Our JWST calibration proposal has just been accepted for Cycle 3!
Our JWST calibration proposal aims to open a brand-new observation mode with the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to characterize exoplanets orbiting faint stars. M-dwarfs aficionados, this proposal is for you.
In this calibration proposal we offer to explore the feasibility of using the MIRI Low Reslution Spectrometer (LRS) in fixed-slit mode for the atmospheric characterisation of transiting exoplanets, observed when the planet passes in front of its host star. We aim to explore the possibility of expanding the range of accessible targets for time series observations (TSOs) with the MIRI LRS mode; exploiting the superior sensitivity of the LRS fixed-slit mode to probe cooler, lower-mass and fainter stars than are accessible with the LRS slitless mode, and avoiding some of the challenging systematics observed in the SLITLESSPRISM subarray so far. These observations will allow us to:
- (1) compare the performance of the instrument in fixed-slit and slitless configurations for a known target that has been extensively observed with JWST
- (2) understand the parameter space of exoplanet physical properties in which the LRS in fixed-slit mode is most valuable for time series observations
- (3) produce a calibration recipe for these observations that can be adopted by the JWST calibration pipeline and offered to the community.
More information on the proposal and the scheduling can be found here.