A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL
Journal article, 2018
Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.
Exoplanets
Molecular signatures
IR spectroscopy
Space missions
Author
G. Tinetti
University College London (UCL)
P. Drossart
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
P. Eccleston
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
P. Hartogh
Max Planck Society
Astrid Heske
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
J. Leconte
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux
G. Micela
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M. Ollivier
Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale
G.L. Pilbratt
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
L. Puig
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
Diego Turrini
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
B. Vandenbussche
KU Leuven
Paulina Wolkenberg
Polish Academy of Sciences
J.P. Beaulieu
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Lars A. Buchave
University of Vienna
Martin Ferus
Czech Academy of Sciences
Matt Griffin
Cardiff University
M. Guedel
University of Vienna
Kay Justtanont
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
P. O. Lagage
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Pedro Machado
Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA)
Giuseppe Malaguti
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M. Min
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
H. U. Norgaard-Nielsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Mirek Rataj
Polish Academy of Sciences
Tom Ray
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
I. Ribas
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Mark Swain
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Robert Szabo
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Stephanie Werner
University of Oslo
J. Barstow
University College London (UCL)
Matt Burleigh
University Of Leicester
James Cho
Queen Mary University of London
V. C. du Foresto
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
A. Coustenis
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
L. Decin
KU Leuven
T. Encrenaz
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Marina Galand
Imperial College London
Michaël Gillon
University of Liège
R. Helled
University of Zürich
Juan Carlos Morales
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Antonio García Muñoz
Technische Universität Berlin
Andrea Moneti
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
I. Pagano
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Enzo Pascale
Sapienza University of Rome
Giuseppe Piccioni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
D. Pinfield
University of Hertfordshire
Subhajit Sarkar
Cardiff University
F. Selsis
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux
Jonathan Tennyson
University College London (UCL)
Amaury Triaud
University of Cambridge
Olivia Venot
University of Paris-Est
Ingo Waldmann
University College London (UCL)
David Waltham
Royal Holloway University of London
G. Wright
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
J. Amiaux
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
J. L. Augueres
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Michel Berthé
Queen Mary University of London
Naidu Bezawada
University of Oxford
Georgia Bishop
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Neil Bowles
University of Oxford
Deirdre Coffey
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Josep Colomé
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Martin Crook
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Pierre Elie Crouzet
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
Vania Da Peppo
Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies
Isabel Escudero Sanz
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
Mauro Focardi
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
Martin Frericks
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Tom Hunt
University College London (UCL)
Ralf Kohley
European Space Operations Centre
Kevin Middleton
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Gianluca Morgante
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
R. Ottensamer
University of Vienna
Emanuele Pace
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
C. Pearson
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
R. Stamper
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Kate Symonds
European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)
M. Rengel
Max Planck Society
E. Renotte
University of Liège
Peter Ade
Cardiff University
Laura Affer
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Christophe Alard
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Nicole Allard
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
Francesca Altieri
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Yves André
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Claudio Arena
University College London (UCL)
Ioannis Argyriou
KU Leuven
Alan Aylward
University College London (UCL)
Cristian Baccani
University of Florence
Gaspar Bakos
Princeton University
M. Banaszkiewicz
Polish Academy of Sciences
Mike Barlow
University College London (UCL)
Virginie Batista
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Giancarlo Bellucci
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Serena Benatti
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Pernelle Bernardi
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Bruno Bézard
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Maria Blecka
Polish Academy of Sciences
Emeline Bolmont
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Bertrand Bonfond
Queen Mary University of London
Rosaria Bonito
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
A. S. Bonomo
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
John Robert Brucato
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
Allan Sacha Brun
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Ian Bryson
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Waldemar Bujwan
Polish Academy of Sciences
Sarah Casewell
University Of Leicester
Bejamin Charnay
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Cesare Cecchi Pestellini
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Guo Chen
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
Angela Ciaravella
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Riccardo Claudi
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Rodolphe Clédassou
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Mario Damasso
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Mario Damiano
University College London (UCL)
Camilla Danielski
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
P. Deroo
KU Leuven
A. M. di Giorgio
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
C. Dominik
University of Amsterdam
Vanessa Doublier
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Simon Doyle
Cardiff University
René Doyon
Université de Montréal
Benjamin Drummond
University of Exeter
Bastien Duong
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
S. Eales
Cardiff University
Billy Edwards
University College London (UCL)
Maria Farina
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Ettore Flaccomio
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Leigh Fletcher
University Of Leicester
F. Forget
University Paris-Saclay
Steve Fossey
University College London (UCL)
Markus Fränz
Max Planck Society
Yuka Fujii
ELSI
Álvaro García-Piquer
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
W. K. Gear
Cardiff University
Hervé Geoffray
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Jean Claude Gérard
University of Liège
Lluis Gesa
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
H. L. Gomez
Cardiff University
Rafał Graczyk
Polish Academy of Sciences
C. Griffith
University of Arizona
D. Grodent
University of Liège
Mario Giuseppe Guarcello
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Jacques Gustin
University of Liège
Keiko Hamano
ELSI
P. C. Hargrave
Cardiff University
Yann Hello
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Kevin Heng
University of Bern
Enrique Herrero
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Allan Hornstrup
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Benoit Hubert
University of Liège
Shigeru Ida
ELSI
Masahiro Ikoma
Tokyo Institute of Technology
Nicolas Iro
University of Hamburg
Patrick Irwin
University of Oxford
Christopher Jarchow
Max Planck Society
Jean Jaubert
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Hugh Jones
University of Hertfordshire
Queyrel Julien
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Shingo Kameda
Rikkyo University
F. Kerschbaum
University of Vienna
P. Kervella
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
T. Koskinen
University of Arizona
Matthijs Krijger
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Norbert Krupp
Max Planck Society
Marina Lafarga
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Federico Landini
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
E. Lellouch
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Giuseppe Leto
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
A. Luntzer
University of Vienna
Theresa Rank-Lüftinger
University of Vienna
Antonio Maggio
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
J. Maldonado
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Jean-Pierre Maillard
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Urs Mall
Max Planck Society
Jean-Baptiste Marquette
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
S. Mathis
University of Zürich
P. Maxted
Keele University
Taro Matsuo
Osaka University
Alexander Medvedev
Max Planck Society
Yamila Miguel
Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
V., Minier
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Giuseppe Morello
University College London (UCL)
Alessandro Mura
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Norio Narita
University of Tokyo
Valerio Nascimbeni
University of Padua
N. Nguyen Tong
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Vladimiro Noce
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
Fabrizio Oliva
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
E. Palle
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
Paul Palmer
Royal Observatory
Maurizio Pancrazzi
University of Florence
Andreas Papageorgiou
Cardiff University
Vivien Parmentier
ELSI
Manuel Perger
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Antonino Petralia
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Stefano Pezzuto
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Ray Pierrehumbert
University of Oxford
Ignazio Pillitteri
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Giampaolo P. Piotto
University of Padua
G. Pisano
Cardiff University
Loredana Prisinzano
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Aikaterini Radioti
University of Liège
Jean-Michel Réess
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Ladislav Rezac
Max Planck Society
Marco Rocchetto
University College London (UCL)
Albert Rosich
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Nicoletta Sanna
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
A. Santerne
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
G. Savini
University College London (UCL)
Gaetano Scandariato
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Bruno Sicardy
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Carles Sierra
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Giuseppe Sindoni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Konrad Skup
Polish Academy of Sciences
I. Snellen
Leiden University
Mateusz Sobiecki
Polish Academy of Sciences
Lauriane Soret
University of Liège
A. Sozzetti
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
A. Stiepen
University of Liège
Antoine Strugarek
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Jake Taylor
University of Oxford
William Taylor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Luca Terenzi
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Marcell Tessenyi
University College London (UCL)
Angelos Tsiaras
University College London (UCL)
C. Tucker
Cardiff University
Diana Valencia
University of Toronto
Gautam Vasisht
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Allona Vazan
University of Amsterdam
Francesc Vilardell
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Sabrine Vinatier
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
Serena Viti
University College London (UCL)
R. Waters
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Piotr Wawer
Polish Academy of Sciences
Anna Wawrzaszek
Polish Academy of Sciences
Anthony Whitworth
Cardiff University
Yuk L. Yung
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Sergey N. Yurchenko
University College London (UCL)
María Rosa Zapatero Osorio
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB)
Robert Zellem
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Tiziano Zingales
University College London (UCL)
Frans Zwart
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Experimental Astronomy
0922-6435 (ISSN) 1572-9508 (eISSN)
Vol. 46 1 135-209Subject Categories
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
DOI
10.1007/s10686-018-9598-x