The Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign

• Three-year campaign @ Gemini-South 8.1-m Telescope for direct imaging of exoplanets: ~500 queue hrs, ~300 stars.

• Campaign science questions:

• Started in Dec 2008, completion in late-2011/early-2012.

1. What is the frequency of gas-giant planets at > 5-10 AU?

2. How does planet frequency depend on stellar mass?3. What do the SEDs of young planets look like?

NICI = Dedicated exoplanet imagerCH4 short (1.58 m) CH4 long (1.65 m)

1. High-order NGS AO: UH 85-elem curvature system

2. Spectral Difference Imaging (SDI)3. Roll subtraction (a.k.a. ADI = angular difference imaging)

4. Lyot Coronagraphy

ASDI

NICI: Near-IR Coronagraphic ImagerGemini-South 8.1-meter Telescope

PI: Doug Toomey (MKIR)PS: Christ Ftaclas (IfA/UH)AO: Mark Chun (IfA/UH)

Funded by NASA.

The NICI Campaign is targeting ~300 carefully chosen stars, spanning a range of ages, distances & masses.

Solar-type (GK)35%

Low-mass (M)27%

High-mass (AF)38%

NICI Campaign performance is >1−2 mags better than previous AO planet-imaging surveys.

Median NICI ASDI contrast @ 1”

separation = 15.0 mags

The NICI Campaign is the largest, most sensitive exoplanet imaging survey to date.