Exoplanet status report: Observation, characterization and evolution of exoplanets and their host stars
Journal article, 2010
After the discovery of more than 400 planets beyond our Solar System, the characterization of exoplanets as well as their host stars can be considered as one of the fastest growing fields in space science during the past decade. The characterization of exoplanets can only be carried out in a well coordinated interdisciplinary way which connects planetary science, solar/stellar physics and astrophysics. We present a status report on the characterization of exoplanets and their host stars by reviewing the relevant space- and ground-based projects. One finds that the previous strategy changed from space mission concepts which were designed to search, find and characterize Earth-like rocky exoplanets to: A statistical study of planetary objects in order to get information about their abundance, an identification of potential target and finally its analysis. Spectral analysis of exoplanets is mandatory, particularly to identify bio-signatures on Earth-like planets. Direct characterization of exoplanets should be done by spectroscopy, both in the visible and in the infrared spectral range. The way leading to the direct detection and characterization of exoplanets is then paved by several questions, either concerning the pre-required science or the associated observational strategy.
earth
extrasolar planets
atmosphere
hd 209458b
energetic neutral atoms
gaia
Author
H. Lammer
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
A. Hanslmeier
University of Graz
J. Schneider
LUTH - Laboratoire de l'Univers et de ses Theories
I. K. Stateva
European science foundation (ESF)
M. Barthelemy
Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
A. Belu
University of Bordeaux
D. Bisikalo
Russian Academy of Sciences
M. Bonavita
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
V. Eybl
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
V. C. du Foresto
LESIA - Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique
M. Fridlund
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
R. Dvorak
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
S. Eggl
Russian Academy of Sciences
J. M. Griessmeier
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
M. Gudel
Russian Academy of Sciences
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH)
E. Gunther
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
W. Hausleitner
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
M. Holmstrom
The Swedish Institute of Space Physics
E. Kallio
Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)
M. L. Khodachenko
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
A. A. Konovalenko
National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine
S. Krauss
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
L. V. Ksanfomality
Russian Academy of Sciences
Y. N. Kulikov
Russian Academy of Sciences
K. Kyslyakova
Lobachevsky University
M. Leitzinger
University of Graz
René Liseau
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics
E. Lohinger
Institut fur Astronomie, Vienna
P. Odert
University of Graz
E. Palle
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
A. Reiners
University of Göttingen
I. Ribas
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
H. O. Rucker
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
N. Sarda
Airbus Group
J. Seckbach
The Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
V. I. Shematovich
Russian Academy of Sciences
A. Sozzetti
Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino
A. Tavrov
Russian Academy of Sciences
M. Xiang-Gruss
University of Kiel
Solar System Research
0038-0946 (ISSN) 1608-3423 (eISSN)
Vol. 44 4 290-310Subject Categories
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
DOI
10.1134/S0038094610040039