1. MATISSE, the VLTI mid-infrared imaging spectro-interferometer
- Author
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Lopez, B., Lagarde, S., Petrov, R. G., Jaffe, W., Antonelli, P., Allouche, F., Berio, P., Matter, A., Meilland, A., Millour, F., Robbe-Dubois, S., Henning, Th, Weigelt, G., Glindemann, A., Agocs, T., Bailet, Ch, Beckmann, U., Bettonvil, F., van Boekel, R., Bourget, P., Bresson, Y., Bristow, P., Cruzalebes, P., Eldswijk, E., Caujolle, Y. Fantei, Herrera, J. C. Gonzalez, Graser, U., Guajardo, P., Heininger, M., Hofmann, K-H, Kroes, G., Laun, W., Lehmitz, M., Leinert, C., Meisenheimer, K., Morel, S., Neumann, U., Paladini, C., Percheron, I, Riquelme, M., Schoeller, M., Stee, Ph, Venema, L., Woillez, J., Zins, G., Abraham, P., Abadie, S., Abuter, R., Accardo, M., Adler, T., Alonso, J., Augereau, J-C, Boehm, A., Bazin, G., Beltran, J., Bensberg, A., Boland, W., Brast, R., Burtscher, L., Castillo, R., Chelli, A., Cid, C., Clausse, J-M, Connot, C., Conzelmann, R. D., Danchi, W-C, Delbo, M., Drevon, J., Dominik, C., van Duin, A., Ebert, M., Eisenhauer, F., Flament, S., Frahm, R., Rosas, V. Gamez, Gabasch, A., Gallenne, A., Garces, E., Girard, P., Glazenborg, A., Gonte, F. Y. J., Guitton, F., de Haan, M., Hanenburg, H., Haubois, X., Hocde, V, Hogerheijde, M., ter Horst, R., Hron, J., Hummel, C. A., Hubin, N., Huerta, R., Idserda, J., Isbell, J. W., Ives, D., Jakob, G., Jasko, A., Jochum, L., Klarmann, L., Klein, R., Kragt, J., Kuindersma, S., Kokoulina, E., Labadie, L., Lacour, S., Leftley, J., Le Poole, R., Lizon, J-L, Lopez, M., Lykou, F., Merand, A., Marcotto, A., Mauclert, N., Maurer, T., Mehrgan, L. H., Meisner, J., Meixner, K., Mellein, M., Menut, J. L., Mohr, L., Mosoni, L., Navarro, R., Nussbaum, E., Pallanca, L., Pantin, E., Pasquini, L., Duc, T. Phan, Pott, J-U, Pozna, E., Richichi, A., Ridinger, A., Rigal, F., Rivinius, Th, Roelfsema, R., Rohloff, R-R, Rousseau, S., Salabert, D., Schertl, D., Schuhler, N., Schuil, M., Shabun, K., Soulain, A., Stephan, C., Toledo, P., Tristram, K., Tromp, N., Vakili, F., Varga, J., Vinther, J., Waters, L. B. F. M., Wittkowski, M., Wolf, S., Wrhel, F., Yoffe, G., Lopez, B., Lagarde, S., Petrov, R. G., Jaffe, W., Antonelli, P., Allouche, F., Berio, P., Matter, A., Meilland, A., Millour, F., Robbe-Dubois, S., Henning, Th, Weigelt, G., Glindemann, A., Agocs, T., Bailet, Ch, Beckmann, U., Bettonvil, F., van Boekel, R., Bourget, P., Bresson, Y., Bristow, P., Cruzalebes, P., Eldswijk, E., Caujolle, Y. Fantei, Herrera, J. C. Gonzalez, Graser, U., Guajardo, P., Heininger, M., Hofmann, K-H, Kroes, G., Laun, W., Lehmitz, M., Leinert, C., Meisenheimer, K., Morel, S., Neumann, U., Paladini, C., Percheron, I, Riquelme, M., Schoeller, M., Stee, Ph, Venema, L., Woillez, J., Zins, G., Abraham, P., Abadie, S., Abuter, R., Accardo, M., Adler, T., Alonso, J., Augereau, J-C, Boehm, A., Bazin, G., Beltran, J., Bensberg, A., Boland, W., Brast, R., Burtscher, L., Castillo, R., Chelli, A., Cid, C., Clausse, J-M, Connot, C., Conzelmann, R. D., Danchi, W-C, Delbo, M., Drevon, J., Dominik, C., van Duin, A., Ebert, M., Eisenhauer, F., Flament, S., Frahm, R., Rosas, V. Gamez, Gabasch, A., Gallenne, A., Garces, E., Girard, P., Glazenborg, A., Gonte, F. Y. J., Guitton, F., de Haan, M., Hanenburg, H., Haubois, X., Hocde, V, Hogerheijde, M., ter Horst, R., Hron, J., Hummel, C. A., Hubin, N., Huerta, R., Idserda, J., Isbell, J. W., Ives, D., Jakob, G., Jasko, A., Jochum, L., Klarmann, L., Klein, R., Kragt, J., Kuindersma, S., Kokoulina, E., Labadie, L., Lacour, S., Leftley, J., Le Poole, R., Lizon, J-L, Lopez, M., Lykou, F., Merand, A., Marcotto, A., Mauclert, N., Maurer, T., Mehrgan, L. H., Meisner, J., Meixner, K., Mellein, M., Menut, J. L., Mohr, L., Mosoni, L., Navarro, R., Nussbaum, E., Pallanca, L., Pantin, E., Pasquini, L., Duc, T. Phan, Pott, J-U, Pozna, E., Richichi, A., Ridinger, A., Rigal, F., Rivinius, Th, Roelfsema, R., Rohloff, R-R, Rousseau, S., Salabert, D., Schertl, D., Schuhler, N., Schuil, M., Shabun, K., Soulain, A., Stephan, C., Toledo, P., Tristram, K., Tromp, N., Vakili, F., Varga, J., Vinther, J., Waters, L. B. F. M., Wittkowski, M., Wolf, S., Wrhel, F., and Yoffe, G.
- Abstract
Context. Optical interferometry is at a key development stage. The Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) has established a stable, robust infrastructure for long-baseline interferometry that is usable by general astronomical observers. The present second-generation instruments offer a wide wavelength coverage and improved performance. Their sensitivity and measurement accuracy lead to data and images of high reliability. Aims. We have developed the Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment (MATISSE) to access, for the first time, high resolution imaging in a wide spectral domain. Many front-line topics are explored with this new equipment, including: stellar activity and mass loss; planet formation and evolution in the gas and dust disks around young stars; and environment interaction and accretion processes around super massive black holes in active galactic nuclei. Methods. The instrument is a spectro-interferometric imager in the transmission windows called L, M, and N, from 2.8 to 13.0 microns, combining four optical beams from the VLTI's unit or auxiliary telescopes. Its concept, related observing procedure, data reduction, and calibration approach, is the product of 30 years of instrumental research and has benefitted from the expertise developed in the frame of the VLTI's first generation instruments. The instrument utilises a multi-axial beam combination that delivers spectrally dispersed fringes. The signal provides the following quantities at several spectral resolutions: photometric flux, coherent fluxes, visibilities, closure phases, wavelength differential visibilities and phases, and aperture-synthesis imaging. Results. This article provides an overview of the physical principle of the instrument and its functionalities. The motivation of the choice of the instrumental concept and the characteristics of the delivered signal are detailed with a description of the observing modes and of their performance limit. MATISSE offers four spectra
- Published
- 2022