Coronagraph; High contrast imaging; Mid-infrared imaging; Observational; Performance; Phase masks; Pointing control
Abstract :
[en] The Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) is the new near-infrared instrument at the VLT-UT4. ERIS replaces and extends the observational capabilities formerly provided by SINFONI and NACO: integral field spectroscopy at 1 - 2.5 µm, imaging at 1 - 5 µm with several options for high-contrast imaging, and long-slit spectroscopy. In particular, a vortex coronagraph is now available for high contrast observations at L and M band. It is implemented using annular groove (or vortex) phase masks (one for each of the L and M bands) in a focal plane, and a Lyot stop in a downstream pupil plane. The vortex coronagraph has a discovery space starting already at ∼1λ/D, and works well in broadbands. However, to reach its optimal performance, it is critical to correct for slow pointing errors onto the vortex phase mask, which mandates a dedicated pointing control strategy. To do so, a control loop based on the QACITS algorithm has been developed and commissioned for ERIS. Good pointing stability is now regularly achieved with errors between 0.01 and 0.02 λ/D and a correction rate of 0.2 Hz. In this contribution, we first review the design of the ERIS vortex coronagraph. We then detail the implementation of the QACITS algorithm describing the entire observing sequence, including the calibration steps, the initial centering, and the stabilization during the observing template. We then discuss performance based on commissioning data in terms of pointing accuracy and stability. Finally, we present post-processed contrast curves obtained during commissioning and compare them with NACO vortex data, showing a significant improvement of about 1 mag at all separations.
Research Center/Unit :
STAR - Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research - ULiège
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Orban De Xivry, Gilles ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR)
Absil, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO)
De Rosa, Robert; European Southern Observatory, Santiago, Chile
Bonse, Markus; ETH Zurich, Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Zurich, Switzerland ; Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany
Dannert, Felix; ETH Zurich, Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Zurich, Switzerland
Hayoz, Jean; ETH Zurich, Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Zurich, Switzerland
Grani, Paolo; INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
Puglisi, Alfio; INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
Baruffolo, Andrea; INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
Salasnich, Bernardo; INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
Davies, Ric; Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Garching, Germany
Glauser, Adrian M.; ETH Zurich, Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Zurich, Switzerland
Huby, Elsa; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Meudon, France
Kenworthy, Matt; Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
Quanz, Sascha P.; ETH Zurich, Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Zurich, Switzerland
Taylor, William; STFC UK ATC, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Zins, Gérard; European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany
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