Visible light Terrestrial Planet Finder: planet detection and spectroscopy by nulling interferometry with a single aperture telescope

Bruce Martin Levine; Michael Shao; Charles A. Beichman; Bertrand P. Mennesson; Rhonda M. Morgan; Glenn S. Orton; Eugene Serabyn; Stephen C. Unwin; T. Velusamy; Neville J. Woolf

doi:10.1117/12.460925

26 February 2003 Visible light Terrestrial Planet Finder: planet detection and spectroscopy by nulling interferometry with a single aperture telescope

Bruce Martin Levine, Michael Shao, Charles A. Beichman, Bertrand P. Mennesson, Rhonda M. Morgan, Glenn S. Orton, Eugene Serabyn, Stephen C. Unwin, T. Velusamy, Neville J. Woolf

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4852, Interferometry in Space; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460925
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

Planet detection around a bright star is dependent on the resolution of the imaging system and the degree of light suppression of the star relative to the planet. We present a concept and a scaled precursor for a visible light Terrestrial Planet Finding (VTPF) mission. Its major feature is an imaging system for planet detection using a nulling interferometer behind a single aperture telescope. This configuration is capable of detecting earth-like planets with a 4m aperture using both imaging and spectroscopic imaging modes. We will describe the principles of the system, and show results of studies demonstrating its feasibility.

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Bruce Martin Levine, Michael Shao, Charles A. Beichman, Bertrand P. Mennesson, Rhonda M. Morgan, Glenn S. Orton, Eugene Serabyn, Stephen C. Unwin, T. Velusamy, and Neville J. Woolf "Visible light Terrestrial Planet Finder: planet detection and spectroscopy by nulling interferometry with a single aperture telescope", Proc. SPIE 4852, Interferometry in Space, (26 February 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460925

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