[Paper Review] The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope: 100 Hubbles for the 2020s

Rachel Akeson, L. Armus+104 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Feb 14, 2019

Astronomy and Astrophysical ResearchPhysics and Astronomy15 references170 citations

TL;DR

The paper outlines the design and anticipated performance of WFIRST, a 2.4m space telescope with a wide near-IR field of view, a coronagraph, and GO-program potential, planned for launch in 2025.

ABSTRACT

The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a 2.4m space telescope with a 0.281 deg^2 field of view for near-IR imaging and slitless spectroscopy and a coronagraph designed for > 10^8 starlight suppresion. As background information for Astro2020 white papers, this article summarizes the current design and anticipated performance of WFIRST. While WFIRST does not have the UV imaging/spectroscopic capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope, for wide field near-IR surveys WFIRST is hundreds of times more efficient. Some of the most ambitious multi-cycle HST Treasury programs could be executed as routine General Observer (GO) programs on WFIRST. The large area and time-domain surveys planned for the cosmology and exoplanet microlensing programs will produce extraordinarily rich data sets that enable an enormous range of Archival Research (AR) investigations. Requirements for the coronagraph are defined based on its status as a technology demonstration, but its expected performance will enable unprecedented observations of nearby giant exoplanets and circumstellar disks. WFIRST is currently in the Preliminary Design and Technology Completion phase (Phase B), on schedule for launch in 2025, with several of its critical components already in production.

Motivation & Objective

• Motivate and inform the Astro2020 white papers by summarizing the current WFIRST design and expected capabilities.
• Highlight how WFIRST significantly enhances wide-field near-IR surveys compared to UV/optical capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope.
• Describe the science opportunities across cosmology, exoplanet microlensing, and archival research enabled by WFIRST surveys.
• Present the status, schedule, and critical components in the Phase B design and production pipeline.
• Outline how the coronagraph serves as a technology demonstration for future exoplanet and disk observations.

Proposed method

• Describe WFIRST technical specifications: 2.4 m telescope with a 0.281 deg^2 near-IR imaging and slitless spectroscopy field of view.
• Summarize expected performance and how surveys translate into large-area, time-domain data sets.
• Discuss the role of the coronagraph as a technology demonstration and its anticipated capabilities for nearby giant exoplanets and circumstellar disks.
• Explain the observing program structure: potential routine GO programs and rich archival data for broad AR investigations.
• Provide project status: Phase B (Preliminary Design and Technology Completion) and launch timeline for 2025.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How does WFIRST's wide-field near-IR survey capability compare to HST for key science goals?
• RQ2 What is the expected impact of WFIRST on cosmology, exoplanet microlensing, and time-domain astronomy in the 2020s?
• RQ3 What are the key performance metrics and technical milestones for the WFIRST Phase B design?
• RQ4 What capabilities will the coronagraph enable for exoplanet and circumstellar disk studies, and how does this serve as a technology demonstration?
• RQ5 How could HST Treasury-like programs be translated into GO programs on WFIRST?

Key findings

• WFIRST offers hundreds of times greater efficiency for wide-field near-IR surveys than HST.
• Ambitious multi-cycle HST Treasury programs could be executed as routine GO programs on WFIRST.
• Large-area and time-domain surveys will yield rich datasets enabling extensive Archival Research investigations.
• The coronagraph is defined as a technology demonstration with performance enabling unprecedented observations of nearby giant exoplanets and circumstellar disks.
• WFIRST is in Preliminary Design and Technology Completion (Phase B) and on schedule for a 2025 launch, with several critical components already in production.