EarthFinder: A Precise Radial Velocity Probe Mission Concept For the Detection of Earth-Mass Planets Orbiting Sun-like Stars
/ Authors
P. Plavchan, B. Cale, P. Newman, B. Hamze, Natasha Latouf, William Matzko, C. Beichman, D. Ciardi, B. Purcell, P. Lightsey
and 33 more authors
H. Cegla, X. Dumusque, V. Bourrier, C. Dressing, P. Gao, G. Vasisht, S. Leifer, S. Wang, J. Gagné, S. Thompson, J. Crass, Andrew J. Bechter, Eric B. Bechter, C. Blake, S. Halverson, A. Mayo, T. Beatty, J. Wright, A. Wise, A. Tanner, J. Eastman, S. Quinn, D. Fischer, S. Basu, Sophia Sánchez-Maes, A. Howard, K. Vahala, Ji Wang, S. Diddams, S. Papp, B. Pope, E. Martin, S. Murphy
/ Abstract
EarthFinder is a Probe Mission concept selected for study by NASA for input to the 2020 astronomy decadal survey. This study is currently active and a final white paper report is due to NASA at the end of calendar 2018. We are tasked with evaluating the scientific rationale for obtaining precise radial velocity (PRV) measurements in space, which is a two-part inquiry: What can be gained from going to space? What can't be done form the ground? These two questions flow down to these specific tasks for our study - Identify the velocity limit, if any, introduced from micro- and macro-telluric absorption in the Earth's atmosphere; Evaluate the unique advantages that a space-based platform provides to emable the identification and mitigation of stellar acitivity for multi-planet signal recovery.
Journal: arXiv: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics