ERS PROGRAM 1366

Extrasolar Planets
Planetary Atmospheres
Transits

Munazza Alam (Harvard University)
Natasha Batalha (NASA Ames Research Center)
Bjorn  Benneke (Universite de Montreal)
Zach K. Berta-Thompson (University of Colorado at Boulder)
Jasmina Blecic (New York University)
Giovanni Bruno (INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania)
Aarynn Carter (University of Exeter)
John Chapman (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Ian Crossfield (University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc.)
Nicolas Michael Crouzet (European Space Agency - ESTEC)
Leen Decin (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Brice-Olivier Demory (University of Bern)
Jean-Michel Desert (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
Diana Dragomir (University of New Mexico)
Jonathan Fortney (University of California - Santa Cruz)
Jonathan Fraine (Space Science Institute)
Peter Gao (University of California - Santa Cruz)
Antonio Garcia Munoz (Technische Universitat Berlin)
Neale Gibson (University of Dublin, Trinity College)
Jayesh Goyal (Cornell University)
Joseph Harrington (University of Central Florida)
Kevin Heng (University of Bern)
Renyu Hu (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Eliza M.-R. Kempton (University of Maryland)
Sarah Kendrew (Space Telescope Science Institute)
Brian Kilpatrick (Space Telescope Science Institute)
Heather A. Knutson (California Institute of Technology)
Laura Kreidberg (Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory)
Jessica Krick (California Institute of Technology)
Pierre-Olivier Lagage (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA))
Monika Lendl (Observatoire de Geneve)
Jessica Libby-Roberts (University of Colorado at Boulder)
Michael Line (Arizona State University)
Mercedes Lopez-Morales (Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory)
Tom Louden (The University of Warwick)
Nikku Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge)
Avi Mandell (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
Megan Mansfield (University of Chicago)
Erin M. May (Space Telescope Science Institute)
Thomas Mikal-Evans (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Giuseppe Morello (CEA, Universite Paris-Saclay)
Caroline Morley (University of Texas at Austin)
Julianne I. Moses (Space Science Institute)
Nikolay Nikolov (Space Telescope Science Institute)
Vivien Parmentier (University of Oxford)
Seth Redfield (Wesleyan University)
Everett Schlawin (University of Arizona)
Adam Showman (University of Arizona)
David K. Sing (The Johns Hopkins University)
Jessica Spake (The Johns Hopkins University)
Mark Raboin Swain (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Kamen Todorov (Universiteit van Amsterdam
Angelos Tsiaras (University College London)
Olivia Venot (Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques)
William Waalkes (University of Colorado at Boulder)
Hannah Ruth Wakeford (Space Telescope Science Institute)
Peter J. Wheatley (The University of Warwick)
Robert Thomas Zellem (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

JWST presents the opportunity to transform our understanding of planets and the origins of life by revealing the atmospheric compositions, structures, and dynamics of transiting exoplanets in unprecedented detail. However, the high-precision, time-series observations required for such investigations have unique technical challenges, and our prior experience with HST, Spitzer, and Kepler indicates that there will be a steep learning curve when JWST becomes operational.

We propose an ERS program to accelerate the acquisition and diffusion of technical expertise for transiting exoplanet observations with JWST. This program will also provide a compelling set of representative datasets, which will enable immediate scientific breakthroughs. We will exercise the time-series modes of all four instruments that have been identified as the consensus highest priority by the community, observe the full suite of transiting planet characterization geometries (transits, eclipses, and phase curves), and target planets with host stars that span an illustrative range of brightnesses. The proposed observations were defined through an inclusive and transparent process that had participation from JWST instrument experts and international leaders in transiting exoplanet studies. The targets have been vetted with previous measurements, will be observable early in the mission, and have exceptional scientific merit. We will engage the community with a two-phase Data Challenge that culminates with the delivery of planetary spectra, time-series instrument performance reports, and open-source data analysis toolkits.

MIRI: Low Resolution Spectroscopy
NIRCam: Grism Time Series
NIRISS: Single-object Slitless Spectroscopy
NIRSpec: Bright Object Time Series

• Data analysis recipe for each dataset
• Field guide to instrument systematics

We will host a multi-phase data challenge to spark worldwide collaboration and focus the exoplanet community’s creativity on analyzing JWST data. Inspired by the Spitzer 2015 Data Challenge (Ingalls et al. 2016), this challenge will comprise online interaction and face-to-face meetings, bringing together instrument/telescope specialists, observers, and theorists. It will facilitate the speedy validation of our scientific results and construction of our science-enabling products, through intermediate deadlines and opportunities for group work. These activities are not limited to those scientists who were on the original ERS proposal; we welcome participation from the entire community.

While the exact dates are TBD, the first data challenge will occur around the time of JWST's launch and will use simulated data. The second data challenge will use the real data from the program and take place a few months after JWST commences its science operations. See the team website for announcements about these events.

Here's a paper describing our program:  https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018PASP..130k4402B/abstract

  https://ers-transit.github.io