Solar system science with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope

Bryan J. Holler; Stefanie N. Milam; James M. Bauer; Charles Alcock; Michele T. Bannister; Gordon L. Bjoraker; Dennis Bodewits; Amanda S. Bosh; Marc W. Buie; Tony L. Farnham; Nader Haghighipour; Paul S. Hardersen; Alan W. Harris; Christopher M. Hirata; Henry H. Hsieh; Michael S.P. Kelley; Matthew M. Knight; Emily A. Kramer; Andrea Longobardo; Conor A. Nixon; Ernesto Palomba; Silvia Protopapa; Lynnae C. Quick; Darin Ragozzine; Vishnu Reddy; Jason D. Rhodes; Andy S. Rivkin; Gal Sarid; Amanda A. Sickafoose; Amy A. Simon; Cristina A. Thomas; David E. Trilling; Robert A. West

doi:10.1117/1.JATIS.4.3.034003

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14 August 2018 Solar system science with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope

Bryan J. Holler; Stefanie N. Milam; James M. Bauer; Charles Alcock; Michele T. Bannister; Gordon L. Bjoraker; Dennis Bodewits; Amanda S. Bosh; Marc W. Buie; Tony L. Farnham; Nader Haghighipour; Paul S. Hardersen; Alan W. Harris; Christopher M. Hirata; Henry H. Hsieh; Michael S.P. Kelley; Matthew M. Knight; Emily A. Kramer; Andrea Longobardo; Conor A. Nixon; Ernesto Palomba; Silvia Protopapa; Lynnae C. Quick; Darin Ragozzine; Vishnu Reddy; Jason D. Rhodes; Andy S. Rivkin; Gal Sarid; Amanda A. Sickafoose; Amy A. Simon; Cristina A. Thomas; David E. Trilling; Robert A. West

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J. of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 4(3), 034003 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JATIS.4.3.034003

Abstract

We present a community-led assessment of the solar system investigations achievable with NASA’s next-generation space telescope, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). WFIRST will provide imaging, spectroscopic, and coronagraphic capabilities from 0.43 to 2.0 μm and will be a potential contemporary and eventual successor to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Surveys of irregular satellites and minor bodies are where WFIRST will excel with its 0.28 deg² field-of-view Wide Field Instrument. Potential ground-breaking discoveries from WFIRST could include detection of the first minor bodies orbiting in the inner Oort Cloud, identification of additional Earth Trojan asteroids, and the discovery and characterization of asteroid binary systems similar to Ida/Dactyl. Additional investigations into asteroids, giant planet satellites, Trojan asteroids, Centaurs, Kuiper belt objects, and comets are presented. Previous use of astrophysics assets for solar system science and synergies between WFIRST, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, JWST, and the proposed Near-Earth Object Camera mission is discussed. We also present the case for implementation of moving target tracking, a feature that will benefit from the heritage of JWST and enable a broader range of solar system observations.

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Bryan J. Holler, Stefanie N. Milam, James M. Bauer, Charles Alcock, Michele T. Bannister, Gordon L. Bjoraker, Dennis Bodewits, Amanda S. Bosh, Marc W. Buie, Tony L. Farnham, Nader Haghighipour, Paul S. Hardersen, Alan W. Harris, Christopher M. Hirata, Henry H. Hsieh, Michael S.P. Kelley, Matthew M. Knight, Emily A. Kramer, Andrea Longobardo, Conor A. Nixon, Ernesto Palomba, Silvia Protopapa, Lynnae C. Quick, Darin Ragozzine, Vishnu Reddy, Jason D. Rhodes, Andy S. Rivkin, Gal Sarid, Amanda A. Sickafoose, Amy A. Simon, Cristina A. Thomas, David E. Trilling, and Robert A. West "Solar system science with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope," Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems 4(3), 034003 (14 August 2018). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JATIS.4.3.034003

Received: 3 January 2018; Accepted: 26 July 2018; Published: 14 August 2018