[en] The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) instrument is one of a handful of extreme adaptive optics systems set to come online in 2014. The extreme adaptive optics correction is realized by a combination of precise wavefront sensing via a non-modulated pyramid wavefront sensor and a 2000 element deformable mirror. This system has recently begun on-sky commissioning and was operated in closed loop for several minutes at a time with a loop speed of 800 Hz, on ~150 modes. Further suppression of quasi-static speckles is possible via a process called "speckle nulling" which can create a dark hole in a portion of the frame allowing for an enhancement in contrast, and has been successfully tested on-sky. In addition to the wavefront correction there are a suite of coronagraphs on board to null out the host star which include the phase induced amplitude apodization (PIAA), the vector vortex, 8 octant phase mask, 4 quadrant phase mask and shaped pupil versions which operate in the NIR (y-K bands). The PIAA and vector vortex will allow for high contrast imaging down to an angular separation of 1 λ/D to be reached; a factor of 3 closer in than other extreme AO systems. Making use of the left over visible light not used by the wavefront sensor is VAMPIRES and FIRST. These modules are based on aperture masking interferometry and allow for sub-diffraction limited imaging with moderate contrasts of ~100-1000:1. Both modules have undergone initial testing on-sky and are set to be fully commissioned by the end of 2014.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Jovanovic, N.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Guyon, O.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Martinache, F.; Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (France)
Clergeon, C.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Singh, G.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Kudo, T.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Newman, K.; College of Optical Sciences, The Univ. of Arizona (United States)
Kuhn, J.; Jet Propulsion Lab. (United States)
Serabyn, E.; Jet Propulsion Lab. (United States)
Norris, B.; The Univ. of Sydney (Australia)
Tuthill, P.; The Univ. of Sydney (Australia)
Stewart, P.; The Univ. of Sydney (Australia)
Huby, Elsa ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Perrin, G.; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris à Meudon (France)
Lacour, S.; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris à Meudon (France)
Vievard, S.; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris à Meudon (France)
Murakami, N.; Hokkaido Univ. (Japan)
Fumika, O.; Hokkaido Univ. (Japan)
Minowa, Y.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Hayano, Y.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
White, J.; Gemini Observatory (United States)
Lai, O.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Marchis, F.; SETI Institute (United States)
Duchene, G.; Univ. of California, Berkeley (United States)
Kotani, T.; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (United States)
Woillez, J.; European Southern Observatory (Germany))
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Singh, G., Guyon, O., Baudoz, P., Jovanovic, N., Martinache, F., Kudo, T., Serabyn, E., and Kuhn, J. G., "Lyot-based Low Order Wavefront Sensor: Implementation on Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics System and its Laboratory Performance," Proc. SPIE 9158, 157 (2014).
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Norris, B., Tuthill, P., Jovanovic, N., Guyon, O., Martinache, F., Schworer, G., and Stewart, P. N., "VAMPIRES: probing the innermost regions of protoplanetary systems with polarimetric aperture-masking," Proc. of SPIE 9146, 29 (2014)
Norris, B., Tuthill, P., Jovanovic, N., Schworer, G., Guyon, O., Stewart, P., and Martinache, F., "The VAMPIRES instrument: Imaging the innermost regions of protoplanetary disks with polarimetric interferometry," MNRAS submitted, (2014).
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Huby, E., Perrin, G., Marchis, F., Lacour, S., Kotani, T., Duchêne, G., Choquet, E., Gates, E. L., Woillez, J. M., Lai, O., Fédou, P., Collin, C., Chapron, F., Arslanyan, V., and Burns, K. J., "FIRST, a fibered aperture masking instrument. I. First on-sky test results", A & A, 541A, 55H (2012).
Huby, E., Duchêne, G., Marchis, F., Lacour, S., Perrin, G., Kotani, T., Choquet, É., Gates, E. L., Allard., F., and Lai, O., "Spectroscopy of binary systems at the diffraction limit with the FIRST pupil remapping instrument," Proc. of SPIE 9146, 106 (2014).
