Exploring Other Worlds: Science Questions for Future Direct Imaging Missions (EXOPAG SAG15 Report)

TL;DR

This report compiles community input to identify key scientific questions for future direct imaging exoplanet missions, categorizing questions about planetary systems, individual planets, and planetary processes, and discussing observational strategies.

Contribution

It systematically organizes high-level science questions for future exoplanet imaging missions based on extensive community input and categorizes them for targeted observational approaches.

Findings

Identified three main groups of science questions: planetary systems, individual planets, planetary processes.

Summarized current knowledge and future observational strategies for each question category.

Provided examples and considerations for target samples and observational approaches.

Abstract

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.