EUCLID : Dark Universe Probe and Microlensing planet Hunter

TL;DR

EUCLID is a space telescope designed to study dark energy and exoplanets through gravitational lensing, enabling the detection of a wide range of planetary masses and contributing to a comprehensive census of extrasolar planets.

Contribution

This paper proposes using the EUCLID space telescope for simultaneous dark energy research and microlensing exoplanet detection, leveraging its capabilities for a broad planetary mass range.

Findings

Proposes a 3-month microlensing program to detect Mars-mass planets.

Suggests a 12+ month survey to census Earth-like planets.

Highlights synergy with KEPLER for comprehensive exoplanet statistics.

Abstract

There is a remarkable synergy between requirements for Dark Energy probes by cosmic shear measurements and planet hunting by microlensing. Employing weak and strong gravitational lensing to trace and detect the distribution of matter on cosmic and Galactic scales, but as well as to the very small scales of exoplanets is a unique meeting point from cosmology to exoplanets. It will use gravity as the tool to explore the full range of masses not accessible by any other means. EUCLID is a 1.2m telescope with optical and IR wide field imagers and slitless spectroscopy, proposed to ESA Cosmic Vision to probe for Dark Energy, Baryonic acoustic oscillation, galaxy evolution, and an exoplanet hunt via microlensing. A 3 months microlensing program will already efficiently probe for planets down to the mass of Mars at the snow line, for free floating terrestrial or gaseous planets and habitable super Earth. A 12+ months survey would give a census on habitable Earth planets around solar like stars. This is the perfect complement to the statistics that will be provided by the KEPLER satellite, and these missions combined will provide a full census of extrasolar planets from hot, warm, habitable, frozen to free floating.