The LUCAS experiment: Spectroscopy of Earthshine in Antarctica for detection of life

International audience So as to prepare future observations of terrestrial extrasolar planets liable to shelter life, we attempt to detect the life on the Earth seen as a dot. We use the Moon Earthshine, in which any place reflects the totality of the enlightened part of Earth facing the Moon. Obser...

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Published in:EAS Publications Series
Main Authors: Briot, D., Arnold, L., Jacquemoud, S., Schneider, J., Agabi, A., Aristidi, E., Berthier, J., Bondoux, E., Challita, Z., Petermann, D., Pouzenc, C., Rocher, P.
Other Authors: Observatoire de Paris - Site de Paris (OP), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP), Institut Pythéas (OSU PYTHEAS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPG Paris)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UniCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UniCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Universitaire d'Astrophysique de Nice (LUAN), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Ephémérides (IMCCE), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales Toulouse (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatoire Sirene
Format: Conference Object
Language:English
Published: HAL CCSD 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hal.science/hal-02481902
https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/1040050
Description
Summary:International audience So as to prepare future observations of terrestrial extrasolar planets liable to shelter life, we attempt to detect the life on the Earth seen as a dot. We use the Moon Earthshine, in which any place reflects the totality of the enlightened part of Earth facing the Moon. Observing from OHP and from ESO, we detected terrestrial chlorophyll in the near infrared, the so-called Vegetation Red Edge, and this detection is larger when forests are present than when an ocean is mainly visible from the Moon. Only if observations are made from a high latitude location, and at some moments in the year, Earthshine can be observed during a large part of the day. During these long observing windows, different “landscapes" are facing the Moon. So the Earthshine corresponding to various parts of our Earth could be studied. Preliminary testing observations have been made at Concordia since the first winterover campaign and the LUCAS experiment has been set up.