Daisuke Kawata : The JASMINE mission

Speaker : Prof. Daisuke Kawata (University College London)
Date :19th November, 2024
Title : The JASMINE mission
Abstract : The Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration
(JASMINE) is a selected ISAS/JAXA science space mission.
JASMINE has two main science goals. One is Galactic archaeology
with a Galactic Centre survey, which aims to reveal the Milky Way’s
central core (Rgc less~200 pc) structure and formation history
from Gaia-level (25 as) astrometry in the near-infrared (NIR)
Hw-band (1.0–1.6?m). The other is an exoplanet survey, which aims
to discover transiting Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zone
from NIR time-series photometry of M dwarfs when the Galactic Centre
is not accessible. JASMINE will be the first dedicated
NIR astrometry space mission and provide precise astrometric
information on the stars in the Galactic Centre, taking advantage
of the significantly lower extinction in the NIR. The precise
astrometry is obtained by taking many short-exposure images.
Hence, the JASMINE Galactic Centre survey data will be valuable
for studies of exoplanet transits, asteroseismology, variable stars,
and microlensing studies, including discovery of (intermediate-mass)
black holes. We introduce the mission and review the science prospects
of JASMINE.