Exoplanetary Systems with SAFARI: A Far Infrared Imaging Spectrometer for SPICA (1002.2861v1)

Abstract: The far-infrared (far-IR) spectral window plays host to a wide range of spectroscopic diagnostics with which to study planetary disk systems and exoplanets at wavelengths completely blocked by the Earth atmosphere. These include the thermal emission of dusty belts in debris disks, the water ice features in the "snow lines" of protoplanetary disks, as well as many key chemical species (O, OH, H2O, NH3, HD, etc). These tracers play a critical diagnostic role in a number of key areas including the early stages of planet formation and potentially, exoplanets. The proposed Japanese-led IR space telescope SPICA, with its 3m-class cooled mirror (~5 K) will be the next step in sensitivity after ESA's Herschel Space Observatory (successfully launched in May 2009). SPICA is a candidate "M-mission" in ESA's Cosmic Vision~2015-2025 process. We summarize the science possibilities of SAFARI: a far-IR imaging-spectrometer (covering the ~34-210um band) that is one of a suite of instruments for SPICA.