Correction to: Nature Communicationshttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6, published online 10 February 2021.The original version of this Article contained an error in Fig. 1b, in which the... Show moreCorrection to: Nature Communicationshttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6, published online 10 February 2021.The original version of this Article contained an error in Fig. 1b, in which the units incorrectly read ‘AU,’ instead of the correct ‘au’. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article. Show less
This article [J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst. 6(3), 035005 (Sep 24, 2020) DOI: 10.1117/1.JATIS.6.3.035005] as originally published omitted three authors as well as three references. The omitted... Show moreThis article [J. Astron. Telesc. Instrum. Syst. 6(3), 035005 (Sep 24, 2020) DOI: 10.1117/1.JATIS.6.3.035005] as originally published omitted three authors as well as three references. The omitted authors produced the Apodizing Phase Plate design used in the paper’s end-to-end simulations. This contribution was provided by David Doelman, Emiel Por, and Frans Snik, all of Leiden University. They have been added as authors on the paper, as listed above.The following acknowledgment also has been added to the published paper:“The research of DD and FS leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under ERC Starting Grant agreement 678194 (FALCONER).”Additionally, three references were omitted from the paper when it was published. They are listed below:61. G. Otten et al., “Performance characterization of a broadband vector Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph,” Opt. Express 22(24), 30287 (2014).62. G. Otten et al., “The vector apodizing phase plate coronagraph: prototyping, characterization and outlook,” Proc. SPIE 9151, 91511R (2014).63. E. Por, “Optimal design of apodizing phase plate coronagraphs,” Proc. SPIE 10400, 104000V (2017).All versions of the article were corrected on 15 October 2020. The article appears correctly in print. Show less
Exoplanet science is one of the most thriving fields of modern astrophysics. A major goal is the atmospheric characterization of dozens of small, terrestrial exoplanets in order to search for... Show moreExoplanet science is one of the most thriving fields of modern astrophysics. A major goal is the atmospheric characterization of dozens of small, terrestrial exoplanets in order to search for signatures in their atmospheres that indicate biological activity, assess their ability to provide conditions for life as we know it, and investigate their expected atmospheric diversity. None of the currently adopted projects or missions, from ground or in space, can address these goals. In this White Paper we argue that a large space-based mission designed to detect and investigate thermal emission spectra of terrestrial exoplanets in the MIR wavelength range provides unique scientific potential to address these goals and surpasses the capabilities of other approaches. While NASA might be focusing on large missions that aim to detect terrestrial planets in reflected light, ESA has the opportunity to take leadership and spearhead the development of a large MIR exoplanet mission within the scope of the "Voyage 2050" long-term plan establishing Europe at the forefront of exoplanet science for decades to come. Given the ambitious science goals of such a mission, additional international partners might be interested in participating and contributing to a roadmap that, in the long run, leads to a successful implementation. A new, dedicated development program funded by ESA to help reduce development and implementation cost and further push some of the required key technologies would be a first important step in this direction. Ultimately, a large MIR exoplanet imaging mission will be needed to help answer one of mankind's most fundamental questions: "How unique is our Earth?" Show less
