Exoplanet imaging speckle subtraction: current limitations and a path forward
| dc.contributor.author | Gerard, Benjamin Lionel | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Marois, Christian | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Willis, Jon | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-05-20T21:00:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-05-20T21:00:15Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2020 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2020-05-20 | |
| dc.degree.department | Department of Physics and Astronomy | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | The direct detection and detailed characterization of exoplanets using extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) is a key science case of both current and future telescopes. However, both quasi-static and residual atmospheric wavefront errors currently limit the sensitivity of this endeavour, generating “speckles” in a coronagraphic image that initially obscure any faint exoplanet(s) from detection. I first demonstrate the current limits of exoplanet imaging using datasets taken with the Gemini Planet Imager and Subaru Coronagraphic ExAO systems. Even when using advanced post-processing algorithms, speckle evolution over time and wavelength is shown to limit the final contrasts that can be reached with current state- of-the-art instruments. A new approach is thus needed to detect fainter exoplanets below these limits. I then illustrate a path forward to reach contrasts near the fundamental photon noise limit: fast focal plane wavefront sensing of both quasi-static and atmospheric speckles. My new method, called the Fast Atmospheric Self-coherent camera Technique (FAST), deploys new hardware and software to overcome these limitations. Looking toward the future, the contrast improvements from fast focal plane wave- front sensing techniques such as FAST are expected to play an essential role in the ground-based detection and characterization of lower mass exoplanets. | en_US |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1828/11755 | |
| dc.language | English | eng |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | en_US |
| dc.subject | Exoplanet Imaging | en_US |
| dc.subject | Adaptive Optics | en_US |
| dc.subject | Image Processing | en_US |
| dc.subject | Astrophysics | en_US |
| dc.title | Exoplanet imaging speckle subtraction: current limitations and a path forward | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |