Observations of Extrasolar Planets Enabled by a Return to the Moon

dc.creatorMcCullough, P. R.
dc.date2007-03-13
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T07:51:34Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T07:51:34Z
dc.descriptionAmbitious studies of Earth-like extrasolar planets are outlined in the context of an exploration initiative for a return to the Earth's Moon. Two mechanism for linearly polarizing light reflected from Earth-like planets are discussed: 1) Rayleigh-scattering from a planet's clear atmosphere, and 2) specular reflection from a planet's ocean. Both have physically simple and predictable polarized phase functions. The exoplanetary diurnal variation of the polarized light reflected from a ocean but not from a land surface has the potential to enable reconstruction of the continental boundaries on an Earth-like extrasolar planet. Digressions on the lunar exploration initiative also are presented.
dc.descriptionTo be published in Astrophysics Enabled by the Return to the Moon, Ed. M. Livio (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), 2007
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0703328
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0703328
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/125556
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleObservations of Extrasolar Planets Enabled by a Return to the Moon
dc.typetext

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