Exoplanet research in the era of the extremely large telescope (ELT)

Abstract

With more than 3,700 planets beyond our solar system unveiled, and many thousands waiting to be discovered in the upcoming years, the three extremely large telescopes will dramatically advance the study of the composition, dynamics, and the structure of exoplanet atmospheres in the next decade. The unprecedented size of these telescope will permit high-contrast imaging of planetary companions to host stars in the solar neighborhood at orbital separations closer than 1AU, and high-dispersion spectrographs will open a window to a detailed investigation of exoplanet atmospheres including weather patterns and cloud properties therein. Being capable of inspecting the atmospheres of terrestrial exoplanets, these telescopes will bring us much closer to the answer of one of the most fundamental questions: does life exist beyond Earth?