The Exo-Zodiacal Disk Mapper: A Space Interferometer to Detect and Map Zodiacal Dust Disks Around Nearby Stars |
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| Authors: | P Bély L Petro R Burg L Wade C Beichman J Gay P Baudoz Y Rabbia J-M Perrin |
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| Institution: | (1) Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21218, U.S.A;(2) Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, U.S.A;(3) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, 91109, U.S.A;(4) Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Caussols, France;(5) Observatoire de Haute Provence, St. Michel, France |
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| Abstract: | We present a concept for a space mission designed to make a mid-IR survey of potential zodiacal dust disks around nearby stars. We show that a two-aperture (0.6 m diameter), 10-m baseline, nulling interferometer located in a 1 × 4 AU, 4-yr solar orbit would allow for the survey of 400 stars in the solar neighborhood and permit a first-order determination of the disk inclination and radial dependences of density and temperature. The high dynamic range of the instrument may also be used to study additional astrophysical phenomena. Beyond its own scientific merit, such a mission would serve as a technological precursor to a larger interferometer of the type being considered for the detection of earth-like planets. |
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| Keywords: | Circumstellar disks Coronagraph Space telescopes Zodiacal dust disks |
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