Authors

Steph Sallum, University of California, Irvine
Shrishmoy Ray, University of Exeter
Jens Kammerer, European Southern Observatory
Anand Sivaramakrishnan, Space Telescope Science Institute
Rachel Cooper, Space Telescope Science Institute
Alexandra Z. Greebaum, Infrared Processing & Analysis Center
Deepashri Thatte, Space Telescope Science Institute
Matthew De Furio, The University of Texas at Austin
Samuel M. Factor, The University of Texas at Austin
Michael R. Meyer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Jordan M. Stone, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Aarynn Carter, University of California, Santa Cruz
Beth Biller, University of Edinburgh, Institute for Astronomy
Sasha Hinkley, University of Exeter
Andrew Skemer, University of California, Santa Cruz
Genaro Suárez, American Museum of Natural History
Jarron M. Leisenring, The University of Arizona
Marshall D. Perrin, Space Telescope Science Institute
Adam L. Kraus, The University of Texas at Austin
Olivier Absil, Université de Liège
William O. Balmer, Space Telescope Science Institute
Sarah K. Betti, Space Telescope Science Institute
Anthony Boccaletti, L'Observatoire de Paris
Mariangela Bonavita, The Open University
Mickael Bonnefoy, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG)
Mark Booth, Royal Observatory
Brendan P. Bowler, The University of Texas at Austin
Zackery W. Briesemeister, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Marta L. Bryan, University of California, Berkeley
Per Calissendorff, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
et al, Various Institutions
Kimberly Ward-Duong, Smith CollegeFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Kimberly Ward-Duong: 0000-0002-4479-8291

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2024

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal Letters

Abstract

We present a performance analysis for the aperture masking interferometry (AMI) mode on board the James Webb Space Telescope Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (JWST/NIRISS). Thanks to self-calibrating observables, AMI accesses inner working angles down to and even within the classical diffraction limit. The scientific potential of this mode has recently been demonstrated by the Early Release Science (ERS) 1386 program with a deep search for close-in companions in the HIP 65426 exoplanetary system. As part of ERS 1386, we use the same data set to explore the random, static, and calibration errors of NIRISS AMI observables. We compare the observed noise properties and achievable contrast to theoretical predictions. We explore possible sources of calibration errors and show that differences in charge migration between the observations of HIP 65426 and point-spread function calibration stars can account for the achieved contrast curves. Lastly, we use self-calibration tests to demonstrate that with adequate calibration NIRISS F380M AMI can reach contrast levels of ~9-10 mag at ≥λ/D. These tests lead us to observation planning recommendations and strongly motivate future studies aimed at producing sophisticated calibration strategies taking these systematic effects into account. This will unlock the unprecedented capabilities of JWST/NIRISS AMI, with sensitivity to significantly colder, lower-mass exoplanets than lower-contrast ground-based AMI setups, at orbital separations inaccessible to JWST coronagraphy.

Volume

963

Issue

1

DOI

10.3847/2041-8213/ad21fb

ISSN

20418205

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

© 2024 The Authors

Comments

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