Influence of Exozodiacal Dust Clouds on Mid-IR Earth-like Planet Detection

The characterization of Earth-like extrasolar planets in the mid-infrared is a significant observational challenge that could be tackled by future space-based interferometers. A large effort has been carried out the past two decades to define a design that provides the necessary scientific performance while minimizing cost and technical risks. These efforts have resulted in a consensus on a single mission architecture consisting of a non-coplanar X-array (the so-called Emma configuration), using four collector spacecraft and a single beam combiner spacecraft. The ability to study distant planets with an X-array interferometer will however depend on exozodiacal dust clouds, the counterparts of the solar zodiacal disk. In this paper, we briefly discuss the impact of exozodiacal clouds on the performance of an Emma X-array interferometer dedicated to Earth-like planet characterization.