Imaging and Characterization of Extrasolar Planets with the Next Generation of Space Telescopes

The study and characterization of the exoplanets’ atmospheres and composition is in its infancy. The large facilities that will make feasible to image an exo-Earth are currently under study. This contribution to the special issue on “detection and characterization of extrasolar planets” is a summary...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geosciences (Basel) 2018-12, Vol.8 (12), p.442
Main Author: Gómez de Castro, Ana I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical methods
Aperture
astronomical instrumentation
Atmosphere
Coronagraphs
Design
Earth
Earth science
exoplanets
Extrasolar planets
Observatories
Optics
Radiation
space astronomy
Space telescopes
Spectroscopy
Telescopes
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Description
Summary:The study and characterization of the exoplanets’ atmospheres and composition is in its infancy. The large facilities that will make feasible to image an exo-Earth are currently under study. This contribution to the special issue on “detection and characterization of extrasolar planets” is a summary on the current status of the design studies to build large space-based facilities working in the 100–3000 nm range for this purpose. The three basic designs: Fresnel imagers, starshades, and coronagraphs on large space telescopes are described. An outline of the pros and cons for each design is provided. The relevance of transmission spectroscopy to characterize exoplanets atmospheres is pointed out.
ISSN:2076-3263
2076-3263
DOI:10.3390/geosciences8120442