Oral Abstract

Lightning talk (L9) Fred Lahuis (SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research)

Theme: Multi-wavelength astronomy

(P3.16)The Horizon-2020 ExoplANETS_A project: advancing the field of exoplanet science

The last twenty years have witnessed an exceptionally fast development in the field of exoplanets with about 4000 very diverse planets discovered to date. While the detection of exoplanets is an important ongoing field of activity, the characterization of their atmospheres has just begun and it is developing very rapidly. A lot is to be learnt from spectroscopic observations; the molecular composition of giant exoplanet atmospheres can trace the planet's formation and evolution; the atmosphere of rocky exoplanets can host biosignature gases; .... However, the observations are very challenging with the planet signal at a level of only tens to hundreds ppm of the host star signal and deeply embedded in instrumental and telescope noise and systematics.

In the ExoplANETS_A project, we* develop novel methods and tools for calibration, data reduction and retrieval, supported by state-of-the-art physiochemical atmosphere models, to exploit archival data from Space Science archives (HST, Spitzer) and produce a homogeneous and reliable characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. To successfully model the exoplanet atmosphere, we expand the knowledge of relevant host star properties and star-planet interactions. The results from the project will be disseminated through peer-review publications, public outreach programs and public releases of modelling tools. In addition to this, the project will ready us to rapidly exploit data from future projects like the James Webb Space Telescope, which will be highly competitive.

*DAp at CEA-Saclay in France, INTA in Spain, MPIA in Germany, UCL and UoL in the UK, SRON in The Netherlands, Wien University in Austria.