IvS Seminar: Nicholas Jannsen (07/03/2024)

Nicholas Jannsen - "Mock simulations for ESA’s PLATO space mission" (IvS seminar 07/03/2024)

Abstract: The next planet-hunting ESA flagship is set to launch in late 2026, namely the PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO) mission. The uninterrupted and high-precision photometry provided by space-borne instruments, such as PLATO, requires long preparatory phases. Versatile simulations that accommodate PLATO’s innovative payload design are thus essential for developing a robust processing pipeline and to continuously assist in the design, assessment, and validation of the instrument. Accordingly, we here present PlatoSim, a dedicated end-to-end PLATO camera simulator with the ability to simulate all of the expected observations of the PLATO space mission. The strong predictive power of PlatoSim will be shown through its diverse applicability and contribution within the PLATO Mission Consortium. Aside from the core science program, 8% of the mission operation will be used for complementary sciences. PLATO’s ability to photometrically detect a suite of variable phenomena outside the core science program is currently being explored with mock simulations. We highlight the scientific potential of the PLATO complimentary science program, focusing on a new PLATO asteroseismic mock catalogue (MOCKA) and how PLATO may contribute to the search for Super Massive Black Hole (SMBH) binaries in the near future.