28th Annual Student Research Conference
The Future of Exoplanet Research
Neal H. Thompson
Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale, Faculty Mentor
Exoplanet astronomy may be a relatively new field, but it has proven to be promising. Data gathered by the space-based mission Kepler has led to the detection of thousands and confirmation of hundreds of new exoplanets, giving astronomers more information about the universe than ever before. This has enabled exoplanet hunters across the world to begin working on new and exciting exoplanet missions. These missions, such as K2, TESS, and JWST, will be able to gather, among other data, spectroscopic information on hundreds of exoplanets that can detect the presence of astrobiologically significant chemicals in the planets atmospheres. This talk will cover the design, capabilities and philosophy of future exoplanet missions, as well as the implications of these missions on exoplanet detection and characterization in the context of the study of astrobiology.
Keywords: astrobiology, astronomy, TESS, JWST
Topic(s):Astrobiology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 408-2
Location: MG 1098
Time: 2:45