Infrared Space Interferometry: Astrophysics & the Study of Earth-Like Planets

The past year has produced some of the most exciting results in the history of astronomy, particularly in the area of planets outside our solar system. Only a half-year before our meeting in Toledo, Spain, the first unambiguous detection of planet-sized masses orbiting main sequence stars were reported. Since that time, evidence for a new exo­ planet has been reported almost at the rate of about once per month. Some of these objects are likely to turn out to be very low-mass stars, but something like half show characteristics - Jupiter-like mass and near-zero orbital eccentricity - which appear to be unique to planets. Almost at the same time that giant planets were being discovered regularly, the two major space agencies, ESA and NASA, have iden­ tified searches for and detailed study of Earth-like planets as a major priority for the future. In ESA's "Horizon 2000 Plus" programme, an infrared interferometer has been proposed as a possible future Cor­ nerstone mission. Similarly, scientists in the US produced the "Road Map for the Exploration of Neighboring Planetary Systems (ExNPS)", which provided NASA with a long-term plan which leads also to an infrared interferometer in space to study hypothetical Earth-like worlds beyond our Solar System. Such an observatory is designed to search for the thermal emission from a family of planets, using interferometric nulling to remove the contaminating light from the central star.

Inhalt

1. Scientific Case. The Formation of Planetary Systems; A.P. Boss. High Resolution Spectroscopy of Vega-Like Stars; S.K. Dunkin, et al. Infrared Observations of planetary atmospheres; T. Encrenaz. Detection of Planets Via Microlensing; R. Ferlet. Detection of Planetary Spectral Features Through Circumstellar Dust: A Montecarlo Simulation; O. Fischer, W. Pfau. Evolution and Spectra of Extrasolar Giant Planets; T. Guillot, et al. Life Signatures on Exoplanets; A. Léger. Molecular Gas Production in the beta-Pictoris Disk; R. Liseau, P. Artymowicz. Planets in CM-Draconis: A Multi-Site Photometric Search; E.L. Martín, et al. Epicurus was Right: Other Worlds Exist! M. Maryo, D. Queloz. Array Configurations To Detect and Characterize Extrasolar Planets with a Space Infrared Interferometer; B. Mennesson. Resolving Disks in YSOs; A. Natta, H. Butner. Ground-Based Optical/IR Long Baseline Interferometry; F. Paresce. Infrared Interferometry with the VLTI; A. Quirrenbach. Imaging with a Space-Based Infrared Interferometer; A. Quirrenbach, A. Eckart. Infrared Interferometry of Active Galaxies; G.M. Voit. Dusty Disks Around Main Sequence Stars; C. Waelkens, L.B.F.M. Waters. Comet-Like Bodies Around the Herbig Ae Star BF Ori; D. De Winter, et al. Stellar Death: Ejecta and Circumstellar Matter; D.H. Wooden. 2. Instrumental and Technical Cases. Kilometric Baseline Space Interferometry; P.Y. Bely. The Measurement of Directional Radiative Properties with Applications to Passively Cooled Space Telescopes; R.P. Blake, B.W. Jones. Concepts for a Precursor Space Interferometry Mission with a Microsatellite; K. Briess, et al. Light Weight SiC Foamed Mirror forTelescope to be Operated in Space; O. Citterio, G. Parodi. Recent Advances in Cryogenic Optics Technology for Space Infrared Telescope and Interferometer Systems; D.R. Coulter, S.A. Macenka. Interfero-Coronagraphy using Pupil &pgr;-Rotation; J. Gay, et al. ASIX: The ASTRO-SPAS Interferometer Experiment; A. Glindemann, et al. Passive Cooling of Infrared Interferometers in Space; T.G. Hawarden. FLITE: Free-Flyer Laser Interferometer Technology Experiment; U. Johann, et al. Advances in Satellite Data Compression and Noise-Filtering by Virtue of Parallel Computing; C. Maccone. Design of Infrared Space Interferometers; J.M. Mariotti. The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST); J. Mather. High Accuracy Optical Visibilities on Long Baselines: First Results and Prospects; G. Perrin, et al. The COAST Project; J. Rogers. Prospects for Direct Imaging From the Ground; D.G. Sandler. Active Cooling Systems; F. Scaramuzzi. Space Interferometry Mission; M. Shao, et al. The Infrared Imaging Surveyor (IRIS) Project; H. Shibai. Planet Finder Options II; N.J. Woolf. Planet Finder Options III; N.J. Woolf, et al. Workshop Summary; T. de Graauw. Subject Index. Object Index. Author Index.