Skip to main content

Measuring Eta_Earth: Characterization of Terrestrial Planetary Systems with Kepler, HARPS-N, and Gaia

Ziel

We propose to carry out an FP7 collaborative project to provide the first ever quantitative answer to one fundamental age-old question of mankind: ‘How common are Earth analogs in our Galaxy?’. We will achieve our goal by combining the unprecedented photometric precision of NASA’s Kepler mission, the unrivalled precision of ground-based radial-velocities from the HARPS-N spectrograph, and ESA’s Gaia mission exquisitely accurate parallaxes. Ours is a transnational collaboration between European countries and the US setup to optimize the synergy between space- and ground-based data whose scientific potential can only be fully exploited when analyzed together. We ask for manpower and resources to carry out a GTO program with HARPS-N@TNG (80 nights/yr for 5 years) to measure dynamical masses of terrestrial planet candidates identified by the Kepler mission. With the unique combination of Kepler and HARPS-N data we will learn for the first time about the physics of their interiors. Some of these planets will have characteristics (masses, radii) similar to Earth, and they might be orbiting within the habitable zone of stars much like our Sun. We will search for planets similar to Earth orbiting a carefully selected sample of nearby bright solar-type stars and red M dwarfs, providing suitable candidates for spectroscopic characterization of their atmospheres with next-generation space observatories. We will combine Kepler, HARPS-N, and Gaia data products of stars in the Kepler field to underpin the occurrence rates of terrestrial planets (η) as a function of stellar properties with unprecedented accuracy. Our unique team expertise in observations and modelling of exoplanetary systems will allow us to fully exploit the potential for breakthrough science intrinsic to this cutting-edge, multi-techniques, interdisciplinary project, making the best use of data of the highest quality gathered from NASA and ESA space missions and ground-based instrumentation.

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP7-SPACE-2012-1
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigen

Koordinator

ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI ASTROFISICA
Adresse
Viale Del Parco Mellini 84
00136 Roma
Italien

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Research Organisations
EU-Beitrag
€ 584 380

Beteiligte (7)

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA
Italien
EU-Beitrag
€ 170 550
Adresse
Via 8 Febbraio 2
35122 Padova

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE
Schweiz
EU-Beitrag
€ 311 760
Adresse
Rue Du General Dufour 24
1211 Geneve

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS
United Kingdom
EU-Beitrag
€ 238 328
Adresse
North Street 66 College Gate
KY16 9AJ St Andrews

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST
United Kingdom
EU-Beitrag
€ 225 017
Adresse
University Road Lanyon Building
BT7 1NN Belfast

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
United Kingdom
EU-Beitrag
€ 260 293
Adresse
Old College, South Bridge
EH8 9YL Edinburgh

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Vereinigte Staaten
EU-Beitrag
€ 204 031
Adresse
Jefferson Drive 1000
20560 Washington Dc

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
United Kingdom
Adresse
Kirby Corner Road - University House
CV4 8UW Coventry

Auf der Karte ansehen

Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments