University), CO(UoA), CP(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), CQ(Un. Vienna), CR(University College London), CS(ESO), CT(University of York), CU(HS), CV(Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule), CW(CU Prague), CX(EHU Bilbao), CY(University of Oxford), CZ(Max Planck Institut fur Astronomie), DA(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), DB(CfA-UCL, CfA), DC(UoA), DD(Konkoly Obs.), DE(INAF, Palermo), DF(Un. Graz), DG(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), DH(INAF/OACt), DI(IEEC), DJ(IAA/CSIC), DK(IAA-CSIC), DL(Obs. Geneve), DM(INAF/OAPa), DN(Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris), DO(UAM), DP(Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris), DQ(CAB), DR(Un. Keele), DS(University College London), DT(Un. Firenze), DU(UCM), DV(CAB), DW(SSI), DX(Obs. Besancon), DY(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), DZ(QMUL), EA(Jet Propulsion Laboratory), EB(CEA), EC(Cardiff University), ED(IFSI-INAF), EE(UH), EF(INAF/OAMi), EG(University College London), EH(INAF-OAPa), EI(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), EJ(IAG), EK(Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale), EL(EHU Bilbao), EM(CAB), EN(CfA-UCL, CfA), EO(University College London), EP(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), EQ(MSSL), ER(University College London), ES(INAF/OACt), ET(University College London), EU(University College London), EV(Jet Propulsion Laboratory), EW(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), EX(University College London), EY(University College London), EZ(OU-RAL), FA(LESIA, Obs. de Paris), FB(LMD), FC(UoA), FD(Caltech), FE(University College London)
Publication:
Experimental Astronomy, Volume 34, Issue 2, pp.311-353 (ExA Homepage)
Publication Date:
10/2012
Origin:
SPRINGER
Keywords:
Exoplanets, Planetary atmospheres, Space mission
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2012: Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
DOI:
10.1007/s10686-012-9303-4
Bibliographic Code:
2012ExA....34..311T

Abstract

A dedicated mission to investigate exoplanetary atmospheres represents a major milestone in our quest to understand our place in the universe by placing our Solar System in context and by addressing the suitability of planets for the presence of life. EChO---the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory---is a mission concept specifically geared for this purpose. EChO will provide simultaneous, multi-wavelength spectroscopic observations on a stable platform that will allow very long exposures. The use of passive cooling, few moving parts and well established technology gives a low-risk and potentially long-lived mission. EChO will build on observations by Hubble, Spitzer and ground-based telescopes, which discovered the first molecules and atoms in exoplanetary atmospheres. However, EChO's configuration and specifications are designed to study a number of systems in a consistent manner that will eliminate the ambiguities affecting prior observations. EChO will simultaneously observe a broad enough spectral region---from the visible to the mid-infrared---to constrain from one single spectrum the temperature structure of the atmosphere, the abundances of the major carbon and oxygen bearing species, the expected photochemically-produced species and magnetospheric signatures. The spectral range and resolution are tailored to separate bands belonging to up to 30 molecules and retrieve the composition and temperature structure of planetary atmospheres. The target list for EChO includes planets ranging from Jupiter-sized with equilibrium temperatures T eq up to 2,000 K, to those of a few Earth masses, with T eq u223c 300 K. The list will include planets with no Solar System analog, such as the recently discovered planets GJ1214b, whose density lies between that of terrestrial and gaseous planets, or the rocky-iron planet 55 Cnc e, with day-side temperature close to 3,000 K. As the number of detected exoplanets is growing rapidly each year, and the mass and radius of those detected steadily decreases, the target list will be constantly adjusted to include the most interesting systems. We have baselined a dispersive spectrograph design covering continuously the 0.4-16 mum spectral range in 6 channels (1 in the visible, 5 in the InfraRed), which allows the spectral resolution to be adapted from several tens to several hundreds, depending on the target brightness. The instrument will be mounted behind a 1.5 m class telescope, passively cooled to 50 K, with the instrument structure and optics passively cooled to u223c45 K. EChO will be placed in a grand halo orbit around L2. This orbit, in combination with an optimised thermal shield design, provides a highly stable thermal environment and a high degree of visibility of the sky to observe repeatedly several tens of targets over the year. Both the baseline and alternative designs have been evaluated and no critical items with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) less than 4-5 have been identified. We have also undertaken a first-order cost and development plan analysis and find that EChO is easily compatible with the ESA M-class mission framework.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
  New!

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints