TY - JOUR
T1 - Detection and characterization of circumstellar material with a WFIRST or EXO-C coronagraphic instrument
T2 - Simulations and observational methods
AU - Schneider, Glenn
AU - Hines, Dean C.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors are most thankful for the collaboration, helpful suggestions, and information provided by Thomas Greene on WFIRST coronagraphic instrument image simulations. The authors are grateful to M. Kuchner and C. Stark for scattered light models and use of their Zodipic code, W. Traub for details of anticipated WFIRST performance expectations and limitations, J. Krist for point spread function and coronagraphic reference data, and the members of the HST/GO 12228 team in the development of the science case discussed herein. The authors thank B. Whitney for assistance with numerical scattering models. The authors also wish to thank A. Roberge, J. Graham, H. Maness, and M. Perrin for their insightful discussions. The authors gratefully acknowledge NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program for supporting this study on behalf of the WFIRST Science Definition Team and the Exo-S and Exo-C Science and Technology Definition Teams. This study was conducted, in part, with support to G. Schneider from NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Office.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - The capabilities of a high (∼10-9 resel-1) contrast narrow-field coronagraphic instrument (CGI) on a space-based WFIRST-C or probe-class EXO-C/S mission are particularly and importantly germane to symbiotic studies of the systems of circumstellar material from which planets have emerged and interact with throughout their lifetimes. The small particle populations in "disks" of co-orbiting materials can trace the presence of planets through dynamical interactions that perturb the spatial distribution of light-scattering debris, which is detectable at visible wavelengths and resolvable with a WFIRST-C or EXO-S/C CGI. Herein, we (1) present the scientific case to study the formation, evolution, architectures, diversity, and properties of the material in the planet-hosting regions of nearby stars; (2) discuss how a CGI under current conception can uniquely inform and contribute to those investigations; (3) consider the applicability of CGI-anticipated performance for circumstellar debris system studies; (4) investigate, through WFIRST CGI image simulations, the anticipated interpretive fidelity and metrical results from specific representative zodiacal debris disk observations; (5) comment on specific observational modes and methods germane to and augmenting circumstellar debris system observations; and (6) present a case for augmenting future CGI instrumentation with the capability to obtain full linear-Stokes imaging polarimetery, which greatly benefits characterization of the material properties of circumstellar dust and exoplanet atmospheres (discussed in other studies).
AB - The capabilities of a high (∼10-9 resel-1) contrast narrow-field coronagraphic instrument (CGI) on a space-based WFIRST-C or probe-class EXO-C/S mission are particularly and importantly germane to symbiotic studies of the systems of circumstellar material from which planets have emerged and interact with throughout their lifetimes. The small particle populations in "disks" of co-orbiting materials can trace the presence of planets through dynamical interactions that perturb the spatial distribution of light-scattering debris, which is detectable at visible wavelengths and resolvable with a WFIRST-C or EXO-S/C CGI. Herein, we (1) present the scientific case to study the formation, evolution, architectures, diversity, and properties of the material in the planet-hosting regions of nearby stars; (2) discuss how a CGI under current conception can uniquely inform and contribute to those investigations; (3) consider the applicability of CGI-anticipated performance for circumstellar debris system studies; (4) investigate, through WFIRST CGI image simulations, the anticipated interpretive fidelity and metrical results from specific representative zodiacal debris disk observations; (5) comment on specific observational modes and methods germane to and augmenting circumstellar debris system observations; and (6) present a case for augmenting future CGI instrumentation with the capability to obtain full linear-Stokes imaging polarimetery, which greatly benefits characterization of the material properties of circumstellar dust and exoplanet atmospheres (discussed in other studies).
KW - circumstellar disks
KW - circumstellar dust
KW - coronagraphy
KW - high-contrast imaging
KW - polarimetry
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U2 - 10.1117/1.JATIS.2.1.011022
DO - 10.1117/1.JATIS.2.1.011022
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84966908118
SN - 2329-4124
VL - 2
JO - Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
JF - Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
IS - 1
M1 - 011022
ER -