astrobiology; instrumentation: high angular resolution; instrumentation: interferometers; instrumentation: miscellaneous; planets and satellites: terrestrial planets
Abstract :
[en] We present an analytic model to estimate the capabilities of space missions dedicated to the search for biosignatures in the atmosphere of rocky planets located in the habitable zone of nearby stars. Relations between performance and mission parameters, such as mirror diameter, distance to targets, and radius of planets, are obtained. Two types of instruments are considered: coronagraphs observing in the visible, and nulling interferometers in the thermal infrared. Missions considered are: single-pupil coronagraphs with a 2.4 m primary mirror, and formation-flying interferometers with 4 × 0.75 m collecting mirrors. The numbers of accessible planets are calculated as a function of η[SUB]Earth[/SUB]. When Kepler gives its final estimation for η[SUB]Earth[/SUB], the model will permit a precise assessment of the potential of each instrument. Based on current estimations, η[SUB]Earth[/SUB] = 10% around FGK stars and 50% around M stars, the coronagraph could study in spectroscopy only ∼1.5 relevant planets, and the interferometer ∼14.0. These numbers are obtained under the major hypothesis that the exozodiacal light around the target stars is low enough for each instrument. In both cases, a prior detection of planets is assumed and a target list established. For the long-term future, building both types of spectroscopic instruments, and using them on the same targets, will be the optimal solution because they provide complementary information. But as a first affordable space mission, the interferometer looks the more promising in terms of biosignature harvest.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Léger, Alain; IAS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Orsay, France ; IAS, CNRS (UMR 8617), bât 121, Univ. Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsay, France
Defrere, Denis ; Steward Observatory, Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Malbet, Fabien; UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), UMR 5274, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble cedex 9, France
Labadie, Lucas; I. Physikalisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Str. 77, D-50937 Cologne, Germany
Absil, Olivier ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Language :
English
Title :
Impact of ηEarth on the Capabilities of Affordable Space Missions to Detect Biosignatures on Extrasolar Planets
Angel R., Cheng A. and Woolf N. 1986 Natur 324 518
Arnold L., Ehrenreich D., Vidal-Madjar A., Dumusque X., Nitschelm C. et al 2014 A&A 564 A58
Atlast 2009, a NASA Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept Study, M. Postman PI (Baltimore, MD: STScI)
Batalha N. 2014 PNAS 111 12647
Batalha N. M., Rowe J. F., Bryson S. T. et al 2012 ApJS 204 24
Beichman C. A., Allen R., Bely P., Capps R., Carlstrom J. et al 1996 http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/exnps/index.html
Beichman C. A., Woolf N. J. and Lindensmith C. A. 1999 JPL publication 99-3, NASA
Beichman C. A., Bryden G., Stapelfeldt K. R., Gautier T. N., Grogan K., Shao M. et al 2006 ApJ 652 1674
Beichman C. A., Fridlund M., Traub W. A., Stapelfeldt K. R. et al 2007 Protostars and Planets V ed B. Reipurth, D. Jewitt and K. Keil (Tucson, AZ: Univ. Arizona Press) 915
Bonfils X., Delfosse X., Udry S., Forveille T., Mayor M. et al 2013 A&A 549 A109
Borucki W. J., Dunham E. W., Koch D. G., Cochran W. D., Rose J. D. et al 1996 Ap&SS 241 111
Borucki W. J., Koch D. G., Basri G., Batalha N., Brown T. M. et al 2011 ApJ 736 19
Burke B. F. 1992a Astrophysics on the Threshold of the 21st Century ed N. S. Kardashev (New York: Gordon & Breach) 303
Burke B. F. 1992b Targets for Space-Based Interferometry ed C. Mattok (Paris: European Space Agency) 81
Chazelas B., Brachet F., Bordé P., Mennesson B., Ollivier M. et al 2006 ApOpt 45 984
Chen D., Wu J. and Li B. 2013 in Step Mission, European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) Abstracts 8, 1102
Cockell C. S., Herbst T., Léger A., Absil O., Beichman C. et al 2009 ExA 23 435
Danchi W., Bailey V., Bryden G., Defrère D., Haniff C. et al 2014 Proc. SPIE 9146 914607
Defrère D., Absil O., den Hartog R., Hanot C. and Stark C. 2010 A&A 509 A9
Defrère D., Stark C., Cahoy K. and Beerer I. 2012 Proc. SPIE 8442 84420M
Defrère D., Hinz P. M., Skemer A. J., Kennedy G. M., Bailey V. P. et al 2015 ApJ 799 42
Delpech M., Berges J.-C., Karlsson T. and Malbet F. 2013 Int. J. Space Science and Engineering 1 382
Democritos of Aidera, 460-371 BC, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democritus
den Hartog R. 2005 The DarwinSim Science Simulator, Tech. Rep. Issue 1, ESA (SCI-A/297)
Des Marais D. J., Harwit M. O., Jucks K. W., Kasting J. F., Lin D. N. C. et al 2002 AsBio 2 153
Ehrenreich D., Tinetti G., Lecavelier Des Etangs, Vidal-Madjar A. and Selsis F. A. 2006 A&A 448 379
Epicurus of Samos, 341-270 BC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus
ESA 2012, The Proba-3 mission, http://www.esa.int/Our-Activities/Technology/Proba-Missions/
Forget F. and Pierrehumber R. T. 1997 Sci 278 1273
Gaidos E. 2013 ApJ 770 90
Gomez-Leal I., Palle E. and Selsis F. 2012 ApJ 752 28
Guyon O. 2002 A&A 387 366
Guyon O., Pluzhnik E. A., Kuchner M. J., Collins B. and Ridgway S. T. 2006 ApJS 167 81
Kasting J. F., Whitmire D. P. and Reynolds R. T. 1993 Icar 101 108
Kharecha P., Kasting J. F. and Siefert J. L. 2005 Geobiology, 3 53
Kopparapu R. K. 2013 ApJL 767 L8
Kopparapu R. K., Ramirez R., Kasting J. F., Eymet V., Robinson T. D. et al 2013 ApJ 765 131
Kopparapu R. K., Ramirez R. M., SchottelKotte J. et al 2014 ApJL 787 L29