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Exozodiacal dust; Infrared interferometry; Nulling interferometry; High-dynamic range observations
Abstract :
[en] The possible presence of large amounts of exozodiacal dust around nearby main sequence stars represents a threat to the detection and characterisation of Earth-like extrasolar planets with future infrared space interferometers such as DARWIN or TPF. In this paper, we first review the current detection capabilities of ground-based infrared interferometers such as CHARA/FLUOR and the detections of hot dust that have been obtained so far around a few main sequence stars. With the help of realistic instrumental simulations, we then discuss the relative merits of various ground-based sites (temperate and Antarctic) versus space-based observatories for the detection of exozodiacal discs down to a few zodi by interferometric nulling as a preparation to future life-finding missions. In particular, we discuss the performance of four proposed nulling interferometers: GENIE, ALADDIN, PEGASE and FKSI. An optimised strategy for the characterisation of candidate DARWIN/TPF targets is finally proposed.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Absil, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Defrere, Denis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Coudé du Foresto, Vincent; LESIA, CNRS (France) and Observatoire de Paris-Meudon (France)
Di Folco, Emmanuel; Observatoire Astronomique de l'Univ. de Genève (Switzerland)
den Hartog, Roland; ESA/ESTEC (Netherlands)
Augereau, Jean-Charles; LAOG, CNRS (France) and Univ. Joseph Fourier (France)
Language :
English
Title :
High dynamic range interferometric observations of exozodiacal discs: performance comparison between ground, space, and Antarctica
Publication date :
01 July 2008
Event name :
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Optical and Infrared Interferometry
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