Planetary Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Recoverable Experiment - Coronagraph (PICTURE-C): A high altitude balloon experiment to directly image and characterize debris disks around nearby stars
Abstract
We describe a research program consisting of two high-altitude balloon flights that is capable of imaging debris disks and exozodiacal light around a number of stars spanning a range of infrared excesses, stellar types, and ages. The background light scattered and emitted from the disk is a key uncertainty in the mission design of any exoplanet direct imaging mission and thus its characterization is critically important for future imaging of exoplanets.
The first flight focusses on broad band (20%) imaging in the visible wavelength range (540-660 nm). The second fight includes a moderate-resolution (R 10-20) Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID), which will allow us to record not just the position and energy of any detected photon but also its arrival time. PICTURE-C uses a 0.6 m dia off-axis parabolic telescope and a state-of-the-art Vector Vortex Coronagraph aboard the NASA Wallops Arc Second Pointer (WASP) platform. PICTURE-C is currently undergoing its final tests, calibration and integration activities in preparation for its first flight from Palestine Texas in June, 2019. This work was funded under NASA grant NNX15AG23G S01.- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFM.P41E3778C
- Keywords:
-
- 6207 Comparative planetology;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTSDE: 6296 Extra-solar planets;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTSDE: 6299 General or miscellaneous;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTSDE: 5464 Remote sensing;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS