The Nulling Interferometer Cryogenic Experiment: (NICE)

Ranganathan, Mohanakrishna; Glauser, Adrian M.; Birbacher, Thomas; Gheorghe, Adrian A.; Quanz, Sascha P.

doi:10.1117/12.2629514

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The extended method optimizes for continuously rotating the baseline instead of fixing baselines, which could further mitigate the stability requirements of a space-based nulling interferometer. The present study is complementary to developments of the formation flying interferometry (e.g., Hansen et al 2023b;Matsuo et al 2022) and ground-based nulling experiments (e.g., Ertel et al 2020;Ranganathan et al 2022). These efforts provide a support for the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE), which represents a science theme that was recognized as one out of three potential science themes for a future L-class mission in the Voyage 2050 of the European Space Agency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE)

Matsuo,

Dannert,

Laugier

et al. 2023

A&A

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Context. A mid-infrared nulling-space interferometer offers a promising way to characterize thermal light from habitable planet candidates around Sun-like stars. However, one of the main challenges inherent in achieving this ambitious goal is the high-precision stability of the optical path difference and amplitude over a few days for planet detections and all the way up to a few weeks for in-depth characterization. This is related to mission parameters such as aperture size, number of apertures, and total instrument throughput. Aims. Here, we propose a new method called phase-space synthesis decomposition (PSSD) to shorten the stability requirement to a scale of minutes, significantly relaxing the technological challenges of the mission. Methods. By focusing on the consideration of what exactly modulates the planetary signal in the presence of the stellar leak and systematic error, PSSD prioritizes the modulation of the signals along the wavelength domain rather than baseline rotation. Modulation along the wavelength domain allows us to extract source positions in parallel to the baseline vector for each exposure. The sum of the one-dimensional data is converted into two-dimensional information. Based on the reconstructed image, we constructed a continuous equation and extract the spectra through the singular value decomposition, while efficiently separating them from a long-term systematic stellar leak. Results. We performed numerical simulations to investigate the feasibility of PSSD for the Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE) mission concept. We confirm that multiple terrestrial planets in the habitable zone around a Sun-like star at 10 pc can be detected and characterized despite high levels and long durations of systematic noise. We also find that PSSD is more robust against a sparse sampling of the array rotation compared to purely rotation-based signal extraction. Using PSSD as signal extraction method significantly relaxes the technical requirements on the signal stability and further increases the feasibility of the LIFE mission.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE)

Matsuo,

Dannert,

Laugier

et al. 2023

A&A

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“…A caveat to this recommendation, however, was the requirement to prove that such a space interferometer mission would be feasible technologically as well as scientifically. Two critical technology areas have not been at an adequate level to progress the formation flying optical and infrared interferometry missions: compact, cryogenic compatible nulling beam combiners [a target of the Nulling Interferometer Cryogenic Experiment (NICE)], 22 and formation flying itself, including metrology systems. It is this second technology that is the primary purpose of Pyxis, the subject of this paper, though other investigations into formation flying interferometry are currently ongoing 23 , 24 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pyxis: a ground-based demonstrator for formation-flying optical interferometry

Hansen,

Wade,

Ireland

et al. 2023

J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst.

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In the past few years, there has been a resurgence in studies of space-based optical/ infrared interferometry, particularly with the vision to use the technique to discover and characterize temperate Earth-like exoplanets around solar analogs. One of the key technological leaps needed to make such a mission feasible is demonstrating that formation flying precision at the level needed for interferometry is possible. Here, we present Pyxis, a ground-based demonstrator for a future small satellite mission with the aim to demonstrate the precision metrology needed for spacebased interferometry. We describe the science potential of such a ground-based instrument and detail the various subsystems: three six-axis robots, a multi-stage metrology system, an integrated optics beam combiner, and the control systems required for the necessary precision and stability. We conclude by looking toward the next stage of Pyxis: a collection of small satellites in Earth orbit.

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Beam metrology and control for the Nulling Interferometry Cryogenic Experiment

Birbacher,

Glauser,

Ranganathan

et al. 2024

Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging IX

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We present our progress in stabilising the warm precursor of the Nulling Interferometry Cryogenic Experiment (nice), a laboratory testbed demonstrating key mid-infrared nulling technologies for the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (life).To fulfil the preliminary requirements of nice, the optical path length difference (opd) between the beams has to be controlled to within 0.8 nm rms, while beam pointing and shear have to be controlled to within ≈ 1 µm and ≈ 1 µrad rms, respectively.A heterodyne laser metrology system was implemented to monitor opd and shear in nice, with pointing measurements following soon. The metrology beams follow the science beams with minimal non-common paths, and modulation techniques enable simultaneous measurements of all critical paths through the testbed at 1 kHz analog bandwidth. We use quadrant photodiodes and a small number of components in a compact layout, simplifying future cryogenic or space-based implementations.The noise of the metrology measured in a mock-up is < 0.8 nm rms in opd, and < 85 nm rms in beam position, with crosstalk between the beams lower than the sensor noise, despite performing multiple measurements on the same detector with overlapping metrology beams. In the warm precursor of nice, we achieve closed-loop opd control to within 14 nm rms, which enables an improvement in null depth and stability by a factor of ≈ 10, reaching a 2 ⋅ 10 −4 average null over a two-minute period.The metrology and control systems thus provide both an accurate diagnostic and characterisation tool for nice, as well as a means to achieve deeper and more stable nulls. The main limitation is a 48 Hz vibration from mechanical resonances in the setup, which we will mitigate with an improved mechanical design.

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The Nulling Interferometer Cryogenic Experiment: (NICE)

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE)

Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE)

Pyxis: a ground-based demonstrator for formation-flying optical interferometry

Beam metrology and control for the Nulling Interferometry Cryogenic Experiment

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