Document Astronomy with High Contrast Imaging
C. Aime and R. Soummer (eds)
EAS Publications Series, Vol. 8, 2003
DOI: 10.1051/eas:2003072
GENIE: a ground-based precursor for the IRSI-Darwin mission
O. AbsilIAGL, University of Liège, B5C, 17 allée du 6 Août, 4000 Sart-Tilman, Belgium
Abstract
A definition study for a Ground-based European Nulling Interferometry
Experiment (GENIE) has been initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the
European Southern Observatory (ESO). This instrument is planned to be installed in 2006 on the VLTI at Mount Paranal, Chile.
The primary
objective of the GENIE experiment is to gain experience in the design, manufacture and operation of
a nulling interferometer using a Darwin representative technology. Besides its technological goal,
GENIE is designed to survey exozodiacal dust clouds around nearby stars and to study the brightest
of them by means of low-resolution spectroscopy. GENIE also aims at low-mass companion detection,
including hot Jupiters. In this paper, the expected performances of the GENIE interferometer are
investigated as a function of the observation wavelength and of the performances of critical
subsystems.
© EAS, EDP Sciences 2003