Resolved imaging of exoplanets with the solar gravitational lens
  We discuss the feasibility of direct multipixel imaging of exoplanets with
the solar gravitational lens (SGL) in the context of a realistic deep space
mission. For this, we consider an optical telescope, placed in the image plane
that forms in the strong interference region of the SGL. We consider an
Earth-like exoplanet located in our immediate stellar neighborhood and model
its characteristics using our own Earth. We estimate photon fluxes from such a
compact, extended, resolved exoplanet. This light appears in the form of an
Einstein ring around the Sun, seen through the solar corona. The solar corona
background contributes a significant amount of stochastic noise and represents
the main noise source for observations utilizing the SGL. We estimate the
magnitude of this noise. We compute the resulting signal-no-noise ratios and
related integration times that are needed to perform imaging measurements under
realistic conditions. We conclude that an imaging mission is challenging but
feasible, using technologies that are either already available or in active
development. Under realistic conditions, megapixel imaging of Earth-like
exoplanets in our galactic neighborhood requires only weeks or months of
integration time, not years as previously thought.
