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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

The AstroBiology Explorer (ABE) MIDEX Mission Concept: Using Infrared Spectroscopy to Identify Organic Molecules in Space

One of the principal means by which organic compounds are detected and identified in space is by infrared spectroscopy. Past IR studies (telescopic and laboratory) have demonstrated that much of the carbon in the interstellar medium (ISM) is in complex organic species of a variety of types, but the distribution, abundance, and evolutionary relationships of these materials are not well understood. The Astrobiology Explorer (ABE) is a MIDEAST mission concept designed to conduct IR spectroscopic observations to detect and identify these materials to address outstanding important problems in astrobiology, astrochemistry, and astrophysics. Systematic studies include the observation of planetary nebulae and stellar outflows, protostellar objects, Solar System Objects, and galaxies, and multiple lines of sight through dense molecular clouds and the diffuse ISM. ABE will also search for evidence of D enrichment in complex molecules in all these environments. The mission is currently under study at NASA's Ames Research Center in collaboration with Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. ABE is a cryogenically-cooled 60 cm diameter space telescope equipped with 3 cryogenic cross-dispersed spectrographs that share a single common slit. The 3 spectrometers each measure single spectral octaves (2.5-5, 5-10, 10-20 microns) and together cover the entire 2.5 - 20 micron region simultaneously. The spectrometers use state-of-the-art 1024x1024 pixel detectors, with a single InSb array for the 2.5-5 micron region and two Si:As arrays for the 5-10 and 10-20 micron regions. The spectral resolution is wavelength dependent but is greater than 2000 across the entire spectral range. ABE would operate in a heliocentric, Earth drift-away orbit and is designed to take maximum advantage of this environment for cooling, thermal stability, and mission lifetime. ABE would have a core science mission lasting approximately 1.5 years.

Sandford, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Evidence for an Optical Low-Frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillation in the Kepler Light Curve of an Active Galaxy

We report evidence for a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the optical light curve of KIC 9650712, a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy in the original Kepler field. After the development and application of a pipeline for Kepler data specific to active galactic nuclei (AGNs), one of our sample of 21 AGNs selected by infrared photometry and X-ray flux demonstrates a peak in the power spectrum at log ν = −6.58 Hz, corresponding to a temporal period of t = 44 days. We note that although the power spectrum is well fit by a model consisting of a Lorentzian and a single power law, alternative continuum models cannot be ruled out. From optical spectroscopy, we measure the black hole mass of this AGN as log (M(sub BH)/solar mass) = 8.17. We find that this frequency lies along a correlation between low-frequency QPOs and black hole mass from stellar and intermediate mass black holes to AGNs, similar to the known correlation in high-frequency QPOs.

quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO)↗
DOE OSTI2026

CHESS 2025: Waveform LiDAR data from NEON AOP surveys

This dataset provides Level 1 (L1) full-waveform light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data collected for the 2025 Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS). These data were acquired to enable characterization of vegetation structure and other three-dimensional features of the land surface, and to evaluate structural changes that may have occurred between a prior LiDAR acquisition in 2018 and the 2025 overflight. Waveform LiDAR data can provide more detailed information about objects on the ground than discrete point clouds typically do, and they are often used for granular target segmentation and characterization of subcanopy vegetation. The data were acquired over three study domains in the Upper Gunnison river basin: the upper East River watershed (CRBU); Almont Triangle and Taylor Canyon (ALMO); and Upper Taylor River watershed (UPTA) between 2025-06-13 and 2025-07-15. LiDAR data were acquired using the Optech Galaxy Prime Airborne LiDAR Terrain Mapper onboard the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) Airborne Observation Platform (AOP). These are the primary waveform LiDAR data delivered by NEON and are provided per flightline in compressed Pulsewaves format, an open-source binary file standard. A Pulsewaves object comprises a two files: a pulse (.pls) file, which stores the geographic origin, outgoing vector, and metadata for every laser pulse emitted by the scanner, and a wave file (.wvs), which stores the sequential amplitude samples of the outgoing pulse and the returning signals. The files are published here in their compressed forms (.plz, .wvz). All waveform data were processed following the theoretical workflow described in the NEON L0-to-L1 Waveform LiDAR Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (Krause and Goulden 2022a); however, the Pulsewaves output format differs from a legacy format described in that document. Waveform amplitude samples are recorded at 1 nanosecond intervals. All coordinates are provided in meters. Horizontal coordinates are referenced in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone 13N and the World Geodetic System (WGS) 1984 ensemble datum. Elevations are referenced to Geoid12A. Waveform data for the UPTA survey area were collected without incident and the published records are complete. However, both the ALMO and CRBU collections experienced issues that resulted in incomplete data for those areas. On collection day 2018-06-16 a hardware failure caused the waveform digitizer to lose data from the eastern edge of the ALMO site (Figure 22). The waveform data for flightlines 2–20 could not be extracted from the digitizer, and the data proved unrecoverable. As a result, a portion of the site does not have coverage with waveform data. Although no hardware failure was observed during collection over the CRBU area, final waveform files generated by vendor software contained only ~25% of the expected number of return pulses. After discovery, NEON initiated troubleshooting with the vendor. The root cause of the data ablation had not been identified at the time of publication. Additional data will be published in an update to this package if further recovery proves successful. CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgement: Field and remote-sensing data acquisition was performed under a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC24K1005). This work was also supported by the Watershed Function Science Focus Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗
DOE OSTI2021

SDSS-IV MaStar: theoretical atmospheric parameters for the MaNGA stellar library

ABSTRACT We calculate the fundamental stellar parameters effective temperature, surface gravity, and iron abundance – Teff, log g, [Fe/H] – for the final release of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) Stellar Library (MaStar), containing 59 266 per-visit-spectra for 24 290 unique stars at intermediate resolution (R ∼ 1800) and high S/N (median = 96). We fit theoretical spectra from model atmospheres by both MARCS and BOSZ-ATLAS9 to the observed MaStar spectra, using the full spectral fitting code pPXF. We further employ a Bayesian approach, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique to map the parameter space and obtain uncertainties. Originally in this paper, we cross match MaStar observations with Gaia photometry, which enable us to set reliable priors and identify outliers according to stellar evolution. In parallel to the parameter determination, we calculate corresponding stellar population models to test the reliability of the parameters for each stellar evolutionary phase. We further assess our procedure by determining parameters for standard stars such as the Sun and Vega and by comparing our parameters with those determined in the literature from high-resolution spectroscopy (APOGEE and SEGUE) and from lower resolution matching template (LAMOST). The comparisons, considering the different methodologies and S/N of the literature surveys, are favourable in all cases. Our final parameter catalogue for MaStar cover the following ranges: 2592 ≤ Teff ≤ 32 983 K; −0.7 ≤ log g ≤ 5.4 dex; −2.9 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 1.0 dex and will be available with the last SDSS-IV Data Release, in 2021 December.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Exploring the Full Range of Properties of Quasar Spectral Distributions

The aim of this work is to support our ISO, far-infrared (IR) observing program of quasars and active galaxies. We have obtained, as far as possible, complete spectral energy distributions (radio-X-ray) of the ISO sample in order to fully delineate the continuum shapes and to allow detailed modelling of that continuum. This includes: ground-based optical, near-IR and mm data, the spectral ranges closest to the ISO data, within 1-2 years of the ISO observations themselves. ISO was launched in Nov 1995 and is currently observing routinely. It has an estimated lifetime is 2 years. All near-IR and optical imaging and spectroscopy are now in hand and in the process of being reduced, mm data collection and proposal writing continues.

Wilkes, B.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Spectroscopy of the Perseus Cluster

We present preliminary results of a XMM-Newton 50 ks observation of the Perseus Cluster that provides an unprecedented view of the central 0.5 Mpc region. The projected gas temperature declines smoothly by a factor of 2 from a maximum value of approx. 7 keV in the outer regions to just above 3 keV at the cluster center. Over this same range, the heavy-element abundance rises slowly from 0.4 to 0.5 solar as the radius decreases from 14 ft. to 5 ft., and then it rises to a peak of almost 0.7 solar at 1&farcm;25 before declining to 0.4 at the center. Th global east-west asymmetry of the gas temperature and surface brightness distributions, approximately aligned with the chain of bright galaxies, suggests an ongoing merger, although the modest degree of the observed asymmetry certainly excludes a major merger interpretation. The chain of galaxies probably traces the filament along which accretion started some time ago and is continuing at the present time. A cold and dense (low-entropy) cluster core like Perseus is probably well "protected" against the penetration of the gas of infalling groups and poor clusters, whereas in non-cooling core clusters such as Coma and A1367, infalling subclusters can penetrate deeply into the core region. In Perseus, gas associated with infalling groups may be stripped completely at the outskirts of the main cluster and only compression waves (shocks) may reach the central regions. We argue, and show supporting simulations, that the passage of such a wave(s) can qualitatively explain the overall horseshoe shaped appearance of the gas temperature map (the hot horseshoe surrounds the colder, low-entropy core) as well as other features of the Perseus Cluster core. These simulations also show that as compression waves traverse the cluster core, they can induce oscillatory motion of the cluster gas that can generate multiple sharp "edges" on opposite sides of the central galaxy. Gas motions induced by mergers may be a natural way to explain the high frequency of "edges" seen in clusters with cooling cores.

Jones, Christine↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Most Metal-poor Stars in the Inner Bulge

The bulge is the oldest component of the Milky Way. Since numerous simulations of Milky Way formation have predicted that the oldest stars at a given metallicity are found on tightly bound orbits, the Galaxy’s oldest stars are likely metal-poor stars in the inner bulge with small apocenters (i.e., R {sub apo} ≲ 4 kpc). In the past, stars with these properties have been impossible to find due to extreme reddening and extinction along the line of sight to the inner bulge. We have used the mid-infrared metal-poor star selection of Schlaufman & Casey (2014) on Spitzer/Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire data to overcome these problems and target candidate inner bulge metal-poor giants for moderate-resolution spectroscopy with Anglo-Australian Telescope/AAOmega. We used those data to select three confirmed metal-poor giants ([Fe/H] = −3.15, −2.56, −2.03) for follow-up high-resolution Magellan/Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectroscopy. A comprehensive orbit analysis using Gaia DR2 astrometry and our measured radial velocities confirms that these stars are tightly bound inner bulge stars. We determine the elemental abundances of each star and find high titanium and iron-peak abundances relative to iron in our most metal-poor star. We propose that the distinct abundance signature we detect is a product of nucleosynthesis in the Chandrasekhar-mass thermonuclear supernova of a CO white dwarf accreting from a helium star with a delay time of about 10 Myr. Even though chemical evolution is expected to occur quickly in the bulge, the intense star formation in the core of the nascent Milky Way was apparently able to produce at least one Chandrasekhar-mass thermonuclear supernova progenitor before chemical evolution advanced beyond [Fe/H]∼−3.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1976

Cosmic X-ray observations with OSO-8

The GSFC Cosmic X-ray Spectroscopy experiment aboard OSO-8 has operated successfully since launch providing spectral and temporal data on X-ray sources in tha energy range 2-60 keV. Analysis of quick look data shows a variety of spectral features, some stable, others variable, which will increase understanding of the nature of individual sources. In particular, observed emission and absorption features that can be attributed to iron will result in abundance measures of this important element in sources such as some X-ray binaries, the supernova remnant Cas A, and the nucleus of the galaxy Cen A.

Serlemitsos, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Spectroscopic Confirmation of Two Massive Red-sequence-selected Galaxy Clusters at Z ~ Approximately Equal to 1.2 in the Sparcs-North Cluster Survey

The Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-sequence Cluster Survey (SpARCS) is a deep z -band imaging survey covering the Spitzer SWIRE Legacy fields designed to create the first large homogeneously-selected sample of massive clusters at z > 1 using an infrared adaptation of the cluster red-sequence method. We present an overview of the northern component of the survey which has been observed with CFHT/MegaCam and covers 28.3 deg(sup 2). The southern component of the survey was observed with CTIO/MOSAICII, covers 13.6 deg(sup 2), and is summarized in a companion paper by Wilson et al. (2008). We also present spectroscopic confirmation of two rich cluster candidates at z approx. 1.2. Based on Nod-and- Shuffle spectroscopy from GMOS-N on Gemini there are 17 and 28 confirmed cluster members in SpARCS J163435+402151 and SpARCS J163852+403843 which have spectroscopic redshifts of 1.1798 and 1.1963, respectively. The clusters have velocity dispersions of 490 +/- 140 km/s and 650 +/- 160 km/s, respectively which imply masses (M(sub 200)) of (1.0 +/- 0.9) x 10(exp 14) Stellar Mass and (2.4 +/- 1.8) x 10(exp 14) Stellar Mass. Confirmation of these candidates as bonafide massive clusters demonstrates that two-filter imaging is an effective, yet observationally efficient, method for selecting clusters at z > 1.

Muzzin, Adam↗
NASA NTRS1988

Integrated-light spectroscopy of globular clusters at the infrared Ca II lines

Integrated-light spectroscopy has been obtained for 27 globular clusters at the Ca II IR triplet. Line strengths and radial velocities have been measured from the spectra. For the well-studied clusters in the sample, the strength of the Ca II lines is very well correlated with previous metallicity estimates. Thus, the triplet is useful as a metallicity indicator in globular cluster integrated-light spectra. The greatly reduced effect of interstellar extinction at these wavelengths (compared to the blue region of the spectrum) has permitted observations of some of the most heavily reddened clusters in the Galaxy. For several such clusters, the Ca II triplet metallicities are in poor agreement with metallicity estimates from IR photometry by Malkan (1981). The strength of an interstellar band at 8621A has been used to estimate the amount of extinction towards these clusters. Using the new metallicity and radial-velocity data, the metallicity distribution, kinematics, and spatial distribution of the disk globular cluster system have been analyzed. Results very similar to those of Zinn (1985) have been found. The relation of the disk globulars to the stellar thick disk is discussed.

Armandroff, Taft E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The kinematics and morphology of NGC 520

New long-slit optical spectroscopy and optical and NIR images of NGC 520 are presented. Velocity-dispersion and radial-velocity profiles are obtained from the spectra with the Fourier quotient and cross-correlation techniques. At the NW optical emission peak, a sharp rise in the velocity dispersions implies a concentration of mass. The NW optical peak is also apparent as a peak in the K-band image, whose NIR colors are consistent with the presence of a typical bulge steller population. These data suggest that the NW peak may be the bulge of one of two galaxies in the system. A larger bulge is clearly evident in the K-band image in the middle of an optical dust lane. The optical colors and H-alpha emission imply that both bulges and the disk of the NW galaxy have experienced recent star formation. The radial-velocity profile in the central 10 arcsec at the larger bulge is consistent with a counterrotating core, in agreement with the CO radial-velocity profile (Sanders et al., 1988). This core could be explained as an accreted gas-rich irregular galaxy which is forming a counterrotating stellar disk.

Standord, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Late-time observations of the extraordinary Type II supernova iPTF14hls

Aims. We study iPTF14hls, a luminous and extraordinary long-lived Type II supernova, which lately has attracted much attention and disparate interpretation. Methods. We have presented new optical photometry that extends the light curves up to more than three years past discovery. We also obtained optical spectroscopy over this period, and furthermore present additional space-based observations using Swift and HST. Results. After an almost constant luminosity for hundreds of days, the later light curve of iPTF14hls finally fades and then displays a dramatic drop after about 1000 d, but the supernova is still visible at the latest epochs presented. The spectra have finally turned nebular, and our very last optical spectrum likely displays signatures from the deep and dense interior of the explosion. A high-resolution HST image highlights the complex environment of the explosion in this low-luminosity galaxy. Conclusions. We provide a large number of additional late-time observations of iPTF14hls, which are (and will continue to be) used to assess the many different interpretations for this intriguing object. In particular, the very late (+1000 d) steep decline of the optical light curve is difficult to reconcile with the proposed central engine models. The lack of very strong X-ray emission, and the emergence of intermediate-width emission lines including [S II] that we propose originate from dense, processed material in the core of the supernova ejecta, are also key observational tests for both existing and future models.

J. Sollerman↗
NASA NTRS2016

M31N 2008-12a-The Remarkable Recurrent Nova in M31-Panchromatic Observations of the 2015 Eruption

The Andromeda Galaxy recurrent nova M31N 2008-12a had been observed in eruption 10 times, including yearly eruptions from 2008 to 2014. With a measured recurrence period of Prec = 351+/-13 days (we believe the true value to be half of this) and a white dwarf very close to the Chandrasekhar limit, M31N 2008-12a has become the leading pre-explosion supernova type Ia progenitor candidate. Following multi-wavelength follow-up observations of the 2013 and 2014 eruptions, we initiated a campaign to ensure early detection of the predicted 2015 eruption, which triggered ambitious ground- and space-based follow-up programs. In this paper we present the 2015 detection, visible to near-infrared photometry and visible spectroscopy, and ultraviolet and X-ray observations from the Swift observatory. The LCOGT 2 m (Hawaii) discovered the 2015 eruption, estimated to have commenced at August 28.28 +/- 0.12 UT. The 2013-2015 eruptions are remarkably similar at all wavelengths. New early spectroscopic observations reveal short-lived emission from material with velocities approx. 13,000 km/s, possibly collimated outflows. Photometric and spectroscopic observations of the eruption provide strong evidence supporting a red giant donor. An apparently stochastic variability during the early supersoft X-ray phase was comparable in amplitude and duration to past eruptions, but the 2013 and 2015 eruptions show evidence of a brief flux dip during this phase. The multi-eruption Swift/XRT spectra show tentative evidence of high-ionization emission lines above a high-temperature continuum. Following Henze et al. (2015a), the updated recurrence period based on all known eruptions is Prec 174 +/- 10 days, and we expect the next eruption of M31N 2008-12a to occur around 2016 mid-September.

cataclysmic variables – stars: individual (M31N ↗
NASA NTRS2011

Microwave Spectroscopy of Complex Molecules Around the Young Protostar Chamaeleon MMS1

Observations are presented of emission lines from organic molecules at frequencies 30-100 GHz in the vicinity of the extremely young, chemically rich, very low-luminosity protostar and candidate first hydrostatic core Chamaeleon MMS1. Column densities are derived and emission maps are presented for species including polyynes, cyanopolyynes, sulphuretted carbon-chains and methanol. Emission from the carbon-chain-bearing species peaks very near to the protostar; methanol peaks about 0.1 pc further away. The mean molecular hydrogen number density is calculated to be 10(exp 6) per cc. and the gas kinetic temperature is in the range 4-7 K. The abundances of long carbon chains (including C6H and HC7N) are very large -- similar to those found in the most carbon-chain-rich regions of the Galaxy, and indicative of a non-equilibrium carbon chemistry. The observed methanol and acetaldehyde abundances indicate active grain-surface chemistry and desorption processes. The carbon-chain anions C4H- and C6H- were not detected and the upper limit on the anion-to-neutral ratio for C4H- is less than 0.02% and for C6H-, less than 10%. These values are consistent with previous observations in interstellar clouds and low-mass protostars. Deuterated HC3N and c-C3H2 were detected, with fractionation ratios of about 4%, and 22%, respectively. A low c-C3H2 ortho-to-para ratio was measured, which is consistent with a molecular hydrogen ortho-to-para ratio of close to zero and implies a relatively young chemical age (less than about 10(exp 5) yr) for the matter surrounding Cha-MMS1. These observations show that a high level of chemical complexity can be present in star-forming gas.

Cordiner, Martin A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

A New Population of High-z, Dusty Lyman-alpha Emitters and Blobs Discovered by WISE: Feedback Caught in the Act?

By combining data from the NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission with optical spectroscopy from the W. M. Keck telescope, we discover a mid-IR color criterion that yields a 78% success rate in identifying rare, typically radio-quiet, 1.6 approx. < z approx. < 4.6 dusty Ly-alpha emitters (LAEs). Of these, at least 37% have emission extended on scales of 30-100 kpc and are considered Ly-alpha "blobs" (LABs). The objects have a surface density of only approx.. 0.1 deg(exp -2), making them rare enough that they have been largely missed in deep, small area surveys. We measured spectroscopic redshifts for 92 of these galaxies, and find that the LAEs (LABs) have a median redshift of 2.3 (2.5). The WISE photometry coupled with data from Herschel (Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA) reveals that these galaxies are in the Hyper Luminous IR galaxy regime (L(sub IR) approx. > 10(exp 13)-10(exp 14) Solar L) and have warm colors. They are typically more luminous and warmer than other dusty, z approx.. 2 populations such as submillimeter-selected galaxies and dust-obscured galaxies. These traits are commonly associated with the dust being illuminated by intense active galactic nucleus activity. We hypothesize that the combination of spatially extended Ly-alpha, large amounts of warm IR-luminous dust, and rarity (implying a short-lived phase) can be explained if the galaxies are undergoing brief, intense "feedback" transforming them from an extreme dusty starburst/QSO into a mature galaxy.

Galaxies: ISM↗
DOE OSTI2020

Updated Parameters and a New Transmission Spectrum of HD 97658b

Recent years have seen increasing interest in the characterization of sub-Neptune-sized planets because of their prevalence in the Galaxy, contrasted with their absence in our solar system. HD 97658 is one of the brightest stars hosting a planet of this kind, and we present the transmission spectrum of this planet by combining four Hubble Space Telescope transits, 12 Spitzer/IRAC transits, and eight MOST transits of this system. Our transmission spectrum has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than those from previous works, and the result suggests that the slight increase in transit depth from wavelength 1.1–1.7 μm reported in previous works on the transmission spectrum of this planet is likely systematic. Nonetheless, our atmospheric modeling results are inconclusive, as no model provides an excellent match to our data. Nonetheless, we find that atmospheres with high C/O ratios (C/O ≳ 0.8) and metallicities of ≳100× solar metallicity are favored. We combine the mid-transit times from all of the new Spitzer and MOST observations and obtain an updated orbital period of P = 9.489295 ± 0.000005, with a best-fit transit time center at T {sub 0} = 2456361.80690 ± 0.00038 (BJD). No transit timing variations are found in this system. We also present new measurements of the stellar rotation period (34 ± 2 days) and stellar activity cycle (9.6 yr) of the host star HD 97658. Finally, we calculate and rank the Transmission Spectroscopy Metric of all confirmed planets cooler than 1000 K and with sizes between 1 R {sub ⊕} and 4 R {sub ⊕}. We find that at least a third of small planets cooler than 1000 K can be well characterized using James Webb Space Telescope, and of those, HD 97658b is ranked fifth, meaning that it remains a high-priority target for atmospheric characterization.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2002

Kepler Mission: A Discovery-Class Mission Designed to Determine the Frequency of Earth-Size and Larger Planets Around Solar-Like Stars

The first step in discovering the extent of life in our galaxy is to determine the number of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone (HZ). The Kepler Mission is designed around a 0.95 in aperture Schmidt-type telescope with an array of 42 CCDs designed to continuously monitor the brightness of 100,000 solar-like stars to detect the transits of Earth-size and larger planets. The photometer is scheduled to be launched into heliocentric orbit in 2007. Measurements of the depth and repetition time of transits provide the size of the planet relative to the star and its orbital period. When combined with ground-based spectroscopy of these stars to fix the stellar parameters, the true planet radius and orbit scale, hence the position relative to the HZ are determined. These spectra are also used to discover the relationships between the characteristics of planets and the stars they orbit. In particular, the association of planet size and occurrence frequency with stellar mass and metallicity will be investigated. At the end of the four year mission, hundreds of terrestrial planets should be discovered in and near the HZ of their stars if such planets are common. Extending the mission to six years doubles the expected number of Earth-size planets in the HZ. A null result would imply that terrestrial planets in the HZ occur in less than 1% of the stars and that life might be quite rare. Based on the results of the current Doppler-velocity discoveries, detection of a thousand giant planets is expected. Information on their albedos and densities of those giants showing transits will be obtained.

William Borucki↗
NASA NTRS2002

Kepler Mission: A Wide-FOV Photometer Designed to Determine the Frequency of Earth-Size and Larger Planets Around Solar-like stars

The first step in discovering the extent of life in our galaxy is to determine the number of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone (HZ). The Kepler Mission is designed around a 0.95 m aperture Schmidt-type telescope with an array of 42 CCDs designed to continuously monitor the brightness of 100,000 solar-like stars to detect the transits of Earth-size and larger planets. The photometer is scheduled to be launched into heliocentric orbit in 2007. Measurements of the depth and repetition time of transits provide the size of the planet relative to the star and its orbital period. When combined with ground-based spectroscopy of these stars to fix the stellar parameters, the true planet radius and orbit scale, hence the position relative to the HZ are determined. These spectra are also used to discover the relationships between the characteristics of planets and the stars they orbit. In particular, the association of planet size and occurrence frequency with stellar mass and metallicity will be investigated. At the end of the four year mission, hundreds of terrestrial planets should be discovered in and near the HZ of their stars if such planets are common. A null result would imply that terrestrial planets in the HZ occur in less than 1% of the stars and that life might be quite rare. Based on the results of the current doppler-velocity discoveries, detection of a thousand giant planets is expected. Information on their albedos and densities of those giants showing transits will be obtained.

Borucki, William↗