Catalogue of exoplanets within 20pc

We used the LIFEsim simulator to compute the integration time (tint) required to detect each planet with LIFE. A planet is considered detectable if a broadband signal-to-noise ratio S/N=7 is achieved over the spectral range 4-18.5um in t_int_<100h. We tested whether the planet is accessible to HWO in reflected starlight based on its notional inner and outer working angles, and minimum planet-to-star contrast.

LIFE's reference configuration (four 2-m telescopes with 5% throughput and a nulling baseline between 10-100m) can detect 212 known exoplanets within 20 pc. Of these, 49 are also accessible to HWO in reflected starlight, offering a unique opportunity for synergies in atmospheric characterization. LIFE can also detect 32 known transiting exoplanets.

Furthermore, we find 38 LIFE-detectable planets orbiting in the habitable zone, of which 13 have Mp<5M_{Earth}_ and eight have 5M_{Earth}_<Mp<10M_{Earth}_. LIFE already has enough targets to perform ground-breaking analyses of low-mass, habitable-zone exoplanets, a fraction of which will also be accessible to other instruments.