2017/08/09 by Daniel Apai, Apai, Daniel, Nicolas Cowan +63
Physics and Astronomy · #Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) #FOS: Physical sciences #astro-ph.EP
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1708.02821
For the report with higher-resolution images and for updates and supporting documentations please visit http://eos-nexus.org/sag15/
arxiv created 2017/08/09 · arxiv updated 2017/08/10
The NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program's SAG15 group has solicited, collected, and organized community input on high-level science questions that could be addressed with future direct imaging exoplanet missions and the type and quality of data answering these questions will require. Input was solicited through a variety of forums and the report draft was shared with the exoplanet community continuously during the period of the report development (Nov 2015 -- May 2017). The report benefitted from the input of over 50 exoplanet scientists and from multiple open-forum discussions at exoplanet and astrobiology meetings. The SAG15 team has identified three group of high-level questions, those that focus on the properties of planetary systems (Questions A1--A2), those that focus on the properties of individual planets (Questions B1--B4), and questions that relate to planetary processes (Questions C1--C4). The questions in categories A, B, and C require different target samples and often different observational approaches. For each questions we summarize the current body of knowledge, the available and future observational approaches that can directly or indirectly contribute to answering the question, and provide examples and general considerations for the target sample required.