Characterization and Commissioning of the iLocater Spectrograph

iLocater 光谱仪的表征和调试

• 批准号: 2108603
• 负责人: Jonathan Crass
• 金额: $ 114.34万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2108603&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Characterization; Commissioning; iLocater; Spectrograph

This project will complete the construction of a new instrument named iLocater that will search for exoplanets using a large telescope in Arizona. iLocater is an instrument called a spectrograph that spreads out the incoming light from stars and searches for the tiny color changes caused by planets moving in orbit around their star. The instrument compensates for the distorting effect of Earth’s turbulent atmosphere and can use small optical fibers to bring light from the telescope to the spectrograph. This feature allows scientists to see both the color changes caused by planets and the effects of the changing surface of stars which enable discovery and study of even smaller exoplanets that can currently be detected. iLocater is designed to be extremely stable to allow the detection of the incredibly small color change caused by planets to be measured. iLocater will undertake studies of exoplanetary systems to characterize their properties and assess their potential to support life. The project will supply training for graduate students in developing instrumentation and also summer research opportunities for undergraduate studentsThe performance of modern Doppler instruments is dominated by the effects of stellar variability, an effect that imprints the signature of surface inhomogeneities and stochastic motions onto stellar spectra. Such astrophysical jitter imposes a noise floor by creating temporally changing asymmetries in the absorption lines of stellar spectra. This project will complete building a Doppler precision radial velocity instrument that uses adaptive optics (AO) and single-mode fibers (SMFs) on a large telescope to achieve high spectral resolution (R=132,000-273,000). The instrument, named iLocater, will be installed on the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona and operates at the diffraction limit at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths (YJ-bands). The NIR bandpass is well suited to AO performance, is expected to be less susceptible to stellar variability, and provides access to the peak radiation of late-type stars where the Doppler amplitudes of planets are substantially larger than those orbiting G-type stars. The combination of high spectral resolution and high spatial resolution (41 mas) will facilitate novel research directions, such as studying planets orbiting close separation binaries. On completion iLocater will be available to many US astronomers who are within the LBT community for 30 nights/year and there will be public access to the iLocater data products.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目将完成一种名为Ilocater的新仪器的构建，该仪器将使用亚利桑那州的大型望远镜搜索外部行星。 iLocater是一种称为频谱的仪器，可从恒星中传播出传入的光线，并寻找由行星在其恒星周围移动的行星引起的微小颜色变化。该仪器可以补偿地球湍流气氛的扭曲效果，并可以使用小光纤将望远镜的光线带到光谱仪。此功能使科学家可以看到行星造成的颜色变化以及恒星不断变化的效果，这些变化可以发现和研究当前可以检测到的较小的系外行星。 Ilocater的设计非常稳定，以允许检测由行星造成的令人难以置信的小颜色变化。 Ilocater将对甲板系统进行研究，以表征其性质并评估其支持生命的潜力。该项目将为研究生开发仪器和本科生的夏季研究机会提供培训，现代多普勒仪器的表现主要由恒星变异性的影响，这种效果刻有表面不均匀性和随机运动对恒星光谱的签名。这样的天体物理抖动通过在恒星光谱的抽象线上暂时改变不对称来不可能。将完成使用自适应光学元件（AO）和单模纤维（SMF）在大型望远镜上的构建多普勒精密径向速度仪器，以实现高光谱分辨率（r = 132,000-273,000）。该仪器称为iLocater，将安装在亚利桑那州的大型双眼望远镜（LBT）上，并在近红外（NIR）波长（YJ频段）下以衍射极限运行。 NIR带通非常适合AO性能，预计将不太容易受到明显的可变性，并且可以访问晚期型恒星的峰值辐射，其中多普勒放大器的峰值比那些轨道的G-type恒星大得多。高光谱分辨率和高空间分辨率（41 MAS）的结合将促进新的研究方向，例如研究绕着近距离分离二进制的行星。完成后，许多在LBT社区中的美国天文学家将获得30晚/年的美国天文学家，并且将有公众访问Ilocater数据产品。这项奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的审查标准通过评估而被认为是珍贵的支持。

项目成果

The final design of the iLocater spectrograph: an optimized architecture for diffraction-limited EPRV instruments

iLocater 摄谱仪的最终设计：衍射极限 EPRV 仪器的优化架构

• DOI: 10.1117/12.2630228
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Volume 12184
• 作者: Crass, Jonathan;Aikens, David M.;Mason, Joaquin;King, David L.;Crepp, Justin R.;Bechter, Andrew;Bechter, Eric B.;Farsad, Mahsa;Schwab, Christian;VanSickle, Michael
• 通讯作者: VanSickle, Michael

The iLocater cryostat and thermal control system: enabling extremely precise radial velocity measurements for diffraction-limited spectrographs

iLocater 低温恒温器和热控制系统：为衍射极限光谱仪提供极其精确的径向速度测量

• DOI: 10.1117/12.2630199
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Volume 12184
• 作者: Crass, Jonathan;Sadagopan, Nandini;Misch, Matthew;Rizika, Alexa;Sands, Brian;Engstrom, Matthew;Crepp, Justin R.;Smous, James;Chilcote, Jeffrey;Fantano, Louis G.
• 通讯作者: Fantano, Louis G.