scholarly journals Occulter to earth: prospects for studying earth-like planets with the E-ELT and a space-based occulter

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Janson ◽  
Thomas Henning ◽  
Sascha P. Quanz ◽  
Ruben Asensio-Torres ◽  
Lars Buchhave ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Detection ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
High Area ◽  
It Project ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
The Universe

AbstractDirect detection and characterization of Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars is a core task for evaluating the prevalence of habitability and life in the Universe. Here, we discuss a promising option for achieving this goal, which is based on placing an occulter in orbit and having it project its shadow onto the E-ELT at the surface of Earth, thus providing a sufficient contrast for imaging and taking spectra of Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars. Doing so at a sensible fuel budget will require tailored orbits, an occulter with a high area-to-mass ratio, and appropriate instrumentation at the E-ELT. In this White Paper, submitted in response to the ESA Voyage 2050 Call, we outline the fundamental aspects of the concept, and the most important technical developments that will be required to develop a full mission.

Characterization and Properties of Earth-like Planets

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S345) ◽  
pp. 194-201
Author(s):  
Dániel Apai
Keyword(s):  
Extrasolar Planets ◽  
Bulk Composition ◽  
The Past ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Planetary Environment ◽  
Compositional Diversity ◽  
Rocky Planets ◽  
The Universe

AbstractThe search for life in the Universe is intertwined with studies of extrasolar planets aimed at identifying and understanding habitable rocky planets, including those similar in size, bulk composition, planetary environment, and evolution to Earth. The past five years have seen dramatic progress in our understanding of the small (1–4 REarth) planet population. Here we briefly review key results on the occurrence rates of small planets, the first evidence for compositional diversity of these worlds, early results on the characterization of their atmospheres, and the progress toward finding and interpreting potentially habitable planets orbiting the closest stars. We also briefly highlight next steps in furthering our understanding of the origins and properties of habitable worlds.

scholarly journals LOUPE: observing Earth from the Moon to prepare for detecting life on Earth-like exoplanets

2020 ◽  
Vol 379 (2188) ◽  
pp. 20190577 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Klindžić ◽  
D. M. Stam ◽  
F. Snik ◽  
C. U. Keller ◽  
H. J. Hoeijmakers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Detection ◽  
Mission Design ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
Future Space ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Life On Earth ◽  
Phase Angles

LOUPE, the Lunar Observatory for Unresolved Polarimetry of the Earth, is a small, robust spectro-polarimeter for observing the Earth as an exoplanet. Detecting Earth-like planets in stellar habitable zones is one of the key challenges of modern exoplanetary science. Characterizing such planets and searching for traces of life requires the direct detection of their signals. LOUPE provides unique spectral flux and polarization data of sunlight reflected by Earth, the only planet known to harbour life. These data will be used to test numerical codes to predict signals of Earth-like exoplanets, to test algorithms that retrieve planet properties, and to fine-tune the design and observational strategies of future space observatories. From the Moon, LOUPE will continuously see the entire Earth, enabling it to monitor the signal changes due to the planet’s daily rotation, weather patterns and seasons, across all phase angles. Here, we present both the science case and the technology behind LOUPE’s instrumental and mission design. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Astronomy from the Moon: the next decades’.

scholarly journals Astrometric planet searches with SIM PlanetQuest

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 238-243
Author(s):  
C. A. Beichman ◽  
S. C. Unwin ◽  
M. Shao ◽  
A. M. Tanner ◽  
J. H. Catanzarite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radial Velocity ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Young Stars ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
Terrestrial Planet Finder ◽  
Candidate Target ◽  
Deep Survey ◽  
Earth Like Planets

AbstractSIM will search for planets with masses as small as the Earth's orbiting in the ‘habitable zones’ around more than 100 of the nearest stars and could discover many dozen if Earth-like planets are common. With a planned “Deep Survey” of 100–450 stars (depending on desired mass sensitivity) SIM will search for terrestrial planets around all of the candidate target stars for future direct detection missions such as Terrestrial Planet Finder and Darwin. SIM's “Broad Survey” of 2100 stars will characterize single and multiple-planet systems around a wide variety of stellar types, including many now inaccessible with the radial velocity technique. In particular, SIM will search for planets around young stars providing insights into how planetary systems are born and evolve with time.

Detection and Characterization of earth-like Planets

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 299-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Marie Mariotti ◽  
Alain Léger ◽  
Bertrand Mennesson ◽  
Marc Ollivier
Keyword(s):  
Direct Detection ◽  
Contrast Ratio ◽  
Angular Size ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Major Axis ◽  
Infrared Emission ◽  
Space Technology ◽  
Semi Major Axis ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Visible Wavelengths

AbstractIndirect methods of detection of exo-planets (by radial velocity, astrometry, occultations,...) have revealed recently the first cases of exo-planets, and will in the near future expand our knowledge of these systems. They will provide statistical informations on the dynamical parameters: semi-major axis, eccentricities, inclinations,... But the physical nature of these planets will remain mostly unknown. Only for the larger ones (exo-Jupiters), an estimate of the mass will be accessible. To characterize in more details Earth-like exo-planets, direct detection (i.e., direct observation of photons from the planet) is required. This is a much more challenging observational program. The exo-planets are extremely faint with respect to their star: the contrast ratio is about 10−10at visible wavelengths. Also the angular size of the apparent orbit is small, typically 0.1 second of arc. While the first point calls for observations in the infrared (where the contrast goes up to 10−7) and with a coronograph, the latter implies using an interferometer. Several space projects combining these techniques have been recently proposed. They aim at surveying a few hundreds of nearby single solar-like stars in search for Earth-like planets, and at performing a low resolution spectroscopic analysis of their infrared emission in order to reveal the presence in the atmosphere of the planet of CO H2O and O3. The latter is a good tracer of the presence of oxygen which could be, like on our Earth, released by biological activity. Although extremely ambitious, these projects could be realized using space technology either already available or in development for others missions. They could be built and launched during the first decades on the next century.

Beyond the Schwarzschild Metric

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Wittman
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
General Relativity ◽  
Gravitational Waves ◽  
Test Particle ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Relativistic Effects ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Clusters Of Galaxies ◽  
General Relativistic ◽  
The Universe

General relativity explains much more than the spacetime around static spherical masses.We briefly assess general relativity in the larger context of physical theories, then explore various general relativistic effects that have no Newtonian analog. First, source massmotion gives rise to gravitomagnetic effects on test particles.These effects also depend on the velocity of the test particle, which has substantial implications for orbits around black holes to be further explored in Chapter 20. Second, any changes in the sourcemass ripple outward as gravitational waves, and we tell the century‐long story from the prediction of gravitational waves to their first direct detection in 2015. Third, the deflection of light by galaxies and clusters of galaxies allows us to map the amount and distribution of mass in the universe in astonishing detail. Finally, general relativity enables modeling the universe as a whole, and we explore the resulting Big Bang cosmology.

scholarly journals New Limit on Space-Time Variations in the Proton-to-Electron Mass Ratio from Analysis of Quasar J110325-264515 Spectra

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
T. D. Le
Keyword(s):  
Fine Structure ◽  
Structure Constant ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Fine Structure Constant ◽  
Electron Mass ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Quasar Spectra ◽  
Time Variations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Universe

Astrophysical tests of current values for dimensionless constants known on Earth, such as the fine-structure constant, α , and proton-to-electron mass ratio, μ = m p / m e , are communicated using data from high-resolution quasar spectra in different regions or epochs of the universe. The symmetry wavelengths of [Fe II] lines from redshifted quasar spectra of J110325-264515 and their corresponding values in the laboratory were combined to find a new limit on space-time variations in the proton-to-electron mass ratio, ∆ μ / μ = ( 0.096 ± 0.182 ) × 10 − 7 . The results show how the indicated astrophysical observations can further improve the accuracy and space-time variations of physics constants.

Ionized gas kinematics and luminosity profiles of Low-z Lyman Alpha Blobs

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S359) ◽  
pp. 413-414
Author(s):  
María P. Agüero ◽  
Rubén Díaz ◽  
Mischa Schirmer
Keyword(s):  
Emission Line ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
Ionized Gas ◽  
Lyman Alpha ◽  
Gas Kinematics ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Very High ◽  
The Continuum

AbstractThis work is focused on the characterization of the Seyfert-2 galaxies hosting very large, ultra-luminous narrow-line regions (NLRs) at redshifts z = 0.2−0.34. With a space density of 4.4 Gcp−3 at z ∼ 0.3, these “Low Redshift Lyman-α Blob” (LAB) host galaxies are amongst the rarest objects in the universe, and represent an exceptional and short-lived phenomenon in the life cycle of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We present the study of GMOS spectra for 13 LAB galaxies covering the rest frame spectral range 3700–6700 Å. Predominantly, the [OIII]λ5007 emission line radial distribution is as widespread as that of the continuum one. The emission line profiles exhibit FWHM between 300–700 Km s−1. In 7 of 13 cases a broad kinematical component is detected with FWHM within the range 600–1100 Km s−1. The exceptionally high [OIII]λ5007 luminosity is responsible for very high equivalent width reaching 1500 Å at the nucleus.

Detection and characterization of Leptospira spp. in dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease in Selangor, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
pp. 104063872110245
Author(s):  
Sabri A. Rahman ◽  
Kuan H. Khor ◽  
Siti Khairani-Bejo ◽  
Seng F. Lau ◽  
Mazlina Mazlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Rrna Sequencing ◽  
The Common

Leptospirosis is a serious bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals. A wide range of symptoms have been described in humans; the disease in dogs is commonly associated with kidney and/or liver disease. In Malaysia, information about the common serovars infecting dogs is limited. Therefore, we investigated the occurrences of leptospirosis in 124 pet dogs diagnosed with kidney and/or liver disease. Blood, urine, abdominal effusion, and/or kidney and liver were collected from the dogs. Based on microscopic agglutination testing, 53 of 124 (42.7%) dogs were seropositive for leptospiral exposure. Sera were frequently positive to serovars Bataviae ( n = 12), Javanica ( n = 10), and Icterohaemorrhagiae ( n = 10). Direct detection using PCR showed that 42 of 124 (33.9%) of the whole blood and 36 of 113 (31.9%) urine samples were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. By PCR, 2 of 23 (9.1%) kidney and 2 of 23 (9.1%) liver were positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. Abdominal effusion from 4 dogs were PCR-positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. The species detected were L. interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, L. kirschneri, and L. kmetyi by partial 16S rRNA sequencing. We further identified and characterized 11 Leptospira spp. isolates from 8 dogs as serovars Bataviae, Javanica, and Australis. The mortality rate of the Leptospira-infected dogs was high (18 of 53; 34%).

scholarly journals Time-Resolved Spectroscopic Study of N,N-Di(4-bromo)nitrenium Ions in Selected Solutions

Molecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 3182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Du ◽  
Xin Lan ◽  
Zhiping Yan ◽  
Ruixue Zhu ◽  
David Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Transient Absorption ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Reaction Pathway ◽  
Addition Reactions ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Nitrenium Ions ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Nitrenium Ion ◽  
Design Time

Nitrenium ions are important reactive intermediates in chemistry and biology. In this work, femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption (fs-TA and ns-TA) along with nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman (ns-TR3) experiments were employed to examine the photochemical pathways of N-(4,4′-dibromodiphenylamino)-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium BF4− (salt (DN) from just absorption of a photon of light to the production of the important N,N-di(4-bromophenyl)nitrenium ion 2. In acetonitrile (MeCN), the formation of halogenated diarylnitrenium ion 2 was observed within 4 ps, showing the vibrational spectra with strong intensity. The nucleophilic adduct reaction of ion 2 with H2O was also examined in aqueous solutions. The direct detection of the unique ortho adduct intermediate 3 shows that there is an efficient and exclusive reaction pathway for 2 with H2O. The results shown in this paper give new characterization of 2, which can be used to design time-resolved spectroscopy investigations of covalent addition reactions of nitrenium ions with other molecules in future studies.

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) Releases New Results on Dark Matter Detection

2015 ◽  
Vol 04 (01) ◽  
pp. 28-30
Author(s):  
Yuan-Hann Chang
Keyword(s):  
Dark Matter ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Magnetic Spectrometer ◽  
Gravitational Effects ◽  
Dark Matter Detection ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Matter Detection ◽  
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

It is known that the majority (about 80%) of the matter in the universe is not visible, but rather a hypothetical "Dark Matter". The existence of Dark Matter has been postulated to explain the discrepancies between the estimated mass of visible matters in the galaxies, and their gravitational effects. Although it has been postulated for over 70 years, and has been commonly accepted by most scientists, the essence of the Dark Matter has not yet been understood. In particular, we still do not know what constitutes the Dark Matter. Direct detection of the Dark Matter is therefore one of the most important issues in physics.

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