Abstract

Finding the best low-mass exoplanet targets for JWST using TESS and SPIRou

Nicolas Crouzet (Dunlap Institute, University of Toronto)

A limitation to the success of JWST for exoplanet science is the low number of currently known Super-Earth and Earth-size planets suitable to atmospheric characterization. Most of the targets for JWST are expected to come from the NASA TESS mission that will be launched one year only prior to JWST. With such a tight schedule, efficient follow-up and mass determination of the TESS exoplanet candidates will be crucial to identify the best targets for JWST. SPIRou at CFHT is an instrument unique in its kind that will enable radial velocity measurements at high precision (< 1 m/s) and high resolving power (> 70,000) in the near infrared (0.98-2.35 microns) in one shot, and will be ideally suited to the follow-up and detection of low-mass exoplanets around low-mass stars. I will present possible strategies for the follow-up of TESS exoplanet candidates with SPIRou, the resulting yield of targets suitable to atmospheric characterization with JWST, and estimates of the required observing time with SPIRou and JWST. This work will help in delivering the best exoplanet targets for JWST.

Mode of presentation: poster