Recognizing the Value of the Solar Gravitational Lens for Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet
The Solar Gravitational Lens (SGL) allows for major brightness amplification ($\sim 10^{11}$ at wavelength of $1~\mu$m) and extreme angular resolution ($\sim10^{-10}$ arcsec) within a narrow field of view. A meter-class telescope, with a modest coronagraph to block solar light with 1e-6 suppression...
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
12.03.2018
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The Solar Gravitational Lens (SGL) allows for major brightness amplification
($\sim 10^{11}$ at wavelength of $1~\mu$m) and extreme angular resolution
($\sim10^{-10}$ arcsec) within a narrow field of view. A meter-class telescope,
with a modest coronagraph to block solar light with 1e-6 suppression placed in
the focal area of the SGL, can image an exoplanet at a distance of 30 parsec
with few kilometer-scale resolution on its surface. Notably, spectroscopic
broadband SNR is $\sim 10^{-6}$ in two weeks of integration time, providing
this instrument with incredible remote sensing capabilities. A mission capable
of exploiting the remarkable optical properties of the SGL allows for direct
high-resolution imaging/spectroscopy of a potentially habitable exoplanet. Such
missions could allow exploration of exoplanets relying on the SGL capabilities
decades, if not centuries, earlier than possible with other extant
technologies. |
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DOI: | 10.48550/arxiv.1803.04319 |