Issue EAS Publications Series Volume 8, 2003 Astronomy with High Contrast Imaging Page(s) 17 - 24 DOI 10.1051/eas:2003047

Astronomy with High Contrast Imaging
C. Aime and R. Soummer (eds)
EAS Publications Series, Vol. 8, 2003
DOI: 10.1051/eas:2003047

Detecting the terrestrial vegetation while observing Earth as a single dot

L. Arnold¹, S. Gillet¹, O. Lardière¹, P. Riaud² and J. Schneider<sup>3

1</sup>  OHP, CNRS, 04870 Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, France
²  LISE CNRS 04870 Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, and LESIA CNRS Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, Place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
³  LUTH CNRS Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, Place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon Cedex, France

Abstract
Spectroscopic observations of the Earthshine allowed us to make a relative measurement of the integrated Earth reflectance spectrum in which the terrestrial vegetation signature around nm has been detected. Therefore we conclude that the terrestrial vegetation, and thus terrestrial life, can be detected remotely when the Earth is seen as a single dot. We also conclude that vegetation can be detected on an extrasolar Earth-like planet, if a spectral resolution around 50 is available.

© EAS, EDP Sciences 2003

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