Direct detection of young giant planets can probe formation processes near the snow line, which is thought to be where giant planet formation is most likely. I will outline the scientific requirements for observational constraints on this process, and show that the minimum requirements from the ground can be achieved by a high contrast VLTI instrument (Hi-5/VIKiNG) operating within the 2-5 micron range, nulling starlight in a highly calibratable manner with a "Kernel Nuller". Understanding these processes in more depth will eventually require an instrument more sensitive than is possible from the ground, requiring a cooled space mission. I will describe a pathway for such a mission.

Date Published: 3 January 2020
PDF: 3 pages
Proc. SPIE 11203, Advances in Optical Astronomical Instrumentation 2019, 112030U (3 January 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2540970

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 11203:
Advances in Optical Astronomical Instrumentation 2019
Simon C. Ellis; Céline d'Orgeville, Editor(s)