Exoplanet Detection Techniques

TL;DR

This paper reviews five key observational techniques used in exoplanet detection, discussing their principles, recent advancements, limitations, and future prospects to enhance discovery efforts.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current exoplanet detection methods, highlighting recent developments and future directions in instrumentation and analysis tools.

Findings

Optical and IR Doppler measurements are crucial for detecting close-in exoplanets.

Transit photometry has led to numerous exoplanet discoveries and characterizations.

Direct imaging and microlensing expand detection capabilities to different planetary environments.

Abstract

We are still in the early days of exoplanet discovery. Astronomers are beginning to model the atmospheres and interiors of exoplanets and have developed a deeper understanding of processes of planet formation and evolution. However, we have yet to map out the full complexity of multi-planet architectures or to detect Earth analogues around nearby stars. Reaching these ambitious goals will require further improvements in instrumentation and new analysis tools. In this chapter, we provide an overview of five observational techniques that are currently employed in the detection of exoplanets: optical and IR Doppler measurements, transit photometry, direct imaging, microlensing, and astrometry. We provide a basic description of how each of these techniques works and discuss forefront developments that will result in new discoveries. We also highlight the observational limitations and synergies of each method and their connections to future space missions.