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Planet Formation Imager (PFI): Project update and future directions

John D. Monnier*, Stefan Kraus, Michael J. Ireland

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Paperpeer-review

Abstract

The Planet Formation Imager (PFI) Project is dedicated to defining a next-generation facility that can answer fundamental questions about how planets form, including detection of young giant exoplanets and their circumplanetary disks. The proposed expansive design for a 12-element array of 8m class telescopes with >1.2 km baselines would indeed revolutionize our understanding of planet formation and is technically achievable, albeit at a high cost. It has been 10 years since this conceptual design process began and we give an overview of the status of the PFI project. We also review how a scaled back PFI with fewer large telescopes could answer a range of compelling science questions, including in planet formation and as well as totally different astrophysics areas. New opportunities make a space-based PFI more feasible now and we give a brief overview of new efforts that could also pave the way for the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) space mission.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationOptical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging IX
EditorsJens Kammerer, Stephanie Sallum, Joel Sanchez-Bermudez
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675131
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventOptical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging IX 2024 - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: 17 Jun 202422 Jun 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13095
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceOptical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging IX 2024
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period17/06/2422/06/24

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