The potential for direct imaging of extra-solar planets with ground-based telescopes

The first detections of extra-solar planets have come from the ground on telescopes of relatively small aperture, through indirect methods which measure the gravitational influence on the central star. In this paper, the requirements are discussed for accomplishing the next major advance in exploring neighboring planetary systems, namely obtaining direct images of Jupiter-like planets around nearby stars. The method involves pushing the current capabilities for direct detection of faint companions to a new domain of very high contrast and sensitivity, by extending the technology of adaptive optics to correction of atmospheric aberration at very fine spatial scales and high-speed. Detailed simulations show that a Jupiter-like planet can be detected int one night of observation on a 6.5 m telescope equipped with the new, advanced adaptive optics. The breakthroughs required to implement the technique are discussed, along with near-term solutions. A survey of nearby bright stars using twin 6.5 m telescopes in both hemispheres could lead to a direct image of an extra-solar Jupiter-like planet within 5 years.