Simultaneous optical and near-infrared linear spectropolarimetry of the earthshine

Abstract

Aims: We aim to extend our current observational understanding of the integrated planet Earth spectropolarimetry from the optical to the near-infrared wavelengths. Major biomarkers like O${}_2$ and water vapor are strong flux absorbents in the Earth atmosphere and some linear polarization of the reflected stellar light is expected to occur at these wavelengths. Methods: Simultaneous optical ($0.4-0.9$ $\mu$m) and near-infrared ($0.9-2.3$ $\mu$m) linear spectropolarimetric data of the earthshine were acquired by observing the nightside of the waxing Moon. The data have sufficient spectral resolution (2.51 nm in the optical, and 1.83 and 2.91 nm in the near-infrared) to resolve major molecular species present in the Earth atmosphere. Results: We find the highest values of linear polarization ($\ge 10\%$) at the bluest wavelengths, which agrees with the literature. Linear polarization intensity steadily decreases towards red wavelengths reaching a nearly flat value beyond $\sim$0.8 $\mu$m. In the near-infrared, we measured a polarization degree of $\sim 4.5\%$ for the continuum. We report the detection of molecular features due to O${}_2$ at $0.760,1.25\mu$m and H${}_2$O at 0.653$-$0.725 $\mu$m, 0.780$-$0.825 $\mu$m, 0.93 and 1.12 $\mu$m in the spectropolarimetric data; most of them show high linear polarimetry degrees above the continuum. In particular, the broad H${}_2$O 1.12 $\mu$m band displays a polarimetric intensity as high as that of the blue optical. These features may become a powerful tool to characterize Earth-like planets in polarized light.

4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication as Letter in Astronomy and Astrophysics on 23/01/2014

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• The Detectability of Earth's Biosignatures Across Time
• Observability of ultraviolet N I lines in the atmosphere of transiting Earth-like planets
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