Abstract
After the discovery of more than 400 planets beyond our Solar System, the characterization of exoplanets as well as their host stars can be considered as one of the fastest growing fields in space science during the past decade. The characterization of exoplanets can only be carried out in a well coordinated interdisciplinary way which connects planetary science, solar/stellar physics and astrophysics. We present a status report on the characterization of exoplanets and their host stars by reviewing the relevant space- and ground-based projects. One finds that the previous strategy changed from space mission concepts which were designed to search, find and characterize Earth-like rocky exoplanets to: A statistical study of planetary objects in order to get information about their abundance, an identification of potential target and finally its analysis. Spectral analysis of exoplanets is mandatory, particularly to identify bio-signatures on Earth-like planets. Direct characterization of exoplanets should be done by spectroscopy, both in the visible and in the infrared spectral range. The way leading to the direct detection and characterization of exoplanets is then paved by several questions, either concerning the pre-required science or the associated observational strategy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bühl, J., Doherty, S., Eggl, S., et al., Opening a New Window to Other Worlds with Spectropolarimetry, Exp. Astron., 2010.
Charbonneau, D., Berta, Z.K., Irwin, J., et al., A Super-Earth Transiting a Nearby Low-Mass Star, Nature, 2009, vol. 462, pp. 891–894.
Casertano, S., Lattanzi, M.G., Sozzetti, A., et al., Double-Blind Test Program for Astrometric Planet Detection with Gaia 2008, Astron. Astrophys., 2008, vol. 482, pp. 699–729.
Dvorak, R., Schneider, J., Lammer, H., and the CoRoT Team, CoRoTs First Seven Planets: An Overview, Astrophys. J., 2010.
Ekenbäck, A., Holmström, M., Wurz, P., et al., Energetic Neutral Atoms around HD 209458b: Estimations of Magnetospheric Properties, Astrophys. J., 2010, vol. 709, pp. 670–679.
Glassman, T., Newhart, L., Barber, G., Turnbull, M., and NWO Study Team, Planning an Efficient Search for Extra-Solar Terrestrial Planets: How to Find Exo-Earths with New World Observer, American Astron. Soc. (AAS), 2009.
Grießmeier, J.-M., Zaraka, P., Spreeuw, H., et al., Predicting Radio Fluxes of Known Extrasolar Planets, Astron. Astrophys., 2007, vol. 475, pp. 359–368.
Holmström, M., Ekenbäck, A., Selsis, F., et al., Energetic Neutral Atoms as the Explanation for the High-Velocity Hydrogen around HD 209458b, Nature, 2008, vol. 451, pp. 970–972, doi: 10.1038/nature06600
Koechlin, L., Serre, D., Debra, P., et al., The Fresnel Interferometric Imager, Exp. Astron., 2009, vol. 23, pp. 379–402.
Ksanformality, L.V., Transits of Extrasolar Planets, Solar Syst. Res., 2007, vol. 41, pp. 463–482.
Lammer, H., Kasting, J.F., Chassfière, E., et al., Atmospheric Escape and Evolution of Terrestrial Planets and Satellites, Space Sci. Rev., 2008, vol. 139, pp. 399–436, doi: 10.1007/511214-008-9413-5.
Lammer, H., Bredehöft, J.H., and Coustenis, A., What Makes a Planet Habitable?, Astron. Astrophys., 2009, vol. 17, pp. 181–249.
Lammer, H., Odert, P., Leitzinger, M., et al., Determining the Mass Loss Limit for Close-in Exoplanets: What Can We Learn from Transit Observations?, Astron. Astrophys., 2009, vol. 506, pp. 399–410, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/200911922.
Léger, A., Rouan, D., Schneider, J., et al., Transiting Exoplanets from the CoRoT Space Mission VIII. CoRoT-7b: The First Super-Earth with Measured Radius, Astron. Astrophys., 2009, vol. 506, pp. 287–302, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/200911933.
Lawson, P., Lay, O., Martin, S., et al., Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer: 2007–2008 Progress and Plans, Proc. SPIE, 2008, vol. 7013, pp. 70132N–70132N-15
Lillie, C., TRW TPF Architecture. Phase 1 Study, Phase 2 Final Report, 2001, Available from http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/TPF/TPFrevue/FinlReps/Trw/TRW12Fnl.pdf
Perryman, M.A.C., de Boer, K.S., Gilmore, G., et al., Composition, Formation and Evolution of the Galaxy, Astron. Astrophys., 2001, vol. 369, pp. 339–363.
Reiners, A., Bean, J.L., Huber, K.F., et al., Detecting Planets around Very Low Mass Stars with the Radial Velocity Method, Astrophys. J., 2010, vol. 710, no. 1.
Ribas, I., Guinan, E.F., Güdel, M., et al., Evolution of the Solar Activity over Time and Effects on Planetary Atmospheres. I. High-Energy Irradiances (1–1700 Å), Astrophys. J., 2005, vol. 622, pp. 680–694.
Scalo, J., Kaltenegger, L., Segura, A.G., et al., M Stars as Targets for Terrestrial Exoplanet Searches and Biosignature Detection, Astrobiol., 2007, vol. 7, pp. 85–166.
Schneider, J., Boccaletti, A., Mawet, D., and the SEE-COAST Team, The Super Earth Explorer: A Coronagraphic Off-Axis Space Telescope, Exp. Astron., 2009, vol. 23, pp. 357–377.
Sozzetti, A., The Gaia Astrometric Survey EAS Publication Series, IAU Highlights Astron., 2010, vol. 15.
Sozzetti, A., Astrometric Methods and Instrumentation to Identify and Characterize Extrasolar Planets: A Review, Publ. Astron. Soc. Pacif., 2005, vol. 117, pp. 1021–1048.
Stam, D., Spectropolarimetric Signatures of Earth-Like Extrasolar Planets, Astron. Astrophys., 2008, vol. 482, pp. 989–1007.
Tavrov, A.V., Physical Foundations of Achromatic Nulling Interferometry for Stellar Coronagraphy, J. Exp. Theor. Phys., 2008, vol. 107, pp. 942–951.
The CRIRES Search for Planets Around the Lowest-Mass Stars. I. High-Precision Near-Infrared Radial Velocities with an Ammonia Gas Cell J.L. Bean, A. Seifahrt, H. Hartman, H. Nilsson, G. Wiedemann, A. Reiners, T.J. Henry, S. Dreizler, 2010, ApJ, 713, 410.
Vidal-Madjar, A., Lecavalier Des Etangs, A., Désert, J.-M., et al., An Extended Upper Atmosphere around the Extrasolar Planet HD 209458b, Nature, 2003, vol. 422, pp. 143–146.
Watson, A.J., Donahue, T.M., Walker, J.C.G., et al., The Dynamics of a Rapidly Escaping Atmosphere: Applications to the Evolution of Earth and Venus, Icarus, 1981, vol. 48, pp. 150–166.
Wood, B.E., Müller, H.-R., Zank, G., et al., Measured Mass Loss Rates of Solar-Like Stars as a Function of Age and Activity, Astrophys. J., 2002, vol. 574, pp. 412–425.
Wood, B.E., Müller, H.-R., Zank, G., et al., New Mass-Loss Measurements from Astrospheric Ly-α Absorption, Astrophys. J., 2005, vol. 628, pp. L143–L146.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Original Russian Text © H. Lammer, A. Hanslmeier, J. Schneider, I.K. Stateva, M. Barthelemy, A. Belu, D. Bisikalo, M. Bonavita, V. Eybl, V. Coudé du Foresto, M. Fridlund, R. Dvorak, S. Eggl, J.-M. Grießmeier, M. Güdel, E. Günther, W. Hausleitner, M. Holmström, E. Kallio, M.L. Khodachenko, A.A. Konovalenko, S. Krauss, L.V. Ksanfomality, Yu.N. Kulikov, K. Kyslyakova, M. Leitzinger, R. Liseau, E. Lohinger, P. Odert, E. Palle, A. Reiners, I. Ribas, H.O. Rucker, N. Sarda, J. Seckbach, V.I. Shematovich, A. Sozzetti, A. Tavrov, M. Xiang-Grüß, 2010, published in Astronomicheskii Vestnik, 2010, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 314–335.
The article is published in the original.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lammer, H., Hanslmeier, A., Schneider, J. et al. Exoplanet status report: Observation, characterization and evolution of exoplanets and their host stars. Sol Syst Res 44, 290–310 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0038094610040039
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0038094610040039