DARWIN infrared interferometer and the search for extra-solar life

Jean-Marie Mariotti; Alain M. Leger; Jean Loup Puget; Daniel Rouan; Jean Louis Schneider; Harley A. Thronson Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.212988

26 June 1995 DARWIN infrared interferometer and the search for extra-solar life

Jean-Marie Mariotti, Alain M. Leger, Jean Loup Puget, Daniel Rouan, Jean Louis Schneider, Harley A. Thronson Jr.

Proceedings Volume 2477, Spaceborne Interferometry II; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.212988
Event: SPIE's 1995 Symposium on OE/Aerospace Sensing and Dual Use Photonics, 1995, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

DARWIN is a space mission concept proposed in the framework of the European Space Agency `Call for Ideas' for the Horizon 2000+ plan. It aims at detecting terrestrial exo- planets by interferometric coronography in the infrared, then searching for the presence of atmospheric ozone which traces the presence of an active biological photosynthesis. The concept itself is elaborated on ideas previously proposed and developed by Bracewell, Owens, Angel et al.,...Its main originality is that we believe that the goal of detecting extra-solar life can be achieved with a reasonably simple instrumental concept, i.e. passively cooled medium- size (approximately 1 m diameter) space telescopes located at more than 3.5 AU from the Sun in order to avoid the bulk of the zodiacal thermal emission.

Citation Download Citation

Jean-Marie Mariotti, Alain M. Leger, Jean Loup Puget, Daniel Rouan, Jean Louis Schneider, and Harley A. Thronson Jr. "DARWIN infrared interferometer and the search for extra-solar life", Proc. SPIE 2477, Spaceborne Interferometry II, (26 June 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.212988

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