1. SPHERE/ZIMPOL high resolution polarimetric imager
- Author
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Schmid, Hans Martin, Bazzon, Andreas, Roelfsema, Ronald, Mouillet, David, Milli, Julien, Menard, François, Gisler, Daniel, Hunziker, Sandra, Pragt, Johan, Dominik, Carsten, Boccaletti, Anthony, Ginski, Christian, Abe, L., Antoniucci, S., Avenhaus, H., Baruffolo, A., Baudoz, P., Beuzit, J.L., Carbillet, M., Chauvin, G., Claudi, R., Costille, A., Daban, J.B., de Haan, M., Desidera, S., Dohlen, K., Downing, M., Elswijk, E., Engler, N., Feldt, M., Fusco, Thierry, Girard, J., Gratton, R., Hanenburg, H., Henning, T., Hubin, N., Joos, F., Kasper, M., Keller, C., Langlois, M., Lagadec, E., Martinez, P., Mulder, E., PAVLOV, A., Podio, L., Puget, P., Quanz, S., Rigal, F., Salasnich, B., Sauvage, Jean-François, Schuil, M., Siebenmorgen, R., Sissa, E., Snik, F., Suarez, M., Thalmann, C., Turatto, M., Udry, S., van Duin, A., van Holstein, R., Vigan, A., Wildi, F., Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics [ETH Zürich] (IPA), Department of Physics [ETH Zürich] (D-PHYS), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich [Zürich] (ETH Zürich)-Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), NOVA Optical Infrared Instrumentation Group, Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), European Southern Observatory [Santiago] (ESO), European Southern Observatory (ESO), Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno, Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik (KIS), Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek (AI PANNEKOEK), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA (UMR_8109)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Leiden Observatory [Leiden], Universiteit Leiden [Leiden], Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma (OAR), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (OAPD), Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad de Chile, DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris-Saclay, Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL), École normale supérieure - Lyon (ENS Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri (OAA), Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève (ObsGE), Université de Genève (UNIGE), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich)- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universiteit Leiden, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad de Chile = University of Chile [Santiago] (UCHILE), DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay (COmUE) [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris Saclay (COmUE), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Genève = University of Geneva (UNIGE), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)
- Subjects
[PHYS]Physics [physics] ,INSTRUMENTATION:POLARIMETERS ,[SPI]Engineering Sciences [physics] ,[PHYS.ASTR.IM]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysic [astro-ph.IM] ,instrumentation: high angular resolution ,instrumentation: detectors ,instrumentation: polarimeters ,adaptive optics ,Instrumentation: high angular resolution ,Instrumentation: polarimeters ,Instrumentation: detectors ,Planetary systems ,Circumstellar matter [Instrumentation] ,instrumentation: adaptive optics ,planetary systems ,circumstellar matter - Abstract
International audience; Context . The SPHERE “planet finder” is an extreme adaptive optics (AO) instrument for high resolution and high contrast observations at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We describe the Zurich Imaging Polarimeter (ZIMPOL), the visual focal plane subsystem of SPHERE, which pushes the limits of current AO systems to shorter wavelengths, higher spatial resolution, and much improved polarimetric performance. Aims . We present a detailed characterization of SPHERE/ZIMPOL which should be useful for an optimal planning of observations and for improving the data reduction and calibration. We aim to provide new benchmarks for the performance of high contrast instruments, in particular for polarimetric differential imaging. Methods . We have analyzed SPHERE/ZIMPOL point spread functions (PSFs) and measure the normalized peak surface brightness, the encircled energy, and the full width half maximum (FWHM) for different wavelengths, atmospheric conditions, star brightness, and instrument modes. Coronagraphic images are described and the peak flux attenuation and the off-axis flux transmission are determined. Simultaneous images of the coronagraphic focal plane and the pupil plane are analyzed and the suppression of the diffraction rings by the pupil stop is investigated. We compared the performance at small separation for different coronagraphs with tests for the binary α Hyi with a separation of 92 mas and a contrast of Δ m ≈ 6 m . For the polarimetric mode we made the instrument calibrations using zero polarization and high polarization standard stars and here we give a recipe for the absolute calibration of polarimetric data. The data show small (< 1 mas) but disturbing differential polarimetric beam shifts, which can be explained as Goos-Hähnchen shifts from the inclined mirrors, and we discuss how to correct this effect. The polarimetric sensitivity is investigated with non-coronagraphic and deep, coronagraphic observations of the dust scattering around the symbiotic Mira variable R Aqr. Results . SPHERE/ZIMPOL reaches routinely an angular resolution (FWHM) of 22−28 mas, and a normalized peak surface brightness of SB 0 − m star ≈ −6.5 m arcsec −2 for the V -, R - and I -band. The AO performance is worse for mediocre ≳1.0″ seeing conditions, faint stars m R ≳ 9 m , or in the presence of the “low wind” effect (telescope seeing). The coronagraphs are effective in attenuating the PSF peak by factors of > 100, and the suppression of the diffracted light improves the contrast performance by a factor of approximately two in the separation range 0.06″−0.20″. The polarimetric sensitivity is Δ p < 0.01% and the polarization zero point can be calibrated to better than Δ p ≈ 0.1%. The contrast limits for differential polarimetric imaging for the 400 s I -band data of R Aqr at a separation of ρ = 0.86″ are for the surface brightness contrast SB pol ( ρ )− m star ≈ 8 m arcsec −2 and for the point source contrast m pol ( ρ )− m star ≈ 15 m and much lower limits are achievable with deeper observations. Conclusions . SPHERE/ZIMPOL achieves imaging performances in the visual range with unprecedented characteristics, in particular very high spatial resolution and very high polarimetric contrast. This instrument opens up many new research opportunities for the detailed investigation of circumstellar dust, in scattered and therefore polarized light, for the investigation of faint companions, and for the mapping of circumstellar H α emission.
- Published
- 2018
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