Advancing European High-Contrast Imaging R&D Towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory

Abstract

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will enable a transformative leap in the direct imaging and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets. For this, NASA is focusing on early investment in technology development prior to mission definition and actively seeking international partnerships earlier than for previous missions. The "R&D for Space-Based HCI in Europe" workshop, held in March 2024 at Paris Observatory, convened leading experts in high-contrast imaging (HCI) to discuss European expertise and explore potential strategies for European contributions to HWO. This paper synthesizes the discussions and outcomes of the workshop, highlighting Europe's critical contributions to past and current HCI efforts, the synergies between ground- and space-based technologies, and the importance of laboratory testbeds and collaborative funding mechanisms. Key conclusions include the need for Europe to invest in technology development for areas such as deformable mirrors and advanced detectors, and establish or enhance laboratory facilities for system-level testing. Putting emphasis on the urgency of aligning with the timeline of the HWO, the participants called on an open affirmation by the European Space Agency (ESA) that a European contribution to HWO is clearly anticipated, to signal national agencies and unlock funding opportunities at the national level. Based on the expertise demonstrated through R&D, Europe is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing global HCI capabilities, contributing to the characterization of temperate exoplanets and fostering innovation across domains.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science

References in corpus (19)

• A giant planet imaged in the disk of the young star Beta Pictoris
• Fundamental limitations of high contrast imaging set by small sample statistics
• Theoretical Limits on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planet Detection with Coronagraphs
• Optical Vectorial Vortex Coronagraphs using Liquid Crystal Polymers: theory, manufacturing and laboratory demonstration
• Discovery of a Companion Candidate in the HD169142 Transition Disk and the Possibility of Multiple Planet Formation
• Speckle noise and dynamic range in coronagraphic images
• An Enigmatic Pointlike Feature within the HD 169142 Transitional Disk
• Searching for companions down to 2 AU from beta Pictoris using the L'-band AGPM coronagraph on VLT/NACO
• Low-rank plus sparse decomposition for exoplanet detection in direct-imaging ADI sequences. The LLSG algorithm
• Ring-apodized vortex coronagraphs for obscured telescopes. I. Transmissive ring apodizers
• L'-band AGPM vector vortex coronagraph's first light on VLT/NACO: Discovery of a late-type companion at two beamwidths from an F0V star
• Lyot-based Low Order Wavefront Sensor for Phase-mask Coronagraphs: Principle, Simulations and Laboratory Experiments
• Post-coronagraphic tip-tilt sensing for vortex phase masks: the QACITS technique
• Optical vortex coronagraphs on ground-based telescopes
• Laboratory demonstration of a mid-infrared AGPM vector vortex coronagraph
• L'-band AGPM vector vortex coronagraph's first light on LBTI/LMIRCam
• A dim candidate companion to εCephei
• Optimizing the subwavelength grating of L-band Annular Groove Phase Masks for high coronagraphic performance
• Lyot-plane phase masks for improved high-contrast imaging with a vortex coronagraph

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Observing Exoplanets with High Dispersion Coronagraphy. I. The scientific potential of current and next-generation large ground and space telescopes
• Observing Exoplanets with High-Dispersion Coronagraphy. II. Demonstration of an Active Single-Mode Fiber Injection Unit
• Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri
• Deep imaging search for planets forming in the TW Hya protoplanetary disk with the Keck/NIRC2 vortex coronagraph
• Minimizing the polarization leakage of geometric-phase coronagraphs with multiple grating pattern combinations
• Vortex coronagraphy from self-engineered liquid crystal spin-orbit masks
• Design, pointing control, and on-sky performance of the mid-infrared vortex coronagraph for the VLT/NEAR experiment
• Electrically-activated spin-controlled orbital angular momentum multiplexer
• Active rejection-enhancement of spectrally adaptive liquid crystal geometric phase vortex coronagraphs
• Focal plane wavefront control with model-based reinforcement learning