<p> One of the most important scientific discoveries to be had this century is the spectroscopic characterization of Earth-like exoplanets to determine the occurrence rate of worlds capable of supporting life and to potentially answer: are we alone in the universe? To accomplish these lofty goals requires an advancement in the technology to separate the overwhelming starlight from that of the exoplanet. I believe starshades are the key technology that will enable these discoveries within our lifetime. This dissertation work is a contribution to the advancement of starshade technology to put us on the path towards discovery.</p><p> In this dissertation I present a number of suborbital methods developed for testing small-scale starshades, which include a Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing rocket, the surface of a dry lake bed, and the heliostat of a solar telescope. The results from our high contrast observations are used to validate the optical model I developed to conduct tolerance analyses that will drive future starshade designs. The results from testing a formation flying sensor on the VTVL rocket demonstrate the rocket’s potential for conducting starshade experiments in the stratosphere.</p><p> This dissertation (along with [Novicki, et al. (2016)]) presents the first astronomical observations with a starshade that provide photometric measurements of stars, previously unobserved in the visible spectrum, in the proximity of Vega. These observations led to the development of a visual feedback system for the heliostat that allows us to push farther in separation and inner working angle. These high contrast observations were made using a starshade in the most flight-like configuration (in terms of Fresnel number, inner working angle, and resolution) to date.</p><p> The results of this dissertation have helped demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of starshades for starlight suppression and have outlined a path forward to further advance starshade technology through optical testing and high contrast astronomy.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10245089 |
| Date | 15 February 2017 |
| Creators | Harness, Anthony D. |
| Publisher | University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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