The Planetary Systems Imager for TMT: Overview and Status

Abstract

We provide a summary review of the scientific and technical capabilities and the overall project status of the Planetary Systems Instrument (PSI), a second-generation instrumentation suite for the TMT. The instrument seeks to determine the composition and energy balance of exoplanets through the joint measurement of planet-reflected starlight and thermal emission, as well as constrain planet formation and evolution scenarios through high-spectral-resolution characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. The PSI instrument concept operates from optical to thermal infrared wavelengths, combining high-order AO correction with pupil- and focal-plane wavefront sensing, coronagraphs, imaging and low-resolution integral-field spectroscopy, as well as fiber-coupled high-resolution spectrometers. The modular design enables simultaneous characterization of exoplanets at multiple wavelengths, allows for phased deployment and commissioning, and provides upgrade paths to accommodate potential technological advances. We will provide an overview of the past two years of development, including description of the key scientific and technical requirement development and flowdown, AO and science output performance simulation, optical conceptual design of the front-end AO system, and the status of precursor instrumentation and techniques. © 2022 SPIE.