Techniques for High-Contrast Imaging in Multi-Star Systems II: Multi-Star Wavefront Control

Abstract

Direct imaging of exoplanets represents a challenge for astronomical instrumentation due to the high-contrast ratio and small angular separation between the host star and the faint planet. Multi-star systems pose additional challenges for coronagraphic instruments due to the diffraction and aberration leakage caused by companion stars. Consequently, many scientifically valuable multi-star systems are excluded from direct imaging target lists for exoplanet surveys and characterization missions. Multi-star wavefront control (MSWC) is a technique that uses a coronagraphic instrument's deformable mirror (DM) to create high-contrast regions in the focal plane in the presence of multiple stars. Our previous paper introduced the Super-Nyquist Wavefront Control (SNWC) technique that uses a diffraction grating to enable the DM to generate high-contrast regions beyond the nominal region correctable by the DM. These two techniques can be combined to generate high-contrast regions for multi-star systems at any angular separation. As a case study, a high-contrast wavefront control (WC) simulation that applies these techniques shows that the habitable region of the Alpha Centauri system can be imaged reaching at least $8\times 10^{-9}$ mean contrast in 10\% broadband light in one-sided dark holes from 1.6-5.5$\lambda /D$.

arXiv comment17 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables; Submitted to ApJ; updated Table 1 and author information

References in corpus (27)

• A Survey of Stellar Families: Multiplicity of Solar-Type Stars
• Habitable Zones Around Main-Sequence Stars: New Estimates
• A terrestrial planet candidate in a temperate orbit around Proxima Centauri
• Long-Term Stability of Planets in Binary Systems
• The Gemini Planet Imager: First Light
• Terrestrial Planet Occurrence Rates for the Kepler GK Dwarf Sample
• Limits of Adaptive Optics for high contrast imaging
• The Impact of Stellar Multiplicity on Planetary Systems, I.: The Ruinous Influence of Close Binary Companions
• Exploring Exoplanet Populations with NASA's Kepler Mission
• Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization of Telescope Pupils for Extrasolar Terrestrial Planet Imaging
• From binaries to multiples I: Data on F and G dwarfs within 67 pc of the Sun
• Optimal Dark Hole Generation via Two Deformable Mirrors with Stroke Minimization
• Terrestrial Planet Formation Around Individual Stars Within Binary Star Systems
• The Stability of Planets in the Alpha Centauri system
• Planet formation in binary systems: A separation-dependent mechanism?
• WASP-12b and HAT-P-8b are Members of Triple Star Systems
• Are Proxima and Alpha Centauri Gravitationally Bound?
• Long-Term Stability of Planets in the $\alpha$ Centauri System
• Techniques for High Contrast Imaging in Multi-Star Systems I: Super-Nyquist Wavefront Control
• Speckle Control with a remapped-pupil PIAA-coronagraph
• Demonstration of high contrast with an obscured aperture with the WFIRST-AFTA shaped pupil coronagraph
• Direct Exoplanet Detection with Binary Differential Imaging
• Impact of ηearth on the capabilities of affordable space missions to detect biosignatures on extrasolar planets
• How to Directly Image a Habitable Planet Around Alpha Centauri with a ~30-45cm Space Telescope
• A dual-mask coronagraph for observing faint companions to binary stars
• Demonstration of broadband contrast at 1.2 $\lambda$/D and greater for the EXCEDE Starlight Suppression System
• Space telescope design to directly image the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri

Cited by in corpus (12)

• SPOTS: The Search for Planets Orbiting Two Stars. III. Complete Sample and Statistical Analysis
• Flight mask designs of the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument
• Exomoons in Systems with a Strong Perturber: Applications to $\alpha$ Cen AB
• VIBES: VIsual Binary Exoplanet survey with SPHERE Upper limits on wide S-planet and S-BD frequencies, triple system discovery, and astrometric confirmation of 20 stellar binaries and three triple systems
• Obliquity Evolution of Circumstellar Planets in Sun-like Stellar Binaries
• A review of simulation and performance modeling for the Roman coronagraph instrument
• Future Exoplanet Research: Science Questions and How to Address Them
• High Speed Focal Plane Wavefront Sensing with an Optical Chopper
• Exoplanet Terra Incognita
• Ricci-Notation Tensor Framework for Model-based Approaches to Imaging
• CoronaGraph Instrument Reference stars for Exoplanets (CorGI-REx) I. Preliminary Vetting and Implications for the Roman Coronagraph and Habitable Worlds Observatory
• Searching for Faint Comoving Companions to the $\alpha$ Centauri system in the VVV Survey Infrared Images