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White-Light Nulling Interferometers for Detecting PlanetsA report proposes the development of a white-light nulling interferometer to be used in conjunction with a singleaperture astronomical telescope that would be operated in outer space. When such a telescope is aimed at a given star, the interferometer would suppress the light of that star while passing enough light from planets (if any) orbiting the star, to enable imaging or spectroscopic examination of the planets. In a nulling interferometer, according to the proposal, scattered light would be suppressed by spatial filtering in an array of single-mode optical fibers rather than by requiring optical surfaces to be accurate within 1/4,000 wavelength as in a coronagraph or an apodized telescope. As a result, angstrom-level precision would be needed in only the small nulling combiner, and not in large, meter-sized optics. The nulling interferometer could work as an independent instrument in space or in conjunction with a coronagraphic system to detect planets outside our solar system.
Document ID
20110016858
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
Authors
Mennesson, Bertrand
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Serabyn, Eugene
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Shao, Michael
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Levine, Bruce
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, June 2004
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
NPO-30547
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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