Parallel Science with Astero-seismology missions

Abstract

Eddington, COROT, MONS, KEPLER, and the other asteroseismology and planet finding missions, obtain extremely high photometric quality time-series data as their primary purpose. Similar quality data are potentially, and in some designs actually, being obtained for very many other sources in the telescope field of view, in addition to the primary mission targets. These parallel data, of exceptional quality and broad scientific interest, can be made available for scientific analysis with small system impact. This paper lists some of the most obvious of the serendipitous research and discovery opportunities which these parallel data will allow. The scientific potential is both large and unique, encouraging efforts to provide these data to the community.