Kepler: a space mission to detect earth-class exoplanets

被引：52

作者：

Koch, D ^{[1
]}

Borucki, W ^{[1
]}

Webster, L ^{[1
]}

Dunham, E ^{[1
]}

Jenkins, J ^{[1
]}

Marriott, J ^{[1
]}

Reitsema, H ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] NASA, Ames Res Ctr, Moffett Field, CA 94035 USA

来源：

SPACE TELESCOPES AND INSTRUMENTS V, PTS 1-2 | 1998年 / 3356卷

关键词：

earth-class planets; extrasolar planets; photometry; planet detection; transit method;

D O I：

10.1117/12.324482

中图分类号：

P1 [天文学];

学科分类号：

0704 ;

摘要：

With the detection of giant extrasolar planets and the quest for life on Mars, there is heightened interest in finding earth-class planets, those that are less than ten earth masses and might be life supporting. A space-based photometer has the ability to detect the periodic transits of earth-class planets for a wide variety of spectral types of stars. From the data and known type of host star, the orbital semi-major axis, size and characteristic temperature of each planet can be calculated. The frequency of planet formation with respect to spectral type and occurrence for both singular and multiple-stellar systems can be determined. A description is presented of a one-meter aperture photometer with a twelve-degree field of view and a focal plane of 21 CCDs. The photometer would continuously and simultaneously monitor 160,000 stars of visual magnitude less than or equal to 14. Its one-sigma system sensitivity for a transit of a twelfth magnitude solar-like star by a planet of one-earth radius would be one part in 50,000. It is anticipated that about 480 earth-class planets (0.5 less than or equal to M less than or equal to 10 M+) would be detected along with 140 giant planets in transit and 1400 giant planets by reflected light. Densities could be derived for about seven cases where the planet is seen in transit and radial velocities are measurable.

引用

页码：599 / 607

页数：9