title: Exo-zodi detection capability of the Ground-Based European Nulling Interferometry Experiment (GENIE) instrument.
abstract: The Ground-Based European Nulling Interferometry Experiment (GENIE) is intended as an Earth-based precursor for the European Darwin mission that will prepare the Darwin science program and demonstrate the required technology at system level. We propose a compact nulling interferometer design consisting of a two-telescope aperture configuration, an optional split-pupil add-on, and only four active control loops for counteracting environmentally induced disturbances. We show by simulation that the proposed instrument is able to detect, within a few minutes of observation time, exo-zodiacal dust clouds around Sunlike stars at 20 parsecs that are 20 times stronger than the local zodiacal dust cloud density.
authors.affiliation: EADS Astrium GmbH, Friedrichsgafen, Germany. oswald.wallner@astrium.eads.net
authors.forename: Oswald
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wallner
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flatscher
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ergenzinger