Final answer:
The Doppler technique excels at detecting large planets in close orbits, but requires high accuracy for measuring small shifts, whereas the transit technique, used prominently by the Kepler space observatory, is great for detecting periodic dimming from large planets, but requires space-based telescopes to avoid atmospheric interference.
Step-by-step explanation:
Strengths and Limitations of Doppler and Transit Techniques
The Doppler technique and transit technique are essential methods used in astronomy to discover exoplanets and gather astrophysical data. The Doppler technique measures velocity changes in the frequency of light from a star as it is affected by the gravitational pull of orbiting planets. This method is excellent for detecting large planets in short-period orbits and can now reveal more distant and less massive planets as sensitivity to measure smaller Doppler shifts improves. However, it requires a great deal of accuracy due to the small size of the Doppler shifts involved. The transit technique, on the other hand, monitors stars for periodic dimming that indicates a planet has passed in front of it. The transit method has been used extensively by the NASA Kepler space observatory, which successfully provided massive data on the frequency of occurrence of exoplanets. While the transit method is also suited for finding larger planets and planets with short-period orbits, it has the significant limitation that it requires a space-based telescope like Kepler to avoid atmospheric distortions, which is a high-cost investment. Both techniques have played pivotal roles in our understanding of the universe, each with its set of strengths and limitations. For instance, the transit method provides the size of the planet, while the Doppler method gives insights into the planet's mass. Combining both techniques can confirm exoplanet discoveries, enriching the accuracy of our observations.