Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 65
This version created on 05 October 2006

The COROT exoplanet programme


Suzanne Aigrain, Institue of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK
 on behalf of the COROT Exoplanet Working Group

COROT (Convection, ROtation and Transits) is a small (30cm) European
space telescope mission, whose primary science goals are the search
for planetary transits and asteroseismology.  Due for launch in late
2006, it will be the first space mission of its kind, capable of
detecting large, hot terrestrial planets (R>2 R_Earth, period<1
month), and will set the scene for Kepler.  COROT's exoplanet program
consists in monitoring 60,000  stars in the range 12th to 16th
magnitude for 5 months each over a period of 2.5 years, with a time
cadence of 8.5 minutes and photometric precision down to 10ppm over
1h.  This talk will give a brief overview of COROT's payload and
planned operations, and of the methods envisaged to detect and
characterise the transits.  These were tested in two recent blind
exercises conducted among the Exoplanet Working Group, on the basis of
the which I will summarise the detection limits and expected planet
yield.  I will also present plans for ground-based follow-up
observations, showing that COROT's performance is well-matched to that
of the best ground-based radial velocity facilities available at
present.  Finally, I will give an up-to-date report on the
preparations for and, if applicable, the launch itself, which is
currently planned for late October.

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