HISPEC is a new, high-resolution near-infrared spectrograph being designed for the W.M. Keck II telescope. By offering single-shot, R 100,000 spectroscopy between 0.98 – 2.5 μm, HISPEC will enable spectroscopy of transiting and non-transiting exoplanets in close orbits, direct high-contrast detection and spectroscopy of spatially separated substellar companions, and exoplanet dynamical mass and orbit measurements using precision radial velocity monitoring calibrated with a suite of state-of-the-art absolute and relative wavelength references. MODHIS is the counterpart to HISPEC for the Thirty Meter Telescope and is being developed in parallel with similar scientific goals. In this proceeding, we provide a brief overview of the current design of both instruments, and the requirements for the two spectrographs as guided by the scientific goals for each. We then outline the current science case for HISPEC and MODHIS, with focuses on the science enabled for exoplanet discovery and characterization. We also provide updated sensitivity curves for both instruments, in terms of both signal-to-noise ratio and predicted radial velocity precision.
NIRPS is an infrared precision Radial Velocity (pRV) spectrograph covering the range 950 nm-1800 nm. NIRPS uses a high-order Adaptive Optics (AO) system to couple the starlight into a fiber corresponding to 0.4" on the sky as efficiently or better than HARPS or ESPRESSO couple the light in a 1.0" fiber. This allows the spectrograph to be very compact, more thermally stable, and less costly. Using a custom tan(θ)=4 dispersion grating in combination with a start-of-the-art Hawaii4RG detector makes NIRPS very efficient with complete coverage of the YJH bands at just under 100 000 resolution. On the ESO 3.6-m telescope, NIRPS and HARPS are working simultaneously on the same target, building a single powerful high-resolution, high-fidelity spectrograph covering the 0.37-1.8 µm domain. NIRPS will complement HARPS in validating Earth-like planets found around G and K-type stars whose signal is at the same order of magnitude than the stellar noise. While the telescope-side AO system was installed on the ESO 3.6-m telescope in 2019, the infrared cryogenic spectrograph has been integrated at the telescope in early-2022 and has had first light in June 2022. Results from the first light mission show that NIRPS performs very nicely, that the AO system works up to magnitude I=14.5, that the transmission matches requirements and that the RV stability of 1 m/s is within reach While performance assessment is ongoing, NIRPS has demonstrated on-sky m/s-level stability over a night and <3 m/s level over two weeks. Limitations on the RV performances arise from modal noise that can be mitigated through better scrambling strategies. Better performances are also expected following a grating upgrade in July 2022; these will be tested in late-2022.
NIRPS is a near-infrared (YJH bands), fiber-fed, high-resolution precise radial velocity (PRV) spectrograph installed at the ESO 3.6-m telescope in La Silla, Chile. Using a dichroic, NIRPS will be operated simultaneously with the optical HARPS PRV spectrograph and will be used to conduct ambitious planet-search and characterization surveys. NIRPS aims at detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of low-mass dwarfs and obtain high-accuracy transit spectroscopy of exoplanets. The spectrograph is compact for better thermal stability. Using a custom R4 grating in combination with a state-of-the-art Hawaii4RG detector, the instrument provides a high resolution and high stability over the range of 950-1800 nm. This paper focuses on the lens and optomechanical design, assembly, and test of NIRPS’s spectrograph. Some performance tests conducted at Université Laval (Canada) during the integration and at La Silla during commissioning are presented
The first generation of ELT instruments includes an optical-infrared high resolution spectrograph, indicated as ELT-HIRES and recently christened ANDES (ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph). ANDES consists of three fibre-fed spectrographs (UBV, RIZ, YJH) providing a spectral resolution of ∼100,000 with a minimum simultaneous wavelength coverage of 0.4-1.8 µm with the goal of extending it to 0.35-2.4 µm with the addition of a K band spectrograph. It operates both in seeing- and diffraction-limited conditions and the fibre-feeding allows several, interchangeable observing modes including a single conjugated adaptive optics module and a small diffraction-limited integral field unit in the NIR. Its modularity will ensure that ANDES can be placed entirely on the ELT Nasmyth platform, if enough mass and volume is available, or partly in the Coudé room. ANDES has a wide range of groundbreaking science cases spanning nearly all areas of research in astrophysics and even fundamental physics. Among the top science cases there are the detection of biosignatures from exoplanet atmospheres, finding the fingerprints of the first generation of stars, tests on the stability of Nature’s fundamental couplings, and the direct detection of the cosmic acceleration. The ANDES project is carried forward by a large international consortium, composed of 35 Institutes from 13 countries, forming a team of more than 200 scientists and engineers which represent the majority of the scientific and technical expertise in the field among ESO member states.
HISPEC (High-resolution Infrared Spectrograph for Exoplanet Characterization) is an infrared (0.95 to 2.46 microns) cross-dispersed, R=100,000 single-mode fiber-fed diffraction-limited echellette spectrograph for the Keck II telescope’s adaptive optics (AO) system. MODHIS (Multi-Objective Diffraction-limited High-resolution Infrared Spectrograph) shares similar specifications as HISPEC while being optimized for TMT’s first-light AO system NFIRAOS. Keck-HISPEC (2025) then TMT-MODHIS will provide increasingly compelling science capabilities from exoplanet atmosphere characterization through both transit and direct high-contrast spectroscopy, to detection and mass measurements through infrared precision radial velocity (RV). The science cases include the precise RV measurements of stars orbiting the Galactic Center, Solar System studies, and the chemodynamical history of nearby dwarf galaxies and the galactic halo.
A near-IR high-resolution, R≈80000 spectrometer has been developed at IPAG to directly characterize the atmosphere of exoplanets using adaptive optics (AO) assisted telescopes, and a single-mode fiber-injection unit. A first technical test with the 200’ Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory occurred in March 2022 using the PALM3000 AO system offered by this telescope. Observations have also been made at the same time with the PARVI spectrometer so that a direct comparison can be made between the two instruments. This spectrometer uses a virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) instead of an echelle grating, resulting in a very compact optical layout that fits in a 0.25m3 cryostat. Using a quarter of an H2RG detector, the spectrometer analyses the middle part of the H-band, from 1.57 to 1.7 microns for 2 sources whose light is transferred from the telescope to the spectrometer using single-mode fibers. By design, the transmission of the spectrometer is expected to be 40-50%, which is 2-3 times higher than the transmission of current high-resolution spectrometers such as CRIRES+ and NIRSPEC. A damaged cross-disperser limited it to 21%, however. A replacement grating with a correct, twice as high efficiency has been procured after the on-sky demonstration. In addition to recalling the main specifications of the VIPA spectrometer, this paper presents the control software, the calibration process, and the reduction pipeline that have been developed for the instrument. It also presents the results of the on-sky technical test with the Hale telescope, as well as measurements of the effective resolution and transmission, along with a comparison of a spectrum of the sun obtained with the spectrometer with the BASS2000 reference spectrum. Planned modifications are also discussed. That includes the integration of a new dedicated H2RG detector, and of K-band optics.
In the Roman era, wide-field, deep, visible-to-near infrared images will revolutionize our understanding of galaxy evolution (e.g. environments, morphologies, masses, colors). The legacy value of Roman images and low-resolution spectra (with Roman’s prism and grism) will be greatly enhanced by massively multiplexed ground-based observations in the near – future and simultaneously allow us to leverage an impressive bounty of archived spectra from Maunakea facilities. We plan to enhance ground-based NIR spectra of astrophysically interesting objects with ground-sky spectra, atmospheric data, HST spectra and images, and machine learning techniques proven to predict galaxy spectra from images.
Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) is the first of the future generation of massively multiplexed spectroscopic 11.25m mirror facility on a recycled site. MSE is designed to enable transformative science, being completely dedicated to large-scale multi-object spectroscopic surveys, each studying thousands to millions of astrophysical objects. MSE’s transformational potential lies in answering numerous scientific questions and finding new puzzles. Its success will depend in part on its ability to detect large populations of faint sources, from those responsible for reionization to merging galaxies at cosmic dawn and the stellar populations of nearby dwarf galaxies. This capability is set, in part, by our ability to remove the sky from the target spectra. Here we describe the initial steps in a threeyear long effort to develop a model of the Maunakea skies comparable to the model developed by ESO of the southern ESO sites. The model will be used to derive best-practices (e.g. the number of required fibers given specific observing conditions, and required sensitivity) and sky subtraction algorithms to achieve << 1% sky subtraction accuracy
In less than a year, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will inherit the mantle of being the world’s pre- eminent infrared observatory. JWST will carry with it an Aperture Masking Interferometer (AMI) as one of the supported operational modes of the Near-InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument. Aboard such a powerful platform, the AMI mode will deliver the most advanced and scientifically capable interferometer ever launched into space, exceeding anything that has gone before it by orders of magnitude in sensitivity. Here we present key aspects of the design and commissioning of this facility: data simulations (ami_sim), the extraction of interferometeric observables using two different approaches (IMPLANEIA and AMICAL), an updated view of AMI’s expected performance, and our reference star vetting programs.
HIRES is the high-resolution spectrograph of the European Extremely Large Telescope at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. It consists of three fibre-fed spectrographs providing a wavelength coverage of 0.4-1.8 µm (goal 0.35-2.4 µm) at a spectral resolution of 100,000. The fibre-feeding allows HIRES to have several, interchangeable observing modes including a SCAO module and a small diffraction-limited IFU in the NIR. Therefore, it will be able to operate both in seeing- and diffraction-limited modes. Its modularity will ensure that HIRES can be placed entirely on the Nasmyth platform, if enough mass and volume is available, or part on the Nasmyth and part in the Coud`e room. ELT-HIRES has a wide range of science cases spanning nearly all areas of research in astrophysics and even fundamental physics. Among the top science cases there are the detection of biosignatures from exoplanet atmospheres, finding the fingerprints of the first generation of stars (PopIII), tests on the stability of Nature’s fundamental couplings, and the direct detection of the cosmic acceleration. The HIRES consortium is composed of more than 30 institutes from 14 countries, forming a team of more than 200 scientists and engineers.
KEYWORDS: Spectrographs, Telescopes, Lanthanum, Planets, Spectroscopes, Exoplanets, Aerospace engineering, Space operations, James Webb Space Telescope
NIRPS is a near-infrared (YJH bands), fiber-fed, high-resolution precision radial velocity (pRV) spectrograph currently under construction for deployment at the ESO 3.6-m telescope in La Silla, Chile. Through the use of a dichroic, NIRPS will be operated simultaneously with the optical HARPS pRV spectrograph and will be used to conduct ambitious planet-search and characterization surveys through a 720-night of guaranteed time allocation. NIRPS aims at detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of low-mass dwarfs and obtain high-accuracy transit spectroscopy of exoplanets. Here we present a summary of the full performances obtained in laboratory tests conducted at Université Laval (Canada), and the first results of the on-going on-sky commissioning of the front-end. Science operations of NIRPS is expected to start in late-2020, enabling significant synergies with major space and ground instruments such as the JWST, TESS, ALMA, PLATO and the ELT.
Current high-resolution spectrometers have been designed for seeing-limited sources. Designing a spectrometer for diffraction-limited sources makes it possible to significantly improves its compacity and cost, but it also opens up new concepts, including better efficiency, and adaptability to various spectral domains, and up to very high resolution (several 10^5). A novel, near-IR, R~80000 spectrometer has been developed at IPAG to characterize two sources at once in the H or K bands. Its design is based on a virtually imaged phased array instead of an échelle grating, which allows the spectrometer to fit inside a 0.2m3 cryostat, and results in a gain in throughput with respect to usual échelle spectrographs. One specific science case that can benefit from this new type of design is the characterization of exoplanets' atmosphere. This paper presents the results of its test in the laboratory, as well as the preparation for an on-sky demonstration tentatively scheduled for summer 2020.
Large-format infrared arrays are enablers for a variety of astronomical applications, from wide-field imaging to very high-resolution spectroscopy over a wide range of wavelength. We present the optimization of the science-grade H4RG array used in the SPIRou high-resolution spectrograph designed for high-precision velocity measurements. In SPIRou nominal science operation, the array is used in a relatively low flux regime, well below the full-well of the arrays and, for some applications, the readout noise is a major contributor to the overall signal-to-noise budget. We describe the detector fine-tuning process as well as the derived properties and their impact on performances. We identify persistence as potentially problematic under certain circumstances for infrared m/s velocimetry.
NIRPS (Near Infra Red Planet Searcher) is a new ultra-stable infrared ( YJH) fiber-fed spectrograph that will be installed on ESO’s 3.6-m telescope in La Silla, Chile. Aiming at achieving a precision of 1 m/s, NIRPS is designed to find rocky planets orbiting M dwarfs, and will operate together with HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher). In this paper we describe NIRPS science cases, present its main technical characteristics and its development status.
KEYWORDS: Clocks, Electron multiplying charge coupled devices, Charge-coupled devices, Signal processing, Spectrographs, Signal to noise ratio, Spectral resolution, Photon counting
Scientific EMCCD cameras have demonstrated excellent imaging performance under extreme low light conditions. Photon counting capability combined with a very low dark current offered by the CCD technology have made EMCCDs the detector of choice for high-performance applications such as time resolved spectroscopy and low light imaging. However, future astronomical instrumentation requires high spatial resolution while commercially available EMCCD devices are limited by a relatively modest area format of (1kx1k). To address this requirement, the Universitė de Montrėal and Teledyne-e2v have jointly developed a 4kx4k EMCCD, the CCD282. This paper presents the results of cryogenic characterization of the CCD282 operated with Nüvü Camēras’ CCD Controller for Counting Photons version 3. The advantages of a novel large format EMCCD over existing technology for high resolution spectroscopy are discussed.
High-resolution spectroscopy is a key element for present and future astronomical instrumentation. In particular, coupled to high contrast imagers and coronagraphs, high spectral resolution enables higher contrast and has been identified as a very powerful combination to characterise exoplanets, starting from giant planets now, up to Earth-like planet eventually for the future instruments. In this context, we propose the implementation of an innovative echelle spectrometer based on the use of VIPA (Virtually Imaged Phased Array, Shirasaki 1996). The VIPA itself is a particular kind of Fabry-P´erot interferometer, used as an angular disperser with much greater dispersive power than common diffraction grating. The VIPA is an efficient, small component (3 cm × 2.4 cm), that takes the very advantage of single mode injection in a versatile design. The overall instrument presented here is a proof-of-concept of a compact, high-resolution (R > 80 000) spectrometer, dedicated to the H and K bands, in the context of the project “High-Dispersion Coronograhy“ developed at IPAG. The optical bench has a foot-print of 40 cm × 26 cm ; it is fed by two Single-Mode Fibers (SMF), one dedicated to the companion, and one to the star and/or to a calibration channel, and is cooled down to 80 K. This communication first presents the scientific and instrumental context of the project, and the principal merit of single-mode operations in high-resolution spectrometry. After recalling the physical structure of the VIPA and its implementation in an echelle-spectrometer design, it then details the optical design of the spectrometer. In conclusion, further steps (integration, calibration, coupling with adaptive optics) and possible optimization are briefly presented.
SPIRou is the new high resolution echelle spectropolarimeter and high-precision velocimeter, in the near infra- red, for the 3.6m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT Mauna Kea). This next generation instrument aims at detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of low-mass dwarfs and at investigating how magnetic fields impact star and planet formation. SPIRou consists of an achromatic polarimetric module coupled with a fluoride fiber link to a thermally-controlled cryogenic echelle spectrograph, and a Calibration Unit which can fed the light of hollow-cathod lamps, a radial velocity reference (Fabry-Pérot), or a cold source to the polarimeter and/or the spectrograph. Here we present a summary of the full performances obtained in laboratory tests carried in Toulouse (France), and the first results of the on-going commissioning at the CFHT. SPIRou covers a spectral range from 0.96 to 2.48 μm (YJHK domain) in one single exposure at a resolving power of 70 K, providing unpolarized and polarized spectra (with sensitivity 10 ppm) of stars, with a 10 15% peak throughput. Lab tests demonstrate that SPIRou is capable of achieving a relative radial velocity precision better than 0.2 m/s rms on timescales of 24 hr. Science operations of SPIRou are expected to start in 2018 S2, enabling significant synergies with major space and ground instruments such as the JWST, TESS, ALMA and later-on PLATO and the ELT.
Since 1st light in 2002, HARPS has been setting the standard in the exo-planet detection by radial velocity (RV) measurements[1]. Based on this experience, our consortium is developing a high accuracy near-infrared RV spectrograph covering YJH bands to detect and characterize low-mass planets in the habitable zone of M dwarfs. It will allow RV measurements at the 1-m/s level and will look for habitable planets around M- type stars by following up the candidates found by the upcoming space missions TESS, CHEOPS and later PLATO. NIRPS and HARPS, working simultaneously on the ESO 3.6m are bound to become a single powerful high-resolution, high-fidelity spectrograph covering from 0.4 to 1.8 micron. NIRPS will complement HARPS in validating earth-like planets found around G and K-type stars whose signal is at the same order of magnitude than the stellar noise. Because at equal resolving power the overall dimensions of a spectrograph vary linearly with the input beam étendue, spectrograph designed for seeing-limited observations are large and expensive. NIRPS will use a high order adaptive optics system to couple the starlight into a fiber corresponding to 0.4” on the sky as efficiently or better than HARPS or ESPRESSO couple the light 0.9” fiber. This allows the spectrograph to be very compact, more thermally stable and less costly. Using a custom tan(θ)=4 dispersion grating in combination with a start-of-the-art Hawaii4RG detector makes NIRPS very efficient with complete coverage of the YJH bands at 110’000 resolution. NIRPS works in a regime that is in-between the usual multi-mode (MM) where 1000’s of modes propagates in the fiber and the single mode well suited for perfect optical systems. This regime called few-modes regime is prone to modal noise- Results from a significant R and D effort made to characterize and circumvent the modal noise show that this contribution to the performance budget shall not preclude the RV performance to be achieved.
The Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph (GHOST) is a fiber fed spectrograph primarily designed for high efficiency and broad wavelength coverage (363 -1000nm), with an anticipated commissioning early in 2018. The primary scientific goal of the Precision Radial Velocity (PRV) mode will be follow-up of relatively faint (R>12) transiting exoplanet targets, especially from the TESS mission. In the PRV mode, the 1.2 arcsec diameter stellar image will be split 19 ways, combined in a single slit with a simultaneous Th/Xe reference source, dispersed at a resolving power of 80,000 and imaged onto two detectors. The spectrograph will be thermally stabilized in the Gemini pier laboratory, and modal noise will be reduced below other sources through the use of a fiber agitator. Unlike other precision high resolution spectrographs, GHOST will not be pressure controlled (although pressure will be monitored precisely), and there will be no double scrambler or shaped (e.g. octagonal) fibers. Instead, GHOST will have to rely on simultaneous two-color imaging of the slit and the simultaneous Th/Xe fiber to correct for variable fiber illumination and focal-ratio degradation. This configuration presents unique challenges in estimating a PRV error budget.
WFIRST-AFTA is the NASA’s highest ranked astrophysics mission for the next decade that was identified in the New
World, New Horizon survey. The mission scientific drivers correspond to some of the deep questions identified in the
Canadian LRP2010, and are also of great interest for the Canadian scientists. Given that there is also a great interest in
having an international collaboration in this mission, the Canadian Space Agency awarded two contracts to study a
Canadian participation in the mission, one related to each instrument. This paper presents a summary of the technical
contributions that were considered for a Canadian contribution to the coronagraph and wide field instruments.
The Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) Optical Simulator (NOS) is a
laboratory simulation of the single-object slitless spectroscopy and aperture masking interferometry modes of the
NIRISS instrument onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). A transiting exoplanet can be simulated
by periodically eclipsing a small portion (1% - 10ppm) of a super continuum laser source (0.4 μm - 2.4 μm) with
a dichloromethane filled cell. Dichloromethane exhibits multiple absorption features in the near infrared domain
hence the net effect is analogous to the atmospheric absorption features of an exoplanet transiting in front of its
host star. The NOS uses an HAWAII-2RG and an ASIC controller cooled to cryogenic temperatures. A separate
photometric beacon provides a flux reference to monitor laser variations. The telescope jitter can be simulated
using a high-resolution motorized pinhole placed along the optical path. Laboratory transiting spectroscopy data
produced by the NOS will be used to refine analysis methods, characterize the noise due to the jitter, characterize
the noise floor and to develop better observation strategies. We report in this paper the first exoplanet transit
event simulated by the NOS. The performance is currently limited by relatively high thermal background in the
system and high frequency temporal variations of the continuum source.
KEYWORDS: Point spread functions, Sensors, Interferometry, Planets, James Webb Space Telescope, Exoplanets, Space telescopes, Astronomy, Aerospace engineering, Data modeling
JWST/NIRISS has a non-redundant aperture mask (NRM) for use with its F380M, F430M, F480M and F277W filters. In addition to high-resolution imaging with moderate contrast, the NRM provides better astrometric accuracy over a wide field of view than regular imaging. We investigate the accuracy achievable with the NRM by using an image-plane algorithm to analyze the PSFs of a point source that were obtained at a fixed pixel location with sub-pixel dithers during the second Cryo-Vacuum test campaign of the Integrated Science Instrument Module at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Astrometry of brown dwarfs with the NRM will be sensitive to the presence of terrestrial planets and can be used to probe the architecture of planetary systems around these objects.
JWST’s Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) includes an Aperture Masking Interferometry (AMI) mode designed to be used between 2.7μm and 4.8μm. At these wavelengths, it will have the highest angular resolution of any mode on JWST, and, for faint targets, of any existing or planned infrastructure. NIRISS AMI is uniquely suited to detect thermal emission of young massive planets and will permit the characterization of the mid-IR flux of exoplanets discovered by the GPI and SPHERE adaptive optics surveys. It will also directly detect massive planets found by GAIA through astrometric accelerations, providing the first opportunity ever to get both a mass and a flux measurement for non-transiting giant planets. NIRISS AMI will also enable the study of the nuclear environment of AGNs.
KEYWORDS: Point spread functions, Data modeling, Sensors, James Webb Space Telescope, Capacitance, Infrared telescopes, Visibility, Phase measurement, Interferometry, Space telescopes
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near IR Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) has a seven hole non-redundant mask (NRM) in its pupil. The interferometric resolution obtained with the NRM provides a reliable measure of the magnification, position, and distribution of the PSF. The NRM image is Nyquist sampled at 4μm and operates with medium-band filters F380M, F430M, and F480M on NIRISS. We discuss cryovac CV1RR early NRM test data on the instrument. An image-plane, point-source model serves as a predictive tool for the NRM PSF, whose fine scale features' relative intensity can be used to measure detector non-linearities and determine its plate scale and rotation. We present a conservative estimate of NRM's wide-field astrometric performance. We present an analysis of the NIRISS plate scale and detector response as well as a prediction for NRM on-sky performance, taking into account measured intrapixel sensitivities, at fields, and detector linearity corrections.
KEYWORDS: Absorption, Principal component analysis, Stars, Velocimetry, Atmospheric modeling, Absorbance, Planets, Signal attenuation, Telescopes, Chemical species
Optical velocimetry has led to the detection of more than 500 planets to date and there is a strong effort to push m/s velocimetry to the near-infrared to access cooler and lighter stars. The presence of numerous telluric absorption lines in the nIR brings an important challenge. As the star’s barycentric velocity varies through the year, the telluric absorption lines effectively varies in velocity relative to the star’s spectrum by the same amount leading to important systematic RV offsets. We present a novel Principal component analysis-based approach for telluric line subtraction and demonstrated its effectiveness with archival HARPS data for GJ436 and τ Ceti, over parts of the R-band that contain strong telluric absorption lines. The main results are: 1) a better RV accuracy with excluding only a few percentage of the domain, 2) better use of the entire spectrum to measure RV and 3) a higher telescope time efficency by using A0V telluric standard from telescope archive.
We initiated a multi-technique campaign to understand the physics and properties of the massive binary system MWC 314. Our observations included optical high-resolution spectroscopy and Johnson photometry, nearinfrared spectrophotometry, and K′−band long-baseline interferometry with the CHARA Array. Our results place strong constraints on the spectroscopic orbit, along with reasonable observations of the phase-locked photometric variability. Our interferometry, with input from the spectrophotometry, provides information on the geometry of the system that appears to consist of a primary star filling its Roche Lobe and loosing mass both onto a hidden companion and through the outer Lagrangian point, feeding a circumbinary disk. While the multi-faceted observing program is allowing us to place some constraints on the system, there is also a possibility that the outflow seen by CHARA is actually a jet and not a circumbinary disk.
Astronomical imaging is always limited by the detection system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). EMCCD cameras offer many advantages for low light applications, such as sub-electron read-out noise, and low dark current with appropriate cooling. High frame rate achieved with these devices is often employed for the enhancement of SNR by acquiring and stacking multiple short exposures instead of one long exposure. EMCCDs are also suitable for applications requiring very long exposures, even when only a few photons are detected per hour. During long exposure acquisitions with a conventional CCD, slower pixel rates are usually employed to reduce the read-out noise, which dominates the CCD noise budget. For EMCCD cameras, this approach may not result in the lowest possible total noise and the effect of increasing the total exposure time may not yield the highest possible SNR for a given total integration time. In this paper, we present and discuss the experimental results obtained with an EMCCD camera that has been optimized for taking long exposures (from several seconds to several hours) of low light-level targets. These results helped to ascertain an EMCCD camera best operating parameters for long exposure astronomical imaging.
SPIRou is a near-IR echelle spectropolarimeter and high-precision velocimeter under construction as a next-
generation instrument for the Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope. It is designed to cover a very wide simultaneous
near-IR spectral range (0.98-2.35 μm) at a resolving power of 73.5K, providing unpolarized and polarized
spectra of low-mass stars at a radial velocity (RV) precision of 1m/s. The main science goals of SPIRou are
the detection of habitable super-Earths around low-mass stars and the study of stellar magnetism of star at
the early stages of their formation. Following a successful final design review in Spring 2014, SPIRou is now
under construction and is scheduled to see first light in late 2017. We present an overview of key aspects of
SPIRou’s optical and mechanical design.
A new polarimeter has been built for the “Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic” (POMM) and is now in commissioning
phase. It will allow polarization measurements with a precision of 10-6, an improvement by a factor of 100 over the
previous observatory polarimeter. The characteristics of the instrument that allow this goal are briefly discussed and the
planned science observations are presented. They include exoplanets near their host star (hot Jupiters), transiting
exoplanets, stars with debris disks, young stars with proto-planetary disks, brown dwarfs, massive Wolf-Rayet stars and
comets. The details of the optical and mechanical designs are presented in two other papers.
The rapid proliferation of Electron Multiplying Charge Coupled Devices (EMCCDs) in recent years has revolutionized
low light imaging applications. EMCCDs in particular show promise to enable the construction of versatile space
astronomy instruments while space-based observations enable unique capabilities such as high-speed accurate
photometry due to reduced sky background and the absence of atmospheric scintillation. The Canadian Space Agency is
supporting innovation in EMCCD technology by increasing its Technology Readiness Level (TRL) aimed at reducing
risk, cost, size and development time of instruments for future space missions. This paper will describe the advantages of
EMCCDs compared to alternative low light imaging technologies. We will discuss the specific issues associated with
using EMCCDs for high-speed photon counting applications in astronomy. We will show that a careful design provided
by the CCD Controller for Counting Photons (CCCP) makes it possible to operate the EMCCD devices at rates in excess
of 10 MHz, and that levels of clock induced charge and dark current are dramatically lower than those experienced with
commercial cameras. The results of laboratory characterization and examples of astronomical images obtained with
EMCCD cameras will be presented. Issues of radiation tolerance, charge transfer efficiency at low signal levels and life
time effects on the electron-multiplication gain will be discussed in the context of potential space applications.
EMCCDs are capable of extreme low light imaging thanks to sub-electron read-out noise, enabling single-photon counting.
The characterization of e2v's CCD60 (128 x 128), CCD97 (512 x 512) and CCD201-20 (1024 x 1024) using a controller
optimized for the driving of EMCCDs at a high (≥10 MHz) pixel rate per output with < 0.002 e- total background signal.
Using the CCD Controller for Counting Photons (CCCP), the horizontal and vertical CIC, dark current and EM gain
stability are characterized.
SPIRou is a near-infrared, echelle spectropolarimeter/velocimeter under design for the 3.6m Canada-France-Hawaii
Telescope (CFHT) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The unique scientific capabilities and technical design features are described
in the accompanying (eight) papers at this conference. In this paper we focus on the lens design of the optical
spectrograph. The SPIROU spectrograph is a near infrared fiber fed double pass cross dispersed spectrograph. The
cryogenic spectrograph is connected with the Cassegrain unit by the two science fibers. It is also fed by the fiber coming
from the calibration box and RV reference module of the instrument. It includes 2 off-axis parabolas (1 in double pass),
an echelle grating, a train of cross disperser prisms (in double pass), a flat folding mirror, a refractive camera and a
detector. This paper describes the optical design of the spectrograph unit and estimates the performances. In particular,
the echelle grating options are discussed as the goal grating is not available from the market.
SPIRou is a near-infrared, echelle spectropolarimeter/velocimeter under design for the 3.6m Canada-France-
Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The unique scientific capabilities and technical design features
are described in the accompanying papers at this conference. In this paper we focus on the data reduction software
(DRS) and the data simulation tool. The SPIRou DRS builds upon the experience of the existing SOPHIE,
HARPS and ESPADONS spectrographs; class-leaders instruments for high-precision RV measurements and
spectropolarimetry. While SPIRou shares many characteristics with these instruments, moving to the near-
infrared domain brings specific data-processing challenges: the presence of a large number of telluric absorption
lines, strong emission sky lines, thermal background, science arrays with poorer cosmetics, etc. In order for the
DRS to be fully functional for SPIRou's first light in 2015, we developed a data simulation tool that incorporates
numerous instrumental and observational e_ects. We present an overview of the DRS and the simulation tool
architectures.
KEYWORDS: Stars, Calibration, Control systems, Telescopes, Spectrographs, Sensors, Control systems design, Temperature metrology, Optical benches, Lamps
SPIRou is a near-IR (0.98-2.35μm), echelle spectropolarimeter / high precision velocimeter being designed as a nextgeneration
instrument for the 3.6m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, with the main goals of
detecting Earth-like planets around low-mass stars and magnetic fields of forming stars. The unique scientific and
technical capabilities of SPIRou are described in a series of eight companion papers. In this paper, the means of
controlling the instrument are discussed. Most of the instrument control is fairly normal, using off-the-shelf components
where possible and reusing already available code for these components. Some aspects, however, are more challenging.
In particular, the paper will focus on the challenges of doing fast (50 Hz) guiding with 30 mas repeatability using the
object being observed as a reference and on thermally stabilizing a large optical bench to a very high precision (~1 mK).μ
We present the results from the commissioning of the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI). Capable
of delivering diffraction limited images in the near-infrared, over an 85′′
×85′′ square field-of-view, GSAOI was
designed for use with the Gemini Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (GeMS) system in operation at the Gemini
South Observatory. The instrument focal plane, covered by an array of four HAWAII-2RG detectors, contains
4080×4080 pixels and has a plate scale of 0.02′′ – thus capitalizing on the superb image quality delivered by both
the all-refractive optical design of GSAOI and the Gemini South MCAO system. Here, we discuss our preliminary
findings from the GSAOI commissioning, concentrating on detector characterization, on-sky performance and
system throughput. Further specifics about the Gemini MCAO system can be found in other presentations at
this conference.
Queue planning of observation and service observing are generally seen as specific to large, world-class, astronomical observatories that draw proposal from a large community. One of the common grievance, justified or not, against queue planning and service observing is the fear of training a generation of astronomers without
hands-on observing experience. At the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic (OMM) 1.6-m telescope, we are developing a student-run service observing program. Queue planning and service observing are used as training tools to expose students to a variety of scientific project and instruments beyond what they would normally use for their
own research project. The queue mode at the OMM specifically targets relatively shallow observations that can be completed in less than a few hours and are too short to justify a multi-night classical observing run.
The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) high-contrast adaptive optics system, which is currently under construction
for Gemini South, has an IFS as its science instrument. This paper describes the data reduction pipeline of the
GPI science instrument. Written in IDL, with a modular architecture, this pipeline reduces an ensemble of highcontrast
spectroscopic or polarimetric raw science images and calibration data into a final dataset ready for
scientific analysis. It includes speckle suppression techniques such as angular and spectral differential imaging
that are necessary to achieve extreme contrast performances for which the instrument is designed. This paper
presents also raw GPI IFS simulated data developed to test the pipeline.
The science instrument for GPI (Gemini Planet Imager) is a cryogenic integral field spectrograph
based on a lenslet array. The integral field nature of the instrument allows for a full mapping of the
focal plane at coarse spectral resolution. With such a data cube, artifacts within the PSF such as
residual speckles can be suppressed. Additionally, the initial detection of any candidate planet will
include spectral information that can be used to distinguish it from a background object: candidates
can be followed up with detailed spectroscopic observations. The optics between the lenslet array
and the detector are essentially a standard spectrograph with a collimating set of lenses, a dispersive
prism and a camera set of lenses in a folded assembly. We generally refer to this optical set as the
spectrograph optics. This paper describes the laboratory optical performances over the field of view.
The test procedure includes the imaging performances in both non dispersive and dispersive mode.
The test support equipments include a test cryostat, an illumination module with monochromatic
fiber laser, a wideband light source and a test detector module.
We discuss observing strategy for the Near Infrared Coronagraphic Imager (NICI) on the 8-m Gemini South
telescope. NICI combines a number of techniques to attenuate starlight and suppress superspeckles: 1) coronagraphic
imaging, 2) dual channel imaging for Spectral Differential Imaging (SDI) and 3) operation in a fixed
Cassegrain rotator mode for Angular Differential Imaging (ADI). NICI will be used both in service mode and
for a dedicated 50 night planet search campaign. While all of these techniques have been used individually in
large planet-finding surveys, this is the first time ADI and SDI will be used with a coronagraph in a large survey.
Thus, novel observing strategies are necessary to conduct a viable planet search campaign.
The Gemini Observatory is implementing a Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) system as a facility instrument
for the Gemini South telescope (GeMS). The system will include 5 Laser Guide Stars, 3 Natural Guide Stars, and 3
deformable mirrors, optically conjugated at different altitudes, to achieve near-uniform atmospheric compensation over a
one arc minute square field of view. This setup implies some level of operational complexity.
In this paper we describe how GeMS will be integrated into the flow of Gemini operations, from the observing
procedures necessary to execute the programs in the queue (telescope control software, observing tools, sequence
executor) to the safety implementation needed such as spotters/ASCAM, space command and laser traffic control
software.
We present the coronagraphic and adaptive optics performance of the Gemini-South Near-Infrared Coronagraphic Imager (NICI). NICI includes a dual-channel imager for simultaneous spectral difference imaging, a dedicated 85-element curvature adaptive optics system, and a built-in Lyot coronagraph. It is specifically designed to survey for and image large extra-solar gaseous planets on the Gemini Observatory 8-meter telescope in Chile. We present the on-sky performance of the individual subsystems along with the end-to-end contrast curve. These are compared to our model predictions for the adaptive optics system, the coronagraph, and the spectral difference imaging.
The Near-Infrared Coronagraphic Imager (NICI) is a high-contrast AO imager at the
Gemini South telescope. The camera includes a coronagraphic mask and dual channel imaging
for Spectral Differential Imaging (SDI). The instrument can also be used in a fixed Cassegrain
Rotator mode for Angular Differential Imaging (ADI). While coronagraphy, SDI, and ADI have
been applied before in direct imaging searches for exoplanets. NICI represents the first time that
these 3 techniques can be combined. We present preliminary NICI commissioning data using
these techniques and show that combining SDI and ADI results in significant gains.
Direct exoplanet detections are limited by the speckle noise of the point spread function (PSF). This noise can
be reduced by subtracting PSF images obtained simultaneously in adjacent narrow spectral bands using a multichannel
camera (MCC). Experiments have shown that speckle attenuation performances are severely degraded
by differential optical aberrations between channels that decorrelate the PSFs of the different spectral bands.
We present a new technique which can greatly alleviate this problem: the introduction of a holographic diffuser
at the focal plane of the MCC. The holographic diffuser converts the PSF image into an incoherent illumination
scene that is then re-imaged with the MCC. This imaging process is equivalent to a convolution of the scene
with the PSF of each channel of the MCC. The optical aberrations in the MCC then affect only the convolution
kernel of each channel and not the PSF globally, resulting in more correlated images. We report laboratory
measurements with a dual channel prototype (1.575 μm and 1.625 μm) to validate this approach. We achieved
a speckle noise suppression factor of 12-14, which is ~4-6 times better than what has been achieved by existing
MCCs.
CPAPIR is a wide-field infrared camera for use at the Observatoire du mont Megantic and CTIO 1.5 m telescopes. The camera will be primarily a survey instrument with a half-degree field of view, making it one of the most efficient of its kind. CPAPIR will provide broad and narrow band filters within its 0.8 to 2.5 μm bandpass. The camera is based on a Hawaii-2 2048x2048 HgCdTe detector.
Near-infrared emission from atmospheric OH radicals is known to severely affect astronomical observations. Until now, only complex dispersive instruments were partially capable of removing this unwanted background, which is composed of hundreds of narrow emission lines. Recent development in photosensitive glass and holographic recording technologies now allow the elaboration of filters with a large number of narrow reflecting bands well matched to OH lines. This technology shows promise for removing many tens of lines in the J, H, and K bands. That would result in a many fold increase in imaging and low resolution signal-to-noise ratio. Filters with 10 lines have been tested and show the appealing possibilities of these new devices.
A wide-field near-infrared (0.8 - 2.4 μm) camera for the 1.6 m telescope of the Observatoire du mont Megantic (OMM), is currently under construction at the Universite de Montreal. The field of view is 30' × 30' and will have very little distortion. The optics comprise 8 spherical cryogenic lenses. The instrument features two filter wheels with provision for 10 filters including broad band I, z, J, H, K and other narrow-band filters. The camera is based on a 2048 × 2048 HgCdTe Hawaii-2 detector driven by a 3--output SDSU-II controller operating at ~250 kHz.
The optical design of the wide-field infrared camera CPAPIR (Camera PAnoramique Proche InfraRouge) for the Mont Megantic Observatory (OMM) has been completed. CPAPIR will be a unique wide-field camera at the OMM. It has a full field of view of 0.71 degrees, an instantaneous field of view of 0.88 arc-seconds, and a spectral coverage of 0.85 - 2.5 μm. The camera is operated under vacuum and at cryogenic temperature. The performance (image quality, vignetting, cold stop efficiency, ghost analysis and tolerancing) of CPAPIR has been optimized at cold temperature using cryogenic indices of refraction and coefficients of thermal.
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