Prospects for exoplanet imaging in multi-star systems with starshades

Dan Sirbu; Ruslan Belikov; Eduardo Bendek; Elias Holte; A. J. Riggs; Stuart Shaklan

doi:10.1117/12.2274267

1 September 2017 Prospects for exoplanet imaging in multi-star systems with starshades

Dan Sirbu, Ruslan Belikov, Eduardo Bendek, Elias Holte, A. J. Riggs, Stuart Shaklan

Proceedings Volume 10400, Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets VIII; 104001D (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274267
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2017, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We explore the capabilities of a starshade mission to directly image multi-star systems. In addition to the diffracted and scattered light for the on-axis star, a multi-star system features additional starlight leakage from the off-axis star that must also be controlled. A basic option is for additional starshades to block the off- axis stars. An interesting option takes the form of hybrid operation of a starshade in conjunction with an internal starlight suppression. Two hybrid scenarios are considered. One such scenario includes the coronagraph instrument blocking the on-axis star, with the starshade blocking off-axis starlight. Another scenario uses the wavefront control system in the coronagraph instrument and using a recent Super-Nyquist Wavefront Control (SNWC) technique can remove the off-axis stars leakage to enable a region of high-contrast around the on-axis star blocked by the starshade. We present simulation results relevant for the WFIRST telescope.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Dan Sirbu, Ruslan Belikov, Eduardo Bendek, Elias Holte, A. J. Riggs, and Stuart Shaklan "Prospects for exoplanet imaging in multi-star systems with starshades", Proc. SPIE 10400, Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets VIII, 104001D (1 September 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274267

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