PlanetVision: Belgian-Spanish project for the characterization of

planetary systems, stars and planets

A. Moya and H. Deeg et al. (Spain)

C. Aerts and J. De Ridder et al. (Belgium)

N. Santos et al. (Portugal)

H. Kjeldsen et al. (Denmark)

L. Kiss et al. (Hungary)

General context1) Understand the origin and structure of the

diversity of planetary systems found2) Is there life outside the Solar System?3) Steps planned already:

I. Search for exoplanetsII. Accurate characterization of these

systems, habitability studiesIII. Search for biomarkers

“An European roadmap for exoplanets” (Exoplanet Roadmap Advisory

Team, October 2010)

History of project

1) 2010/11: informal discussions in Spain to lead space project, topic exoplanet & astero science (Andy Moya & Hans Deeg + industrials) 2) Contact with C. Aerts in June 2011 to consider bilateral project: PlanetVision as answer to future S-mission call of ESA 3) First specs defined over summer (incl. Joris De Ridder, CoRoT and Kepler heritage) 4) Delegations + ESA meet in Madrid & Brussels, Oct. 2011, Jan. 2012

5) 2011/12: Discussions with Swiss-led consortium but mission concepts judged too ≠

Current situation~ 700 exoplanets known

First planets touching habitable zone found in 2010 and 2011

Current situation

~ 600 discovered from ground

~170 with transits: mass, size, etc. known:1) ~ 50 from space (high accuracy)

2) ~ 120 from ground (low accuracy)

The focus in exoplanets is changing from discovering to understanding.

~ 450 discovered with RV (poor information)

There is only one thoroughly studied case: The Solar System.

a) Exoplanet’s nature: density, surface properties, atmospheric propertiesb) Planetary orbits: Historical evolution, effects due to other bodiesc) Host stars: Evolution, chemical composition, accurate physical characteristics

Current research issues

Current situation

2

*

R

R

F

F P

Transits

*M

MfRV PRadial

Velocity

Direct imaging (age)

Homogeneous studies of transiting extrasolar planets. IV. Thirty systems with space-based

light curves

M* R* ρ*Age Mp Rp

9,3% 7% 13.7% 150% 10.6% 7.1%

Mean errors

Southworth, J., 2011, arXiv:1107.1235

Current situation

Errors of MP and RP dominated by errors of M* and R*

Almost a 47% have mV<8, a 72% have mV<10

Current situation

PlanetVision: Scientific project

Scientific project

Data acquisition technique: Observation of temporal series of

high-precision multicolor photometry

Scientific project

1)Exoplanet science: Led by Spain

1)Asteroseismology: Led by Belgium

Scientific methods:

Goal: Bright stars with planets (Specs defined for mv<8)

Exoplanet’s photometry: Transits, eclipses, reflected light

PlanetVision complements space observations (CoRoT, Kepler) and improves

ground-based observations

- Consistent high-precision photometry in 3 color bands for bright targets (cf. EChO preparation)- Long observations with high duty cycle- flexibility in targets to observe: · Large range of brightness admissible, · Entire sky accessible, · High temporal resolution possible

The more transits are observed, the greater the accuracy of the characterization

Exoplanet’s photometry: Transits, eclipses, reflected light

Exoplanets science: Objectives

1) Characterization of planetary systems already knownA. Improving planet and star system parametersB. Studies about the planet atmospheresC. Detection of further bodies in transiting systemsD. Studies on planet host stars

2) Discovering of new planetsA. Verification of candidates coming from other

instrumentsB. Direct discovery of new transits

High precision photometry with at least three different photometric bands, pointing flexibility,

very high duty cycle.

3) Study of planets WITHOUT known transitsA. Detection of reflected planetary lightB. Search for transits of RV planets

Exoplanets science: Objectives

AsteroseismologySomething similar happens in the stars

AsteroseismologyReal cases

From Asteroseismology

μ Arae

Very accurate determination Y=0.30±0.01, Age=6.3±0.8 Gyr

From asteroseismology•1 planet (Transit)•Kepler observations•solar-like modes

Work:Christensen-Dalsgaard et al., 2010

Age=2.14 ± 0.26 GyrMean density=0.2712 ± 0.0032 g cm-3

Uncertainty Rp changes 3% → 0.5%

From asteroseismologyPrecision obtained with Kepler

An uniform asteroseismic analysis of 22 solar-type stars observed with Kepler

Mathur et al., 2012, A&A, in press

Individual frequencies not

resolved

Individual frequencies

resolved

Mass 5% 1%

Radius 2% 1%

Age 10% 2.5%

Asteroseismology: ObjectivesPrecise stellar densities permit improvement of

planet parameters

1) Accurate characterization of the physical properties of the star (mass, radius, age, chemical composition,…)

2) Improve our understanding of the stellar structure and evolution

3) Understand the planetary systems origin and evolution

4) Discovering new planets (timing)

Error (with asteroseismology + Gaia)

AsteroseismologyConsequences of observing stellar pulsations

Preliminary requirements

1) Photometric precision of 50 ppm with integrations of 10 min, stars mv<8

2) To be able to monitore any position in the sky at least at once during the year

3) Flexible duration of the monitoring between 3 hours and 3 months

4) Three well separated photometric bands5) FOV > few to tens of sq deg (tbd)6) Temporal resolution as short as 1s should be

available7) Duty cycle > 90% (95%), minimizing periodic

gaps between 0.002-10 mHz8) High dynamic range

Payload:1) 3-6 Telescopes (tbd)2) 15-30 cm primary each (tbd)3) Backside-illuminated CMOS + NIR detectors, each telescope separately

Specs and observing strategy, field selection, all to be

fine-tuned using the PLATO simulator tool (already developed in Leuven)

Preliminary design

Dedicated observations for individual objects or small groups

Preliminary observation strategy

Platform: Ingenio

Ingenio is a mission for the optical observation of the Earth.

Orbit: Likely an ETO, as Kepler, Spitzer,...

This mission has already almost all the required characteristics (pointing, size, cost,

data transmission, etc.)

~2.5 m1.5 m

1.5 m

Platform: Ingenio

Dimensions

Approximate weight: 800 kg

Time schedule

phase t0 t0+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10

0 / A

B

C/D

Laun.

Exploit.

= expected launch of M3 (approx)

Phase 0 objectives

1. Scientific consortium consolidation2. Accurate determination of the

scientific requirements3. First approach to the satellite system

1. Direct contacts2. Workshop

3. Technical support.

Phase 0 main actions

PlanetVision in context:

other missions

The project in context

Main characteristics:1)Pointing flexibility

2)Different photometric bands

Unique project at the present time

Main objective: Accurate determination of physical properties of planets already

discovered from ground.

PlanetVision in context: other missions

Future space projects: EChO and Plato

PLAVI is needed by EChO, since they need accurate physical properties of the planets they plan to study.

PLAVI will deliver the much needed bright tarjets for EChO

The Spanish and Belgian

scientific communities

KUL (Conny Aerts, Joris De Ridder)

ROB (Peter de Cat)ULg (M.A. Dupret)

Belgian scientific communityExoplanetary science and asteroseismology

Some 50 Belgian

scientistsBISA (Frank Daerden, Severine

Robert)

ULB (Alain Jorissen)

FUNDP (Anne Lemaitre)

IAC (Hans Deeg and Pere Pallé)

CAB, INTA-CSIC (Andrés Moya, David Barrado, Miguel Mas,

Enrique Solano)

U Vigo (Ana Ulla)

UV (Juan Fabregat)

IAA, CSIC (Rafael Garrido, J.C. Suárez, P.J. Amado)

Spanish scientific community

ICE, CSIC (M. López-Morales)

Exoplanetary science and asteroseismology

Some 40 Spanish scientists

Portuguese, Danish and Hungarian scientific communities

CAUP (Mario Monteiro, Nuno Santos)

University of Århus (Hans Kjeldsen, Joergen

Christensen-Dalsgaard)

Observatory of Konkoly (Laszlo Kiss, Robert

Szabo)

University of Aveiro (Alexandre Correia,

Helena Morais)

Thanks!