Optical design for Terrestrial Planet Finder

Author

Noecker, M.C. ; Kopp, G. ; Leitch, J. ; McComas, B.

Author_Institution

Ball Aerosp. & Technol. Corp., Boulder, CO, USA

Volume

4

fYear

1999

fDate

1999

Firstpage

59

Abstract

We describe the features of the optical system for the Terrestrial Planet Finder, a space-based, cryogenic (35 K) interferometer for direct detection of Earth-type planets around nearby stars. Interferometric nulling suppresses stellar glare by a factor of several thousand or more, and phase chopping distinguishes planet light from the symmetric background. The mid-infrared (7-20 μm) is favorable for detecting planetary emission relative to that from the star, and this spectral region also offers important molecular signatures indicative of key atmospheric gases

Keywords

astronomical telescopes; extrasolar planets; infrared astronomy; light interferometers; optical design techniques; 35 K; 7 to 20 mum; Earth-type planets; Terrestrial Planet Finder; atmospheric gases; direct detection; interferometric nulling; mid-infrared; molecular signatures; nearby stars; optical design; optical system; phase chopping; planetary emission; space-based cryogenic interferometer; stellar glare; Cryogenics; Gas detectors; Gases; Instruments; Optical design; Optical interferometry; Planets; Solar system; Space technology; Telescopes;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Aerospace Conference, 1999. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE

Conference_Location

Snowmass at Aspen, CO

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5425-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AERO.1999.792079

Filename

792079