WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph Science Yield Modeling with EXOSIMS

Abstract

We present and discuss the design details of an extensible, modular, open source software framework called EXOSIMS, which creates end-to-end simulations of space-based exoplanet imaging missions. We motivate the development and baseline implementation of the component parts of this software with models of the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph, and present initial results of mission simulations for various iterations of the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph design. We present and discuss two sets of simulations: The first compares the science yield of completely different instruments in the form of early competing coronagraph designs for WFIRST-AFTA. The second set of simulations evaluates the effects of different operating assumptions, specifically the assumed post-processing capabilities and telescope vibration levels. We discuss how these results can guide further instrument development and the expected evolution of science yields.

43 pages, 14 figures; accepted for publication in WFIRST Coronagraph special issue of JATIS

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