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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
Published on: May 10, 2020
The far future of exoplanet direct characterization
Jean Schneider1, Alain Léger, Malcolm Fridlund
1Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, Laboratoire de l'Univers et ses Théories, Meudon, France. Jean.Schneider@obspm.fr
Abstract:
We describe future steps in the direct characterization of habitable exoplanets subsequent to medium and large mission projects currently underway and investigate the benefits of spectroscopic and direct imaging approaches. We show that, after third- and fourth-generation missions have been conducted over the course of the next 100 years, a significant amount of time will lapse before we will have the capability to observe directly the morphology of extrasolar organisms.
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