Objective

Exoplanet Forum 2008 will focus on these observational themes: imaging, coronagraphy, astrometry, interferometry, microlensing, transits, radial velocity, etc. For each theme, we will: 1) describe the exoplanet science of mission concepts that are likely to be considered by the Decadal Survey; and 2) describe the technologies needed to support these missions.

Exoplanet Forum 2008 builds on the progress made at two previous Forums (held in Washington DC in 2006, and in Mountain View CA in 2007). It will provide a forum for the extrasolar planet science community to reflect on the report of the Exoplanet Task Force (ExoPTF) as well as the selections from the Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept Studies (ASMCS) competition, and to discuss potential paths forward for exploring and characterizing exoplanets. We anticipate that the details and wide-ranging recommendations of the ExoPTF Report will generate a lot of discussion by this community.

All members of the exoplanet science and technical communities are invited to participate. The results of the Forum will be published in book form, as a record of the presentations and discussion, in a format that will be accessible to a broad range of scientists and helpful to science policy makers. The publication target date is fall 2008.

This event is sponsored by the NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program, and the Center for Exoplanet Science at JPL. The Exoplanet Exploration Program is part of the new organization of the Astrophysics Division, and it includes the missions and activities of the former Navigator Program.