CPI-C: Cool Planet Imaging Coronagraph on Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope

TL;DR

CPI-C on the Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope aims to directly image and analyze cool exoplanets around nearby stars using high-contrast imaging techniques in visible light.

Contribution

First space-based instrument capable of directly imaging reflection light from cool exoplanets in visible wavelengths, enabling detailed physical characterization.

Findings

Achieves contrast better than 10^-8 at 3-4λ/D IWA

Employs step-transmission apodization and phase correction techniques

Enables systematic spectroscopic analysis of exoplanets

Abstract

Cool Planet Imaging Coronagraph (CPI-C) on Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope (CSST) is proposed to direct image the cool planets around nearby solar-type stars (within 40 pc). The core scientific objective of CPI-C is to conduct high-contrast directly imaging surveys of exoplanets ranging in size from Neptune-like to Jupiter-like, located at separations of 0.5 to 5 AU from their host stars, and to perform systematic spectroscopic analysis of the detected planets through high-precision multi-band photometry. CPI-C employs a step-transmission apodization technique to suppress the diffraction noises from the telescope pupil and a precise phase correction technique to eliminate the speckle noises due to imperfections of the optical surfaces. The contrast requirement is better than $10^{-8}$ at an inner working angle (IWA) of $3-4\lambda/D$, in the visible wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. CPI-C will be the first space-based instrument capable of directly imaging the reflection light from the cool exoplanets in the visible wavelength enabling the measurement of key physical parameters such as the effective temperature, surface gravity, radius, mass, and other key parameters. The potential observation results will significantly contribute to further understand the formation and evolution mechanisms of planets, which will also lay a solid foundation for future confirmation of the Earth-twins in the next generation space flagship missions.