Astro2020 APC White Paper: Durable Agency Support for Exoplanet Catalogs and Archives

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the critical need for sustained agency support to maintain and improve exoplanet catalogs and archives, which are essential for advancing exoplanet research and achieving scientific goals.

Contribution

It advocates for long-term funding and support from agencies to ensure the durability and reliability of exoplanet data repositories.

Findings

Exoplanet catalogs are vital for research and target selection.

Current support for exoplanet archives is insufficient for long-term scientific needs.

Sustained agency support enhances data accuracy and accessibility.

Abstract

Many projects in current exoplanet science make use of catalogs of known exoplanets and their host stars. These may be used for demographic, population, and statistical studies, or for identifying targets for future observations. The ability to efficiently and accurately conduct exoplanet science depends on the completeness, accuracy, and access to these catalogs. In this white paper, we argue that long-term agency support and maintenance of exoplanet archives is of crucial importance to achieving the scientific goals of the community and the strategic goals of the funding agencies. As such, it is imperative that these facilities are appropriately supported and maintained by the national funding agencies.