Franck Marchis, Senior Research Scientist at the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, is involved in the definition of a new generation of AOs for 8 -10 m class telescopes and future Extremely Large Telescopes. He has developed algorithms to process and enhance the quality of images, both astronomical and biological, using fluorescence microscopy. He is currently involved in the development of the Gemini Planet Imager, an extreme AO system for the Gemini South telescope which is capable of imaging and record spectra of exoplanets orbiting around nearby stars.
GPI should be able to capture photons coming from distant, young Jupiter-like exoplanets around nearby bright stars. How many of them will be discovered is still unknown, but the NASA Kepler spacecraft survey has told us that exoplanets are numerous in our galaxy.
In addition, several exoplanets have been seen using current and less effective adaptive optics systems, so we are confident of the success of this instrument. The SETI Institute is hosting part of the science team for the three-year search campaign that will begin in 2014 with the goal of observing 600 young and bright stars in the southern sky. The development of similar projects on other telescopes testifies to the dynamic nature of this new field. An instrument called SPHERE is about to be shipped to the Very Large Telescope, also located in Chile, and the SCExAO system is currently being tested at the Subaru Japanese telescope in Hawaii.
"In two decades, thanks to sophisticated instruments like GPI, stargazers will no longer see stars as simple twinkling specks of light, but also as worlds surrounded by planets. Perhaps we will have collected enough data on these planetary systems to find out if one of them could potentially host life, and eventually be the home of a technological civilization."
Frank Marchis, Mtafiti Mtendaji wa Chuo Kikuu cha Carl Sagan katika Taasisi ya SETI, anashiriki katika kuunda kizazi kipya cha AO kwa darasa la 8-10m telescopes na Telescopes ya baadaye ya Kubwa sana. Ameendeleza algorithms kwa ajili ya usindikaji na kuboresha ubora wa picha, wote astronomical na kibiolojia, kwa kutumia microscopy fluorescence. "Mwanzoni mwa mwaka huu, Gemini Planet Imager, ambayo ni mfumo wa AO wa juu kwa ajili ya Gemini South Telescope, ilitengenezwa kwa ajili ya ""kuchora picha na kurekodi spectrums ya exoplanets kuzunguka nyota za karibu.""" GPI inapaswa kuwa na uwezo wa kukamata photons kuja kutoka mbali, vijana Jupiter-kama exoplanets karibu nyota mkali. Hata hivyo, bado haijulikani ni wangapi watakaogunduliwa, lakini uchunguzi wa NASA uliofanywa na Kepler umeonyesha kwamba kuna sayari nyingi za nje ya dunia katika galaksi yetu. "Aidha, ""mabonde kadhaa ya nje ya dunia yameonekana kwa kutumia mifumo ya sasa na isiyo na ufanisi wa optics ya adaptive, kwa hivyo tuna uhakika wa mafanikio ya chombo hiki.""" Taasisi ya SETI inakaribisha sehemu ya timu ya kisayansi kwa kampeni ya utafutaji wa miaka mitatu ambayo itaanza mnamo 2014 na lengo la kuchunguza nyota 600 vijana na mkali katika anga la kusini. Maendeleo ya miradi kama hiyo kwenye darubini nyingine za angani yanathibitisha hali ya nguvu ya uwanja huu mpya. Kifaa cha SPHERE kimeanza kutumiwa katika telescope ya Very Large Telescope, ambayo pia iko nchini Chile, na mfumo wa SCEX-AO unajaribiwa katika telescope ya Subaru huko Hawaii. """Katika miongo miwili ijayo, shukrani kwa vyombo vya hali ya juu kama GPI, watazamaji wa nyota hawataziona tena nyota kama madoa ya nuru ya kawaida, bali pia kama ulimwengu uliozungukwa na sayari." "Huenda tutakuwa tumekusanya data za kutosha juu ya mifumo hii ya sayari ili kujua ikiwa moja yao inaweza kuwa mwenyeji wa maisha, na hatimaye kuwa nyumbani kwa ustaarabu wa kiteknolojia. """