Exoplanet atmospheres and demographics in the 2040s
Abstract
Direct observations of exoplanets probe the demographics and atmospheric composition of young self-luminous companions, yielding insight into their formation and early evolution history. In the near future, Gaia will reveal hundreds of nearby young exoplanets amenable to direct follow-up observations. Long-baseline interferometry with current and future facilities is best capable of exploiting this unique synergy which is poised to deliver a statistical sample of benchmark planets with precise dynamical masses and in-depth atmospheric characterization. This will enable tackling the longstanding question of how giant planets form from multiple angles simultaneously, shining light on the complex physical processes underlying planet formation.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.11695,
title = {Exoplanet atmospheres and demographics in the 2040s},
author = {Jens Kammerer and Sydney Vach and Sylvestre Lacour and Mathias Nowak and Thomas Winterhalder and Antoine Mérand and Akke Corporaal and Guillaume Bourdarot and Stefan Kraus and Sasha Hinkley},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.11695},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Submitted as science white paper to ESO Expanding Horizons call