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Exozodiacal discs with ALADDIN: how faint can we detect them?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 December 2009

O. Absil
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics, Geophysics and Oceanography, University of Liège, Belgium
V. Coudé du Foresto
Affiliation:
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France
M. Barillot
Affiliation:
Thalès-Alenia Space, Cannes-La Bocca, France
X. Daudigeos
Affiliation:
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France
D. Defrère
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics, Geophysics and Oceanography, University of Liège, Belgium
R. den Hartog
Affiliation:
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), Utrecht, The Netherlands
E. Di Folco
Affiliation:
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France
J. Surdej
Affiliation:
Department of Astrophysics, Geophysics and Oceanography, University of Liège, Belgium
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Abstract

In this paper, we describe the expected performance of ALADDIN, a nulling interferometer project optimised for operation at Dome C. After reviewing the main atmospheric parameters pertaining to infrared interferometry on the high Antarctic plateau, we shortly describe the ALADDIN instrument and compute its estimated performance in terms of the smallest exozodiacal dust disc density that can be detected. Our estimations are based on a thorough end-to-end software simulator previously developed for the GENIE nulling interferometer project at VLTI. We then propose a possible mission scenario, where the southern target stars of future exo-Earth characterisation missions can be surveyed for the presence of bright exozodiacal discs (>50 zodi) within one winter-over at Concordia.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2010

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References

Absil, O., den Hartog, R., Gondoin, P., et al., 2006, A&A, 448, 787
Absil, O., Coudé du Foresto, V., Barillot, M., & Swain, M.R., 2007, A&A, 475, 1185
Aristidi, E., Fossat, E., Agabi, A., et al., 2009, A&A, 499, 955
Lawrence, J.S., Ashley, M.C.B., Tokovinin, A., & Travouillon, T., 2004, Nature, 431, 278 CrossRef