Ground-based direct imaging of exoplanets. Science objectives of extreme AO systems

Abstract

This paper presents the current situation of the direct search for planets andfuture prospects in this field. The performance of the next generation ofadaptive optics instruments, aiming at high angular resolution and highdynamics imaging, is briefly shown and discussed in terms of detectable planetaryparameters. In summary, young jovian planets and evolved massive bodies at the borderbetween giant planets and brown dwarfs will be directly detected within 10years. These studies nicely complement the radial velocity and transit surveysin the search for planetary systems, whereas additionnal potentialscientific cases for this class of instruments concern debris disks, star formation,massive stars ejections...