Exoplanet surface mapping using scattered light curves

Exoplanet surface mapping using scattered light curves

Stuger, Samuel (TU Delft Applied Sciences; TU Delft Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science; TU Delft Mathematical Physics; TU Delft ImPhys/Optics)

Visser, P.M. (mentor)
Adam, A.J.L. (mentor)
Hart, K.P. (graduation committee)
Endo, A. (graduation committee)
Stam, D.M. (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Applied Mathematics | Applied Physics

2021-09-13

In this thesis, we provide a method for reconstructing a planet's surface map from its reflected light curve. We are going to derive an equation for the reflective light-curve under the assumption that the surface map is characterized by four different surface types (ocean, vegetation, sand and snow), is stationary (no clouds), and that all reflection is diffuse (Lambertian). We will show that the transformation is a linear function of the surface map and we will work out the transformation for arbitrary observer inclination and axial tilt. Using this knowledge, we create mock light curve data of self-generated planets. Afterwards, the transformation is inverted using the Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse and the mock data will be used to demonstrate the surface map recovery for edge-on and face-on observations of planets with different axial tilts. Furthermore, we also provide a method for recovering the planet's axial tilt from its reflected light curve.

Even when a realistic amount of photon shot noise is added to the light curve, we are able to retrieve the planet's surface map and axial tilt fairly well, especially when the planet's tilt has larger axial tilt.

Exocartography
Surface mapping
Light curve

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5faf3177-251f-4d5d-ad6c-51bf4c303d7b

Student theses

bachelor thesis

© 2021 Samuel Stuger