Possible Observational Survey Strategies to Maximize Exoplanet Yields: A Report from the Survey Strategies Task Group in the Exoplanet Science Yields Working Group
Abstract
We present a variety of possible observational sequences from planet detection to characterization (i.e., survey strategies) for the initial exoEarth detection and characterization survey phase of the Habitable Worlds Observatory. An array of survey strategies were collated by the HWO Exoplanet Survey Strategies Task Group; by investigating and comparing expected resultant exoEarth yields for multiple survey strategies, we can better understand the most efficient strategy to characterize multiple planets in unconventional ways. We present eight varied survey strategies, presented as steps of Detection, Photometry, Orbit Measurement, and/or Characterization, including discussion of possible shortcomings and benefits of each strategy. We present exoEarth yield calculations from the Altruistic Yield Optimizer (AYO) and the Exoplanet Open-Source Imaging Mission Simulator (EXOSIMS) for select strategies, with initial considerations of thermal emission and detector noise. Herein, a yield is the expectation value given the astrophysical assumptions of the number of planets that meet the observational criteria during the survey. We find that AYO and EXOSIMS find the highest yields for H2O at 0.9 microns, although the calculated yields vary. When allowing for wavelength optimization within AYO, we find that H2O is most optimal to observe at 0.9 microns when given the full range of VIS and NIR values, with an expected exoEarth yield of 29.1. H2O and O2 dual characterization is possible at the expense of yield planet loss, with a calculated possible yield of 20.9 in the VIS. The characterization of CH4 and CO2 in the NIR result in the lowest exoEarth yields at 19.9 and 6.4 possible expected planets, respectively. Future work updating AYO and EXOSIMS is necessary to explore further survey strategies that follow different observation procedures, some of which is currently underway.
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BibTeX
@misc{latouf2026possible,
title = {{Possible Observational Survey Strategies to Maximize Exoplanet Yields: A Report from the Survey Strategies Task Group in the Exoplanet Science Yields Working Group}},
author = {Natasha Latouf and Corey Spohn and Kevin Fogarty and Chris Stark and Dmitry Savransky n=and Eleonora Alei and Anthony Boccaletti and Gagandeep Kaur and Avi Mandell and Rhonda Morgan and Aki Roberge and Jean-Baptiste Ruffio and Jean Schneider and Edward Schwieterman and Armen Tokadijan and Daniel Viudez-Moreiras},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.25540},
eprint = {2609.25540},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.25540},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Possible Observational Survey Strategies to Maximize Exoplanet Yields: A Report from the Survey Strategies Task Group in the Exoplanet Science Yields Working Group
AU - Natasha Latouf
AU - Corey Spohn
AU - Kevin Fogarty
AU - Chris Stark
AU - Dmitry Savransky n=and Eleonora Alei
AU - Anthony Boccaletti
AU - Gagandeep Kaur
AU - Avi Mandell
AU - Rhonda Morgan
AU - Aki Roberge
AU - Jean-Baptiste Ruffio
AU - Jean Schneider
AU - Edward Schwieterman
AU - Armen Tokadijan
AU - Daniel Viudez-Moreiras
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.25540
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.25540
AB - We present a variety of possible observational sequences from planet detection to characterization (i.e., survey strategies) for the initial exoEarth detection and characterization survey phase of the Habitable Worlds Observatory. An array of survey strategies were collated by the HWO Exoplanet Survey Strategies Task Group; by investigating and comparing expected resultant exoEarth yields for multiple survey strategies, we can better understand the most efficient strategy to characterize multiple planets in unconventional ways. We present eight varied survey strategies, presented as steps of Detection, Photometry, Orbit Measurement, and/or Characterization, including discussion of possible shortcomings and benefits of each strategy. We present exoEarth yield calculations from the Altruistic Yield Optimizer (AYO) and the Exoplanet Open-Source Imaging Mission Simulator (EXOSIMS) for select strategies, with initial considerations of thermal emission and detector noise. Herein, a yield is the expectation value given the astrophysical assumptions of the number of planets that meet the observational criteria during the survey. We find that AYO and EXOSIMS find the highest yields for H2O at 0.9 microns, although the calculated yields vary. When allowing for wavelength optimization within AYO, we find that H2O is most optimal to observe at 0.9 microns when given the full range of VIS and NIR values, with an expected exoEarth yield of 29.1. H2O and O2 dual characterization is possible at the expense of yield planet loss, with a calculated possible yield of 20.9 in the VIS. The characterization of CH4 and CO2 in the NIR result in the lowest exoEarth yields at 19.9 and 6.4 possible expected planets, respectively. Future work updating AYO and EXOSIMS is necessary to explore further survey strategies that follow different observation procedures, some of which is currently underway.
ER -