LSST TVS SC Subgroup: Transiting Planets
Topic: LSST Transiting Planets
As the Rubin Observatory reaches its goal of first light in 2025, its primary focus has been observing the enormous objects and phenomena in our nighttime sky. However, billions of stars that host exoplanets will be buried in the petabytes of data that will eventually make up the LSST archive. We only need to find them. During the planning and implementation phases of LSST, another observatory, GAIA, with another major mission, has been mapping the universe using high-resolution astrometry. In something of a natural next step from the GAIA mission, the images and data that the Rubin Observatory will make during LSST can be studied by leveraging the research made through Phase 3 of the GAIA mission. Obviously, GAIA and Rubin are very different instruments, but there are similarities in observation cadences and the breadth and volume of observations that provide a great jumping-off point for Rubin in the search for exoplanets.
Membership
Join the TVS Science Collaboration and this Transiting Planets subgroup via the main TVS Webpage. Your application should include your science interests and proposed contributions to the current TVS-Transiting Planets activities described below. All members are expected to read and abide by the TVS Code of Conduct, the TVS Charter, and the TVS Publication Policy. Those documents describe the privileges and responsibilities of TVS membership. Members may sign the Code of Conduct and Charter using this web form. The Transiting Planets subgroup contact information and lists of currently active members are at the bottom of this page. We look forward to having you join us!
Science
Transit Method
The transit method has been responsible for many of the exoplanets confirmed to date. The major question for Rubin will be about the conditions being met for the photometry within the observations. Looking at the usual requirements of exoplanet detection using the transit method, that is, cadence and SNR of flux presents a substantial challenge.
Radial Velocity Method
The radial velocity method requires high-resolution spectroscopy. The cadence can be infrequent, but regular over long observation periods. However, there is no direct access to spectroscopy within Rubin. Thus, the question may be, can Rubin observations be used jointly with radial velocity?
Astrometry Method
The Rubin/LSST mission is all about astrometry. The cadence is similar to good radial velocity observations, but exoplanet research has a big question. Can Rubin's parallax and proper motion measurements produce enough SNR to resolve candidate exoplanets?
Proposed Projects of the Transiting Planets Subgroup
- Machine learning: understand the tools and techniques used by the GAIA team to train for exoplanet signals.
- Commingling: during DP0.2 and DR1, develop techniques to leverage and/or inject GAIA (or other) data into the LSST database to supplement currently missing astrometry data.
- Pipeline: clarify the astrometry data delivered in each operational release.
- Conversion: re-develop tools tested during DP0.2 and DR1 to perform in the later operational releases.
- Joint fitting: identify candidates and collect radial velocity data from spectrographic sources to develop low uncertainty ephemeris for candidate exoplanets.
Resources
... LSST and Transiting Exoplanet science:
- Rubin Observatory LSST Transients and Variable Stars Roadmap, Hambleton et al. (2023)
- LSST Science Collaborations Observing Strategy White Paper: "Science-driven Optimization of the LSST Observing Strategy" Marshall et al. (2017)
- Transiting Planets with LSST. III. Detection Rate per Year of Operation, Jacklin et al. (2017)
- Understanding exoplanets and other variable sources in sparsely-sampled time domain surveys, Lund (2017)
... LSST data products and observing strategy:
Roadmap
The Roadmap sets a plan for the objective the Transiting Planets sub-group to identify and focus our preparations in the lead-up to LSST operations (e.g., tool development, precursor observations).
Active Members
Subgroup Contact: Suber Corley, Arizona State University (sdcorle1@asu.edu).