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1. The VLT/ERIS vortex coronagraph: design, pointing control, and on-sky performance

Author

de Xivry, Gilles Orban, Absil, Olivier, De Rosa, Robert J., Bonse, Markus J., Dannert, Felix, Hayoz, Jean, Grani, Paolo, Puglisi, Alfio, Baruffolo, Andrea, Salasnich, Bernardo, Davies, Ric, Glauser, Adrian M., Huby, Elsa, Kenworthy, Matthew, Quanz, Sascha P., Taylor, William, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

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 $\mu$m, imaging at 1 - 5 $\mu$m 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 $\sim$1$\lambda/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 $\lambda/D$ 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., Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, paper presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2024

Published
2024

2. NIRPS first light and early science: breaking the 1 m/s RV precision barrier at infrared wavelengths

Author

Artigau, Étienne, Bouchy, François, Doyon, René, Baron, Frédérique, Malo, Lison, Wildi, François, Pepe, Franceso, Cook, Neil J., Thibault, Simon, Reshetov, Vladimir, Dumusque, Xavier, Lovis, Christophe, Sosnowska, Danuta, Martins, Bruno L. Canto, De Medeiros, Jose Renan, Delfosse, Xavier, Santos, Nuno, Rebolo, Rafael, Abreu, Manuel, Allain, Guillaume, Allart, Romain, Auger, Hugues, Barros, Susana, Bazinet, Luc, Blind, Nicolas, Boisse, Isabelle, Bonfils, Xavier, Bourrier, Vincent, Bovay, Sébastien, Broeg, Christopher, Brousseau, Denis, Bruniquel, Vincent, Cabral, Alexandre, Cadieux, Charles, Carmona, Andres, Carteret, Yann, Challita, Zalpha, Chazelas, Bruno, Cloutier, Ryan, Coelho, João, Cointepas, Marion, Conod, Uriel, Cowan, Nicolas, Cristo, Eduardo, da Silva, João Gomes, Dauplaise, Laurie, Gomes, Roseane de Lima, Delgado-Mena, Elisa, Ehrenreich, David, Faria, João, Figueira, Pedro, Forveille, Thierry, Frensch, Yolanda, Gagné, Jonathan, Genest, Frédéric, Genolet, Ludovic, Hernández, Jonay I. González, Témich, Félix Gracia, Grieves, Nolan, Hernandez, Olivier, Hobson, Melissa J., Hoeijmakers, Jens, Kerley, Dan, Krishnamurthy, Vigneshwaran, Lafrenière, David, Lamontagne, Pierrot, Larue, Pierre, Leaf, Henry, Leão, Izan C., Lim, Olivia, Curto, Gaspare Lo, Martins, Allan M., Melo, Claudio, Messias, Yuri S., Mignon, Lucile, Moranta, Leslie, Mordasini, Christoph, Moulla, Khaled Al, Mounzer, Dany, L'Heureux, Alexandrine, Nari, Nicola, Nielsen, Louise, Osborn, Ares, Parc, Léna, Pasquini, Luca, Passegger, Vera M., Pelletier, Stefan, Peroux, Céline, Piaulet, Caroline, Plotnykov, Mykhaylo, Poulin-Girard, Anne-Sophie, Rasilla, José Luis, Saint-Antoine, Jonathan, Sarajlic, Mirsad, Segovia, Alex, Seidel, Julia, Ségransan, Damien, Silva, Ana Rita Costa, Srivastava, Avidaan, Stefanov, Atanas K., Mascareño, Alejandro Suárez, Sordet, Michael, Teixeira, Márcio A., Udry, Stéphane, Valencia, Diana, Vallée, Philippe, Vandal, Thomas, Vaulato, Valentina, Wade, Gregg, Wardenier, Joost P., Wehbé, Bachar, Weisserman, Drew, Wevers, Ivan, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract

The Near-InfraRed Planet Searcher or NIRPS is a precision radial velocity spectrograph developed through collaborative efforts among laboratories in Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, France, Portugal and Spain. NIRPS extends to the 0.98-1.8 $\mu$m domain of the pioneering HARPS instrument at the La Silla 3.6-m telescope in Chile and it has achieved unparalleled precision, measuring stellar radial velocities in the infrared with accuracy better than 1 m/s. NIRPS can be used either stand-alone or simultaneously with HARPS. Commissioned in late 2022 and early 2023, NIRPS embarked on a 5-year Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) program in April 2023, spanning 720 observing nights. This program focuses on planetary systems around M dwarfs, encompassing both the immediate solar vicinity and transit follow-ups, alongside transit and emission spectroscopy observations. We highlight NIRPS's current performances and the insights gained during its deployment at the telescope. The lessons learned and successes achieved contribute to the ongoing advancement of precision radial velocity measurements and high spectral fidelity, further solidifying NIRPS' role in the forefront of the field of exoplanets., Comment: Proceeding at the SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation conference [Yokohama,Japan; June 2024]

Published
2024

3. The beta Pictoris system: Setting constraints on the planet and the disk structures at mid-IR wavelengths with NEAR

Author

Skaf, Nour, Boccaletti, Anthony, Pantin, Eric, Thebault, Philippe, Kral, Quentin, Danielski, Camilla, Galicher, Raphael, Milli, Julien, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, Baruteau, Clement, Kenworthy, Matthew, Absil, Olivier, Langlois, Maud, Olofsson, Johan, Chauvin, Gael, Huelamo, Nuria, Delorme, Philippe, Charnay, Benjamin, Guyon, Olivier, Bonnefoy, Michael, Cantalloube, Faustine, Hoeijmakers, H. Jens, Käufl, Ulli, Kasper, Markus, Maire, Anne-Lise, Mâlin, Mathilde, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Snellen, Ignas, and Zins, Gerard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract

[abridged] We analyzed mid-infrared high-contrast coronagraphic images of the beta Pictoris system, taking advantage of the NEAR experiment using the VLT/VISIR instrument. The goal of our analysis is to investigate both the detection of the planet beta Pictoris b and of the disk features at mid-IR wavelengths. In addition, by combining several epochs of observation, we expect to constrain the position of the known clumps and improve our knowledge on the dynamics of the disk. To evaluate the planet b flux contribution, we extracted the photometry and compared it to the flux published in the literature. In addition, we used previous data from T-ReCS and VISIR, to study the evolution of the position of the southwest clump that was initially observed in the planetary disk back in 2003. While we did not detect the planet b, we were able to put constraints on the presence of circumplanetary material, ruling out the equivalent of a Saturn-like planetary ring around the planet. The disk presents several noticeable structures, including the known southwest clump. Using a 16-year baseline, sampled with five epochs of observations, we were able to examine the evolution of the clump: the clump orbits in a Keplerian motion with an sma of 56.1+-0.4 au. In addition to the known clump, the images clearly show the presence of a second clump on the northeast side of the disk and fainter and closer structures that are yet to be confirmed. We found correlations between the CO clumps detected with ALMA and the mid-IR images. If the circumplanetary material were located at the Roche radius, the maximum amount of dust determined from the flux upper limit around beta Pictoris b would correspond to the mass of an asteroid of 5 km in diameter. Finally, the Keplerian motion of the southwestern clump is possibly indicative of a yet-to-be-detected planet or signals the presence of a vortex., Comment: Accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Published
2023
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4. The GRAVITY+ Project: Towards All-sky, Faint-Science, High-Contrast Near-Infrared Interferometry at the VLTI

Author

Collaboration, GRAVITY, Abuter, Roberto, Alarcon, Patricio, Allouche, Fatme, Amorim, Antonio, Bailet, Christophe, Bedigan, Helen, Berdeu, Anthony, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Berio, Philippe, Bigioli, Azzurra, Blaho, Richard, Boebion, Olivier, Bolzer, Marie-Lena, Bonnet, Henri, Bourdarot, Guillaume, Bourget, Pierre, Brandner, Wolfgang, Cardenas, Cesar, Conzelmann, Ralf, Comin, Mauro, Clénet, Yann, Courtney-Barrer, Benjamin, Dallilar, Yigit, Davies, Ric, Defrère, Denis, Delboulbé, Alain, Delplancke-Ströbele, Françoise, Dembet, Roderick, de Zeeuw, Tim, Drescher, Antonia, Eckart, Andreas, Édouard, Clemence, Eisenhauer, Frank, Fabricius, Maximilian, Feuchtgruber, Helmut, Finger, Gert, Schreiber, Natascha M. Förster, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Garcia, Enrique, Garcia, Paulo, Gao, Feng, Gendron, Eric, Genzel, Reinhard, Gil, Juan Pablo, Gillessen, Stefan, Gomes, Tiago, Gonté, Frédéric, Gouvret, Carole, Guajardo, Patricia, Guidolin, Ivan, Guieu, Sylvain, Guzmann, Ronald, Hackenberg, Wolfgang, Haddad, Nicolas, Hartl, Michael, Haubois, Xavier, Haußmann, Frank, Heißel, Gernot, Henning, Thomas, Hippler, Stefan, Hönig, Sebastian, Horrobin, Matthew, Hubin, Norbert, Jacqmart, Estelle, Jocou, Laurent, Kaufer, Andreas, Kervella, Pierre, Kirchbauer, Jean-Paul, Kolb, Johan, Korhonen, Heidi, Kreidberg, Laura, Krempl, Peter, Lacour, Sylvestre, Lagarde, Stephane, Lai, Olivier, Lapeyrère, Vincent, Laugier, Romain, Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le, Leftley, James, Léna, Pierre, Lewis, Steffan, Lutz, Dieter, Magnard, Yves, Mang, Felix, Marcotto, Aurelie, Maurel, Didier, Mérand, Antoine, Millour, Florentin, More, Nikhil, Nowack, Hugo, Nowak, Matthias, Oberti, Sylvain, Olivares, Francisco, Ott, Thomas, Pallanca, Laurent, Paumard, Thibaut, Perraut, Karine, Perrin, Guy, Petrov, Romain, Pfuhl, Oliver, Pourré, Nicolas, Rabien, Sebastian, Rau, Christian, Riquelme, Miguel, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, Rochat, Sylvain, Salman, Muhammad, Scherbarth, Malte, Schöller, Markus, Schubert, Joseph, Schuhler, Nicolas, Shangguan, Jinyi, Shchekaturov, Pavel, Shimizu, Taro, Scheithauer, Silvia, Sevin, Arnaud, Soenke, Christian, Soulez, Ferreol, Spang, Alain, Stadler, Eric, Straubmeier, Christian, Sturm, Eckhard, Sykes, Calvin, Tacconi, Linda, Tischer, Helmut, Tristram, Konrad, Vincent, Frédéric, von Fellenberg, Sebastiano, Uysal, Sinem, Widmann, Felix, Wieprecht, Ekkehard, Wiezorrek, Erich, Woillez, Julien, Yazıcı, Şenol, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

The GRAVITY instrument has been revolutionary for near-infrared interferometry by pushing sensitivity and precision to previously unknown limits. With the upgrade of GRAVITY and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in GRAVITY+, these limits will be pushed even further, with vastly improved sky coverage, as well as faint-science and high-contrast capabilities. This upgrade includes the implementation of wide-field off-axis fringe-tracking, new adaptive optics systems on all Unit Telescopes, and laser guide stars in an upgraded facility. GRAVITY+ will open up the sky to the measurement of black hole masses across cosmic time in hundreds of active galactic nuclei, use the faint stars in the Galactic centre to probe General Relativity, and enable the characterisation of dozens of young exoplanets to study their formation, bearing the promise of another scientific revolution to come at the VLTI., Comment: Published in the ESO Messenger

Published
2023
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5. Thermal imaging of dust hiding the black hole in the Active Galaxy NGC 1068

Author

Rosas, Violeta Gamez, Isbell, Jacob W., Jaffe, Walter, Petrov, Romain G., Leftley, James H., Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Millour, Florentin, Burtscher, Leonard, Meisenheimer, Klaus, Meilland, Anthony, Waters, Laurens B. F. M., Lopez, Bruno, Lagarde, Stephane, Weigelt, Gerd, Berio, Philippe, Allouche, Fatme, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, Cruzalebes, Pierre, Bettonvil, Felix, Henning, Thomas, Augereau, Jean-Charles, Antonelli, Pierre, Beckmann, Udo, van Boekel, Roy, Bendjoya, Philippe, Danchi, William C., Dominik, Carsten, Drevon, Julien, Gallimore, Jack F., Graser, Uwe, Heininger, Matthias, Hocde, Vincent, Hogerheijde, Michiel, Hron1, Josef, Impellizzeri, Caterina M. V., Klarmann, Lucia, Kokoulina, Elena, Labadie, Lucas, Lehmitz, Michael, Matter, Alexis, Paladini, Claudia, Pantin, Eric, Pott, Jorg-Uwe, Schert, Dieter, Soulain, Anthony, Stee, Philippe, Tristram, Konrad, Varga, Jozsef, Woillez, Julien, Wolf, Sebastian, Yoffe, Gideon, and Zins, Gerard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
Abstract

In the widely accepted 'Unified Model' solution of the classification puzzle of Active Galactic Nuclei, the orientation of a dusty accretion torus around the central black hole dominates their appearance. In 'type-1' systems, the bright nucleus is visible at the centre of a face-on torus. In 'type-2' systems the thick, nearly edge-on torus hides the central engine. Later studies suggested evolutionary effects and added dusty clumps and polar winds but left the basic picture intact. However, recent high-resolution images of the archetypal type-2 galaxy NGC 1068 suggested a more radical revision. They displayed a ring-like emission feature which the authors advocated to be hot dust surrounding the black hole at the radius where the radiation from the central engine evaporates the dust. That ring is too thin and too far tilted from edge-on to hide the central engine, and ad hoc foreground extinction is needed to explain the type-2 classification. These images quickly generated reinterpretations of the type 1-2 dichotomy. Here we present new multi-band mid-infrared images of NGC1068 that detail the dust temperature distribution and reaffirm the original model. Combined with radio data, our maps locate the central engine below the previously reported ring and obscured by a thick, nearly edge-on disk, as predicted by the Unified Model. We also identify emission from polar flows and absorbing dust that is mineralogically distinct from that towards the Milky Way centre., Comment: In press at Nature

Published
2021
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6. Infrared wavefront sensing for adaptive optics assisted Galactic Center observations with the VLT interferometer and GRAVITY: operation and results

Author

Hippler, Stefan, Brandner, Wolfgang, Scheithauer, Silvia, Kulas, Martin, Panduro, Johana, Bizenberger, Peter, Bonnet, Henry, Deen, Casey, Delplancke-Ströbele, Françoise, Eisenhauer, Frank, Finger, Gert, Hubert, Zoltan, Kolb, Johann, Müller, Eric, Pallanca, Laurent, Woillez, Julien, Zins, Gérard, and Collaboration, GRAVITY

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

This article describes the operation of the near-infrared wavefront sensing based Adaptive Optics (AO) system CIAO. The Coud\'e Infrared Adaptive Optics (CIAO) system is a central auxiliary component of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) interferometer (VLTI). It enables in particular the observations of the Galactic Center (GC) using the GRAVITY instrument. GRAVITY is a highly specialized beam combiner, a device that coherently combines the light of the four 8-m telescopes and finally records interferometric measurements in the K-band on 6 baselines simultaneously. CIAO compensates for phase disturbances caused by atmospheric turbulence, which all four 8 m Unit Telescopes (UT) experience during observation. Each of the four CIAO units generates an almost diffraction-limited image quality at its UT, which ensures that maximum flux of the observed stellar object enters the fibers of the GRAVITY beam combiner. We present CIAO performance data obtained in the first 3 years of operation as a function of weather conditions. We describe how CIAO is configured and used for observations with GRAVITY. In addition, we focus on the outstanding features of the near-infrared sensitive Saphira detector, which is used for the first time on Paranal, and show how it works as a wavefront sensor detector., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Instruments (open access journal from mdpi)

Published
2020

7. Multiple Star Systems in the Orion Nebula

Author

GRAVITY collaboration, Karl, Martina, Pfuhl, Oliver, Eisenhauer, Frank, Genzel, Reinhard, Grellmann, Rebekka, Habibi, Maryam, Abuter, Roberto, Accardo, Matteo, Amorim, António, Anugu, Narsireddy, Ávila, Gerardo, Benisty, Myriam, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Bland, Nicolas, Bonnet, Henri, Bourget, Pierre, Brandner, Wolfgang, Brast, Roland, Buron, Alexander, Garatti, Alessio Caratti o, Chapron, Frédéric, Clénet, Yann, Collin, Claude, Foresto, Vincent Coudé du, de Wit, Willem-Jan, de Zeeuw, Tim, Deen, Casey, Delplancke-Ströbele, Françoise, Dembet, Roderick, Derie, Frédéric, Dexter, Jason, Duvert, Gilles, Ebert, Monica, Eckart, Andreas, Esselborn, Michael, Fédou, Pierre, Finger, Gert, Garcia, Paulo, Dabo, Cesar Enrique Garcia, Lopez, Rebeca Garcia, Gao, Feng, Gandron, Éric, Gillessen, Stefan, Gonté, Frédéric, Gordo, Paulo, Grözinger, Ulrich, Guajardo, Patricia, Guieu, Sylvain, Haguenauer, Pierre, Hans, Oliver, Haubois, Xavier, Haug, Marcus, Haußmann, Frank, Henning, Thomas, Hippler, Stefan, Horrobin, Matthew, Huber, Armin, Hubert, Zoltan, Hubin, Norbert, Hummel, Christian A., Jakob, Gerd, Jochum, Lieselotte, Jocou, Laurent, Kaufer, Andreas, Kellner, Stefan, Kandrew, Sarah, Kern, Lothar, Kervella, Pierre, Kiekebusch, Mario, Klein, Ralf, Köhler, Rainer, Kolb, Johan, Kulas, Martin, Lacour, Sylvestre, Lapeyrère, Vincent, Lazareff, Bernard, Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le, Léna, Pierre, Lenzen, Rainer, Lévêque, Samuel, Lin, Chien-Cheng, Lippa, Magdalena, Magnard, Yves, Mehrgan, Leander, Mérand, Antoine, Moulin, Thibaut, Müller, Eric, Müller, Friedrich, Neumann, Udo, Oberti, Sylvain, Ott, Thomas, Pallanca, Laurent, Panduro, Johana, Pasquini, Luca, Paumard, Thibaut, Percheron, Isabelle, Perraut, Karine, Perrin, Guy, Pflüger, Andreas, Duc, Thanh Phan, Plewa, Philipp M., Popovic, Dan, Rabien, Sebastian, Ramírez, Andrés, Ramos, Jose, Rau, Christian, Riquelme, Miguel, Rodríguez-Coira, Gustavo, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, Rosales, Alejandra, Rousset, Gérard, Sanchez-Bermudez, Joel, Scheithauer, Silvia, Schöller, Markus, Schuhler, Nicolas, Spyromilio, Jason, Straub, Odele, Straubmeier, Christian, Sturm, Eckhard, Suarez, Marcos, Tristram, Konrad R. W., Ventura, Noel, Vincent, Frédéric, Waisberg, Idel, Wank, Imke, Widmann, Felix, Wieprecht, Ekkehard, Wiest, Michael, Wiezorrek, Erich, Wittkowski, Markus, Woillez, Julien, Wolff, Burkhard, Yazici, Senol, Ziegler, Denis, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Abstract

This work presents an interferometric study of the massive-binary fraction in the Orion Trapezium Cluster with the recently comissioned GRAVITY instrument. We observe a total of 16 stars of mainly OB spectral type. We find three previously unknown companions for $\theta ^1$ Ori B, $\theta ^2$ Ori B, and $\theta ^2$ Ori C. We determine a separation for the previously suspected companion of NU Ori. We confirm four companions for $\theta ^1$ Ori A, $\theta ^1$ Ori C, $\theta ^1$ Ori D, and $\theta ^2$ Ori A, all with substantially improved astrometry and photometric mass estimates. We refine the orbit of the eccentric high-mass binary $\theta ^1$ Ori C and we are able to derive a new orbit for $\theta ^1$ Ori D. We find a system mass of 21.7 $M_{\odot}$ and a period of $53$ days. Together with other previously detected companions seen in spectroscopy or direct imaging, eleven of the 16 high-mass stars are multiple systems. We obtain a total number of 22 companions with separations up to 600 AU. The companion fraction of the early B and O stars in our sample is about 2, significantly higher than in earlier studies of mostly OB associations. The separation distribution hints towards a bimodality. Such a bimodality has been previously found in A stars, but rarely in OB binaries, which up to this point have been assumed to be mostly compact with a tail of wider companions. We also do not find a substantial population of equal-mass binaries. The observed distribution of mass ratios declines steeply with mass, and like the direct star counts, indicates that our companions follow a standard power law initial mass function. Again, this is in contrast to earlier findings of flat mass ratio distributions in OB associations. We exclude collision as a dominant formation mechanism but find no clear preference for core accretion or competitive accretion., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

Published
2018
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8. The MICADO first light imager for the ELT: overview, operation, simulation

Author

Davies, Richard, Alves, João, Clénet, Yann, Lang-Bardl, Florian, Nicklas, Harald, Pott, Jörg-Uwe, Ragazzoni, Roberto, Tolstoy, Eline, Amico, Paola, Anwand-Heerwart, Heiko, Barboza, Santiago, Barl, Lothar, Baudoz, Pierre, Bender, Ralf, Bezawada, Naidu, Bizenberger, Peter, Boland, Wilfried, Bonifacio, Piercarlo, Borgo, Bruno, Buey, Tristan, Chapron, Frédéric, Chemla, Fanny, Cohen, Mathieu, Czoske, Oliver, Deo, Vincent, Disseau, Karen, Dreizler, Stefan, Dupuis, Olivier, Fabricius, Maximilian, Falomo, Renato, Fedou, Pierre, Schreiber, Natascha Foerster, Garrel, Vincent, Geis, Norbert, Gemperlein, Hans, Gendron, Eric, Genzel, Reinhard, Gillessen, Stefan, Glück, Martin, Grupp, Frank, Hartl, Michael, Häuser, Marco, Hess, Hans-Joachim, Hofferbert, Ralf, Hopp, Ulrich, Hörmann, Veronika, Hubert, Zoltan, Huby, Elsa, Huet, Jean-Michel, Hutterer, Victoria, Ives, Derek, Janssen, Annemieke, Jellema, Willem, Kausch, Wolfgang, Kerber, Florian, Kravcar, Helmut, Ruyet, Bertrand Le, Leschinski, Kieran, Mandla, Christopher, Manhart, Markus, Massari, Davide, Mei, Simona, Merlin, Frédéric, Mohr, Lars, Monna, Anna, Muench, Norbert, Mueller, Friedrich, Musters, Gert, Navarro, Ramon, Neumann, Udo, Neumayer, Nadine, Niebsch, Jenny, Plattner, Markus, Przybilla, Norbert, Rabien, Sebastian, Ramlau, Ronny, Ramos, José, Ramsay, Suzanne, Rhode, Petra, Richter, Amon, Richter, Josef, Rix, Hans-Walter, Rodeghiero, Gabriele, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, Rosensteiner, Matthias, Rousset, Gérard, Schlichter, Jörg, Schubert, Josef, Sevin, Arnaud, Stuik, Remko, Sturm, Eckhard, Thomas, Jens, Tromp, Niels, Kleijn, Gijs Verdoes, Vidal, Fabrice, Wagner, Roland, Wegner, Michael, Zeilinger, Werner, Ziegleder, Julian, Ziegler, Bodo, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

MICADO will enable the ELT to perform diffraction limited near-infrared observations at first light. The instrument's capabilities focus on imaging (including astrometric and high contrast) as well as single object spectroscopy. This contribution looks at how requirements from the observing modes have driven the instrument design and functionality. Using examples from specific science cases, and making use of the data simulation tool, an outline is presented of what we can expect the instrument to achieve., Comment: Proc SPIE 10702. SPIE's copyright notice: "Copyright 2018 Society of PhotoOptical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited."

Published
2018

9. SPHERE on-sky performance compared with budget predictions

Author

Dohlen, Kjetil, Vigan, Arthur, Mouillet, David, Wildi, Francois, Sauvage, Jean-Francois, Fusco, Thierry, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Puget, Pascal, Mignant, David Le, Roelfsema, Ronald, Pragt, Johan, Schmid, Hands Martin, Gratton, Raffaele, Mesa, Dino, Claudi, Riccardo, Langlois, Maud, Costille, Anne, Hugot, Emmanuel, O'Neil, Jared, Guerra, Juan Carlos, N'Diaye, Mamadou, Girard, Julien, Mawet, Dimitri, and Zins, Gerard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

The SPHERE (spectro-photometric exoplanet research) extreme-AO planet hunter saw first light at the VLT observatory on Mount Paranal in May 2014 after ten years of development. Great efforts were put into modelling its performance, particularly in terms of achievable contrast, and to budgeting instrumental features such as wave front errors and optical transmission to each of the instrument's three focal planes, the near infrared dual imaging camera IRDIS, the near infrared integral field spectrograph IFS and the visible polarimetric camera ZIMPOL. In this paper we aim at comparing predicted performance with measured performance. In addition to comparing on-sky contrast curves and calibrated transmission measurements, we also compare the PSD-based wave front error budget with in-situ wave front maps obtained thanks to a Zernike phase mask, ZELDA, implemented in the infrared coronagraph wheel. One of the most critical elements of the SPHERE system is its high-order deformable mirror, a prototype 40x40 actuator piezo stack design developed in parallel with the instrument itself. The development was a success, as witnessed by the instrument performance, in spite of some bad surprises discovered on the way. The devastating effects of operating without taking properly into account the loss of several actuators and the thermally and temporally induced variations in the DM shape will be analysed, and the actions taken to mitigate these defects through the introduction of specially designed Lyot stops and activation of one of the mirrors in the optical train will be described., Comment: 11 pages, 16 figures. Presented at the SPIE astronomy conference in Edinburgh 2016

Published
2018
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10. SPHERE IRDIS and IFS astrometric strategy and calibration

Author

Maire, Anne-Lise, Langlois, Maud, Dohlen, Kjetil, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, Gratton, Raffaele, Chauvin, Gael, Desidera, Silvano, Girard, Julien H., Milli, Julien, Vigan, Arthur, Zins, Gerard, Delorme, Philippe, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Claudi, Riccardo U., Feldt, Markus, Mouillet, David, Puget, Pascal, Turatto, Massimo, and Wildi, Francois

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract

We present the current results of the astrometric characterization of the VLT planet finder SPHERE over 2 years of on-sky operations. We first describe the criteria for the selection of the astrometric fields used for calibrating the science data: binaries, multiple systems, and stellar clusters. The analysis includes measurements of the pixel scale and the position angle with respect to the North for both near-infrared subsystems, the camera IRDIS and the integral field spectrometer IFS, as well as the distortion for the IRDIS camera. The IRDIS distortion is shown to be dominated by an anamorphism of 0.60+/-0.02% between the horizontal and vertical directions of the detector, i.e. 6 mas at 1". The anamorphism is produced by the cylindrical mirrors in the common path structure hence common to all three SPHERE science subsystems (IRDIS, IFS, and ZIMPOL), except for the relative orientation of their field of view. The current estimates of the pixel scale and North angle for IRDIS are 12.255+/-0.009 milliarcseconds/pixel for H2 coronagraphic images and -1.75+/-0.08 deg. Analyses of the IFS data indicate a pixel scale of 7.46+/-0.02 milliarcseconds/pixel and a North angle of -102.18+/-0.13 deg. We finally discuss plans for providing astrometric calibration to the SPHERE users outside the instrument consortium., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables

Published
2016
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11. The VLTI / PIONIER near-infrared interferometric survey of southern T Tauri stars. I. First results

Author

Anthonioz, Fabien, Ménard, François, Pinte, Christophe, Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le, Benisty, Myriam, Thi, Wing-Fai, Absil, Olivier, Duchêne, Gaspard, Augereau, Jean-Charles, Berger, Jean-Phillipe, Casassus, Simon, Duvert, Gilles, Lazareff, Bernard, Malbet, Fabien, Millan-Gabet, Rafael, Schreiber, Matthias R., Traub, Wesley, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Abstract

Context : The properties of the inner disks of bright Herbig AeBe stars have been studied with near infrared (NIR) interferometry and high resolution spectroscopy. The continuum and a few molecular gas species have been studied close to the central star; however, sensitivity problems limit direct information about the inner disks of the fainter T Tauri stars. Aims : Our aim is to measure some of the properties of the inner regions of disks surrounding southern T Tauri stars. Methods : We performed a survey with the PIONIER recombiner instrument at H-band of 21 T Tauri stars. The baselines used ranged from 11 m to 129 m, corresponding to a maximum resolution of 3mas (0.45 au at 150 pc). Results : Thirteen disks are resolved well and the visibility curves are fully sampled as a function of baseline in the range 45-130 m for these 13 objects. A simple qualitative examination of visibility profiles allows us to identify a rapid drop-off in the visibilities at short baselines in 8 resolved disks. This is indicative of a significant contribution from an extended contribution of light from the disk. We demonstrate that this component is compatible with scattered light, providing strong support to a prediction made by Pinte et al. (2008). The amplitude of the drop-off and the amount of dust thermal emission changes from source to source suggesting that each disk is different. A by-product of the survey is the identification of a new milli-arcsec separation binary: WW Cha. Spectroscopic and interferometric data of AK Sco have also been fitted with a binary and disk model. Conclusions : Visibility data are reproduced well when thermal emission and scattering form dust are fully considered. The inner radii measured are consistent with the expected dust sublimation radii. Modelling of AK Sco suggests a likely coplanarity between the disk and the binary's orbital plane, Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures

Published
2014
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12. Image quality and high contrast improvements on VLT/NACO

Author

Girard, Julien H. V., O'Neal, Jared, Mawet, Dimitri, Kasper, Markus, Zins, Gérard, Neichel, Benoît, Kolb, Johann, Christiaens, Valentin, and Tourneboeuf, Martin

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Physics - Optics
Abstract

NACO is the famous and versatile diffraction limited NIR imager and spectrograph with which ESO celebrated 10 years of Adaptive Optics at the VLT. Since two years a substantial effort has been put in to understanding and fixing issues that directly affect the image quality and the high contrast performances of the instrument. Experiments to compensate the non-common-path aberrations and recover the highest possible Strehl ratios have been carried out successfully and a plan is hereafter described to perform such measurements regularly. The drift associated to pupil tracking since 2007 was fixed in October 2011. NACO is therefore even better suited for high contrast imaging and can be used with coronagraphic masks in the image plane. Some contrast measurements are shown and discussed. The work accomplished on NACO will serve as reference for the next generation instruments on the VLT, especially those working at the diffraction limit and making use of angular differential imaging (i.e. SPHERE, VISIR, possibly ERIS)., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, SPIE 2012 Astronomical Instrumentation Proceeding

Published
2012
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13. Upgrading SPHERE with the second-stage adaptive optics system SAXO+: conceptual design of the opto-mechanical module

Author

Jackson, Kathryn J., Schmidt, Dirk, Vernet, Elise, Stadler, Eric, Schreiber, Laura, Cortecchia, Fausto, Lombini, Matteo, Diolaiti, Emiliano, Magnard, Yves, Rabou, Patrick, Rochat, Sylvain, De Rosa, Adriano, Malaguti, Giuseppe, Maurel, Didier, Morgante, Gianluca, Schiavone, Filomena, Terenzi, Luca, Chauvin, Gael, Ferreira, Florian, Gratton, Raffaele, Hubin, Norbert, Kasper, Markus, Langlois, Maud, Le Louarn, Miska, Loupias, Magali, Mazoyer, Johan, Milli, Julien, Mouillet, David, N’Diaye, Mamadou, Rousseau, Sylvain, Tallon, Michel, Vidal, Fabrice, Wildi, François, Zins, Gerard, and Boccaletti, Anthony

Published
2024
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14. Searching for faint companions with VLTI/PIONIER. I. Method and first results

Author

Absil, Olivier, Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, Chauvin, Gaël, Lazareff, Bernard, Zins, Gérard, Haguenauer, Pierre, Jocou, Laurent, Kern, Pierre, Millan-Gabet, Rafael, Rochat, Sylvain, and Traub, Wes

Subjects
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Abstract

Context. A new four-telescope interferometric instrument called PIONIER has recently been installed at VLTI. It provides improved imaging capabilities together with high precision. Aims. We search for low-mass companions around a few bright stars using different strategies, and determine the dynamic range currently reachable with PIONIER. Methods. Our method is based on the closure phase, which is the most robust interferometric quantity when searching for faint companions. We computed the chi^2 goodness of fit for a series of binary star models at different positions and with various flux ratios. The resulting chi^2 cube was used to identify the best-fit binary model and evaluate its significance, or to determine upper limits on the companion flux in case of non detections. Results. No companion is found around Fomalhaut, tau Cet and Regulus. The median upper limits at 3 sigma on the companion flux ratio are respectively of 2.3e-3 (in 4 h), 3.5e-3 (in 3 h) and 5.4e-3 (in 1.5 h) on the search region extending from 5 to 100 mas. Our observations confirm that the previously detected near-infrared excess emissions around Fomalhaut and tau Cet are not related to a low-mass companion, and instead come from an extended source such as an exozodiacal disk. In the case of del Aqr, in 30 min of observation, we obtain the first direct detection of a previously known companion, at an angular distance of about 40 mas and with a flux ratio of 2.05e-2 \pm 0.16e-2. Due to the limited u,v plane coverage, its position can, however, not be unambiguously determined. Conclusions. After only a few months of operation, PIONIER has already achieved one of the best dynamic ranges world-wide for multi-aperture interferometers. A dynamic range up to about 1:500 is demonstrated, but significant improvements are still required to reach the ultimate goal of directly detecting hot giant extrasolar planets., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Published
2011
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15. FFREE: a Fresnel-FRee Experiment for EPICS, the EELT planets imager

Author

Antichi, Jacopo, Vérinaud, Christophe, Preis, Olivier, Delboulbé, Alain, Zins, Gérard, Rabou, Patrick, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Dandy, Sarah, Sauvage, Jean-François, Fusco, Thierry, Aller-Carpentier, Emmanuel, Kasper, Markus, and Hubin, Norbert

Subjects
Physics - Optics
Abstract

The purpose of FFREE - the new optical bench devoted to experiments on high-contrast imaging at LAOG - consists in the validation of algorithms based on off-line calibration techniques and adaptive optics (AO) respectively for the wavefront measurement and its compensation. The aim is the rejection of the static speckles pattern arising in a focal plane after a diffraction suppression system (based on apodization or coronagraphy) by wavefront pre-compensation. To this aim, FFREE has been optimized to minimize Fresnel propagation over a large near infrared (NIR) bandwidth in a way allowing efficient rejection up to the AO control radius, it stands then as a demonstrator for the future implementation of the optics that will be common to the scientific instrumentation installed on EPICS., Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, Proceeding 7736120 of the SPIE Conference "Adaptive Optics Systems II", monday 28 June 2010, San Diego, California, USA

Published
2010
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16. Status and new operation modes of the versatile VLT/NACO

Author

Girard, Julien H. V., Kasper, Markus, Quanz, Sascha P., Kenworthy, Matthew A., Rengaswamy, Sridharan, Schödel, Rainer, Gallenne, Alexandre, Gillessen, Stefan, Huerta, Nicolas, Kervella, Pierre, Kornweibel, Nick, Lenzen, Rainer, Mérand, Antoine, Montagnier, Guillaume, O'Neal, Jared, Zins, Gérard, and IOT, the NACO

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

This paper aims at giving an update on the most versatile adaptive optics fed instrument to date, the well known and successful NACO . Although NACO is only scheduled for about two more years at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), it keeps on evolving with additional operation modes bringing original astronomical results. The high contrast imaging community uses it creatively as a test-bench for SPHERE and other second generation planet imagers. A new visible wavefront sensor (WFS) optimized for Laser Guide Star (LGS) operations has been installed and tested, the cube mode is more and more requested for frame selection on bright sources, a seeing enhancer mode (no tip/tilt correction) is now offered to provide full sky coverage and welcome all kind of extragalactic applications, etc. The Instrument Operations Team (IOT) and Paranal engineers are currently working hard at maintaining the instrument overall performances but also at improving them and offering new capabilities, providing the community with a well tuned and original instrument for the remaining time it is being used. The present contribution delivers a non-exhaustive overview of the new modes and experiments that have been carried out in the past months., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, SPIE 2010 Astronomical Instrumentation Proceeding

Published
2010
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17. The third version of the AMBER data reduction software

Author

Malbet, Fabien, Duvert, Gilles, Millour, Florentin, Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le, Mella, Guillaume, Halipré, Luc, Chelli, Alain, Lafrasse, Sylvain, Altariba, Evelyne, and Zins, Gérard

Subjects
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract

We present the third release of the AMBER data reduction software by the JMMC. This software is based on core algorithms optimized after several years of operation. An optional graphic interface in a high level language allows the user to control the process step by step or in a completely automatic manner. Ongoing improvement is the implementation of a robust calibration scheme, making use of the full calibration sets available during the night. The output products are standard OI-FITS files, which can be used directly in high level software like model fitting or image reconstruction tools. The software performances are illustrated on a full data set of calibrators observed with AMBER during 5 years taken in various instrumental setup., Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the SPIE'2010 conference on "Optical and Infrared Interferometry II"

Published
2010
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18. AMBER on the VLTI: data processing and calibration issues

Author

Millour, Florentin, Petrov, Romain, Malbet, Fabien, Tatulli, Eric, Duvert, Gilles, Zins, Gérard, Altariba, Evelyne, Vannier, Martin, Hernandez, Oscar, and Causi, Gianluca Li

Subjects
Astrophysics
Abstract

We present here the current performances of the AMBER / VLTI instrument for standard use and compare these with the offered modes of the instrument. We show that the instrument is able to reach its specified precision only for medium and high spectral resolution modes, differential observables and bright objects. For absolute observables, the current achievable accuracy is strongly limited by the vibrations of the Unit Telescopes, and also by the observing procedure which does not take into account the night-long transfer function monitoring. For low-resolution mode, the current limitation is more in the data reduction side, since several effects negligible at medium spectral resolution are not taken into account in the current pipeline. Finally, for faint objects (SNR around 1 per spectral channel), electromagnetic interferences in the VLTI interferometric laboratory with the detector electronics prevents currently to get unbiased measurements. Ideas are under study to correct in the data processing side this effect, but a hardware fix should be investigated seriously since it limits seriously the effective limiting magnitude of the instrument., Comment: 10 pages

Published
2007
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20. NIRPS front-end: design, performance, and lessons learned

Author

Blind, Nicolas, primary, Conod, Uriel, additional, de Meideros Martins, Allan, additional, Wildi, François, additional, Bouchy, Francois, additional, Bovay, S., additional, Brousseau, Denis, additional, Cabral, Alexandre, additional, Genolet, Ludovic, additional, Kolb, Johann, additional, Schnell, R., additional, Segovia, A., additional, Sordet, Michael, additional, Thibaut, Simon, additional, Wehbe, Bachar, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2022
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21. Active optics upgrade using curvature WFS of VISTA for 4MOST

Author

Holzlöhner, Ronald, primary, Amiaux, Jerome, additional, Garcia-Herreros, Dionisio, additional, Kolb, Johann, additional, Pirard, Jean-François, additional, Sandrock, Stefan, additional, Sutherland, William, additional, Szeifert, Thomas, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2022
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22. Thermal imaging of dust hiding the black hole in NGC1068

Author

Rosas, Violeta Gamez, Isbell, Jacob W., Jaffe, Walter, Petrov, Romain G., Leftley, James H., Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Millour, Florentin, Burtscher, Leonard, Meisenheimer, Klaus, Meilland, Anthony, Waters, Laurens B. F. M., Lopez, Bruno, Lagarde, Stephane, Weigelt, Gerd, Berio, Philippe, Allouche, Fatme, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, Cruzalebes, Pierre, Bettonvil, Felix, Henning, Thomas, Augereau, Jean-Charles, Antonelli, Pierre, Beckmann, Udo, van Boekel, Roy, Bendjoya, Philippe, Danchi, William C., Dominik, Carsten, Drevon, Julien, Gallimore, Jack F., Graser, Uwe, Heininger, Matthias, Hocde, Vincent, Hogerheijde, Michiel, Hron, Josef, Impellizzeri, Caterina M., V, Klarmann, Lucia, Kokoulina, Elena, Labadie, Lucas, Lehmitz, Michael, Matter, Alexis, Paladini, Claudia, Pantin, Eric, Pott, Joerg-Uwe, Schertl, Dieter, Soulain, Anthony, Stee, Philippe, Tristram, Konrad, Varga, Jozsef, Woillez, Julien, Wolf, Sebastian, Yoffe, Gideon, Zins, Gerard, Rosas, Violeta Gamez, Isbell, Jacob W., Jaffe, Walter, Petrov, Romain G., Leftley, James H., Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Millour, Florentin, Burtscher, Leonard, Meisenheimer, Klaus, Meilland, Anthony, Waters, Laurens B. F. M., Lopez, Bruno, Lagarde, Stephane, Weigelt, Gerd, Berio, Philippe, Allouche, Fatme, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, Cruzalebes, Pierre, Bettonvil, Felix, Henning, Thomas, Augereau, Jean-Charles, Antonelli, Pierre, Beckmann, Udo, van Boekel, Roy, Bendjoya, Philippe, Danchi, William C., Dominik, Carsten, Drevon, Julien, Gallimore, Jack F., Graser, Uwe, Heininger, Matthias, Hocde, Vincent, Hogerheijde, Michiel, Hron, Josef, Impellizzeri, Caterina M., V, Klarmann, Lucia, Kokoulina, Elena, Labadie, Lucas, Lehmitz, Michael, Matter, Alexis, Paladini, Claudia, Pantin, Eric, Pott, Joerg-Uwe, Schertl, Dieter, Soulain, Anthony, Stee, Philippe, Tristram, Konrad, Varga, Jozsef, Woillez, Julien, Wolf, Sebastian, Yoffe, Gideon, and Zins, Gerard

Abstract

In the widely accepted 'unified model'(1) solution of the classification puzzle of active galactic nuclei, the orientation of a dusty accretion torus around the central black hole dominates their appearance. In 'type-1' systems, the bright nucleus is visible at the centre of a face-on torus. In 'type-2' systems the thick, nearly edge-on torus hides the central engine. Later studies suggested evolutionary effects(2) and added dusty clumps and polar winds(3) but left the basic picture intact. However, recent high-resolution images(4) of the archetypal type-2 galaxy NGC 1068(5,6), suggested a more radical revision. The images displayed a ring-like emission feature that was proposed to be hot dust surrounding the black hole at the radius where the radiation from the central engine evaporates the dust. That ring is too thin and too far tilted from edge-on to hide the central engine, and ad hoc foreground extinction is needed to explain thetype-2 classification. These images quickly generated reinterpretations of the dichotomy between types 1 and 2(7,8). Here we present new multi-band mid-infrared images of NGC 1068 that detail the dust temperature distribution and reaffirm the original model. Combined with radio data (J.F.G. and C.M.V.I., manuscript in preparation), our maps locate the central engine that is below the previously reported ring and obscured by a thick, nearly edge-on disk, as predicted by the unified model. We also identify emission from polar flows and absorbing dust that is mineralogically distinct from that towards the Milky Way centre.

Published
2022

23. Thermal imaging of dust hiding the black hole in NGC 1068

Author

Gámez Rosas, Violeta, primary, Isbell, Jacob W., additional, Jaffe, Walter, additional, Petrov, Romain G., additional, Leftley, James H., additional, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, additional, Millour, Florentin, additional, Burtscher, Leonard, additional, Meisenheimer, Klaus, additional, Meilland, Anthony, additional, Waters, Laurens B. F. M., additional, Lopez, Bruno, additional, Lagarde, Stéphane, additional, Weigelt, Gerd, additional, Berio, Philippe, additional, Allouche, Fatme, additional, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, additional, Cruzalèbes, Pierre, additional, Bettonvil, Felix, additional, Henning, Thomas, additional, Augereau, Jean-Charles, additional, Antonelli, Pierre, additional, Beckmann, Udo, additional, van Boekel, Roy, additional, Bendjoya, Philippe, additional, Danchi, William C., additional, Dominik, Carsten, additional, Drevon, Julien, additional, Gallimore, Jack F., additional, Graser, Uwe, additional, Heininger, Matthias, additional, Hocdé, Vincent, additional, Hogerheijde, Michiel, additional, Hron, Josef, additional, Impellizzeri, Caterina M. V., additional, Klarmann, Lucia, additional, Kokoulina, Elena, additional, Labadie, Lucas, additional, Lehmitz, Michael, additional, Matter, Alexis, additional, Paladini, Claudia, additional, Pantin, Eric, additional, Pott, Jörg-Uwe, additional, Schertl, Dieter, additional, Soulain, Anthony, additional, Stee, Philippe, additional, Tristram, Konrad, additional, Varga, Jozsef, additional, Woillez, Julien, additional, Wolf, Sebastian, additional, Yoffe, Gideon, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2022
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24. Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri

Author

Wagner, Kevin, Boehle, Anna, Pathak, Prashant, Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Jakob, Gerd, Käufl, Ulli, Leveratto, Serban, Maire, Anne-Lise, Pantin, Eric, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Zins, Gerard, Absil, Olivier, Ageorges, Nancy, Apai, Daniel, Carlotti, Alexis, Choquet, Elodie, Delacroix, Christian, Dohlen, Kjetil, Duhoux, Philippe, Forsberg, Pontus, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Gutruf, Sven, Guyon, Oliver, Huby, Elsa, Kampf, Dirk, Karlsson, Mikael, Kervella, Pierre, Kirchbauer, Jean Paul, Klupar, Peter, Kolb, Johann, Mawet, Dimitri, N’Diaye, Mamadou, Orban de Xivry, Gilles, Quanz, Sascha P., Reutlinger, Arnd, Ruane, Garreth, Riquelme, Miguel, Soenke, Christian, Sterzik, Michael Fritz, Vigan, Arthur, de Zeeuw, Tim, Wagner, Kevin, Boehle, Anna, Pathak, Prashant, Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Jakob, Gerd, Käufl, Ulli, Leveratto, Serban, Maire, Anne-Lise, Pantin, Eric, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Zins, Gerard, Absil, Olivier, Ageorges, Nancy, Apai, Daniel, Carlotti, Alexis, Choquet, Elodie, Delacroix, Christian, Dohlen, Kjetil, Duhoux, Philippe, Forsberg, Pontus, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Gutruf, Sven, Guyon, Oliver, Huby, Elsa, Kampf, Dirk, Karlsson, Mikael, Kervella, Pierre, Kirchbauer, Jean Paul, Klupar, Peter, Kolb, Johann, Mawet, Dimitri, N’Diaye, Mamadou, Orban de Xivry, Gilles, Quanz, Sascha P., Reutlinger, Arnd, Ruane, Garreth, Riquelme, Miguel, Soenke, Christian, Sterzik, Michael Fritz, Vigan, Arthur, and de Zeeuw, Tim

Abstract

Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, alpha Centauri. Based on 75-80% of the best quality images from 100h of cumulative observations, we demonstrate sensitivity to warm sub-Neptune-sized planets throughout much of the habitable zone of alpha Centauri A. This is an order of magnitude more sensitive than state-of-the-art exoplanet imaging mass detection limits. We also discuss a possible exoplanet or exozodiacal disk detection around alpha Centauri A. However, an instrumental artifact of unknown origin cannot be ruled out. These results demonstrate the feasibility of imaging rocky habitable-zone exoplanets with current and upcoming telescopes. Imaging of low-mass exoplanets can be achieved once the thermal background in the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths can be mitigated. Here, the authors present a ground-based MIR observing approach enabling imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars.

Published
2021
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25. Commissioning MATISSE: operation and performances

Author

Petrov, Romain G., primary, Allouche, Fatmé, additional, Matter, Alexis, additional, Meilland, Anthony, additional, Lagarde, Stéphane, additional, Bério, Philippe, additional, Cruzalèbes, Pierre, additional, Millour, Florentin, additional, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, additional, Jaffe, Walter J., additional, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, additional, Varga, Jozsef, additional, Schertl, Dieter, additional, Burtscher, Leonard, additional, Meisenheimer, Klaus, additional, Chelli, Alain E., additional, Zins, Gerard, additional, Woillez, Julien, additional, Schöller, Markus, additional, and Lopez, Bruno, additional

Published
2020
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26. NaCo — The Story of a Lifetime

Author

Schmidtobreick, Linda, Ageorges, Nancy, Amico, Paola, Brandner, Wolfgang, Cerda, Suzana, Cid, Claudia, Close, Laird, Garces, Eduardo, Gillet, Gordon, Girard, Julien H., Guajardo, Patricia, Hau, George, Hummel, Wolfgang, Jung, Yves, Kasper, Markus, Lidman, Christopher, Lundin, Lars Kristian, Mardones, Pedro, Mawet, Dimitri, O’Neal, Jared, Pompei, Emanuela, Schmutzer, Ricardo, Silva, Karleyne, Smoker, Jonathan, Soenke, Christian, Tacconi-Garman, Lowell E., Valenti, Elena, Valenzuela, Javier, Velasquez, Jose, and Zins, Gerard

Abstract

NaCo was switched off on 2 October 2019, almost 18 years after its first light. The last exposure was of the standard star HD590 as part of the close-out calibrations. To date, 699 papers have been published using NaCo data, including observations of the Galactic centre, direct images of exoplanets orbiting their stars, young stellar objects, brown dwarfs, massive stars, stellar clusters, Solar System objects, SN 1987A and several extragalactic sources. We present a short history of the life and achievements of NaCo from the viewpoint of the Instrument Operation Team, Instrument Scientists, and Instrument Engineers., Published in The Messenger vol. 179, pp. 7-11, March 2020.

Published
2020
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28. Design, pointing control, and on-sky performance of the mid-infrared vortex coronagraph for the VLT/NEAR experiment

Author

Maire, Anne-Lise, Huby, Elsa, Absil, Oliver, Zins, Gerard, Kasper, Markus, Delacroix, Christian, Leveratto, Serban, Karlsson, Mikael, Ruane, Garreth, Käufl, Hans-Ulrich, Orban de Xivry, Gilles, Pathak, Prashant, Pettazzi, Lorenzo, Duhoux, Philippe, Kolb, Johan, Pantin, Eric, Riggs, A.J. Eldorado, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Mawet, Dimitri, Maire, Anne-Lise, Huby, Elsa, Absil, Oliver, Zins, Gerard, Kasper, Markus, Delacroix, Christian, Leveratto, Serban, Karlsson, Mikael, Ruane, Garreth, Käufl, Hans-Ulrich, Orban de Xivry, Gilles, Pathak, Prashant, Pettazzi, Lorenzo, Duhoux, Philippe, Kolb, Johan, Pantin, Eric, Riggs, A.J. Eldorado, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, and Mawet, Dimitri

Published
2020
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29. NEAR: First Results from the Search for Low-Mass Planets in α Cen

Author

Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Käufl, Ulli, Jakob, Gerd, Leveratto, Serban, Zins, Gerard, Pantin, Eric, Duhoux, Philippe, Riquelme, Miguel, Kirchbauer, Jean-Paul, Kolb, Johann, Pathak, Prashant, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Soenke, Christian, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Sterzik, Michael, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Kampf, Dirk, Reutlinger, Arnd, Absil, Olivier, Delacroix, Christian, Maire, Anne-Lise, Huby, Elsa, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Dohlen, Kjetil, Vigan, Arthur, N’Diaye, Mamadou, Quanz, Sascha, Carlotti, Alexis, Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), 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, and 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)

Subjects
[PHYS]Physics [physics], 0303 health sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, 030304 developmental biology
Abstract

ESO, in collaboration with the Breakthrough Initiatives, has modified the VLT mid-infrared imager VISIR to greatly enhance its ability as a planet finder. It has conducted a 100-hour observing campaign to search for low-mass planets around both components of the binary a Centauri, part of the closest stellar system to the Earth. Using adaptive optics and high-performance coronagraphy, the instrument reached unprecedented contrast and sensitivity allowing it to see Neptune-sized planets in the habitable zone, if present. The experiment allowed us to characterise the current limitations of the instrument. We conclude that the detection of rocky planets similar to Earth in the habitable zone of the a Centauri System is already possible with 8-metre-class telescopes in the thermal infrared., Published in The Messenger vol. 178, pp. 5-9, December 2019.

Published
2019
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30. Imagerie spectro-interférométrique du noyau de η Car avec l'instrument GRAVITY : images de la zone de collision de vent dans les raies Br γ et He I avec une résolution de la milli-seconde d'arc

Author

Sanchez-Bermudez, Joel, Weigelt, Gerd, Bestenlehner, Joachim M., Kervella, Pierre, Brandner, Wolfgang, Henning, Thomas, Müller, André, Perrin, Guy, Pott, Jorg-Uwe, Schöller, Markus, Van Boekel, Roy, Abuter, Roberto, Accardo, Matteo, Amorim, Antonio, Anugu, Narsireddy, Avila, Gerardo, Benisty, Myriam, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Blind, Nicolas, Bonnet, Henri, Bourget, Pierre, Brast, Roland, Buron, Alexander, Cantalloube, Faustine, Caratti O Garatti, Alessio, Cassaing, Frederic, Chapron, Frédéric, Choquet, Élodie, Clenet, Yann, Collin, Claude, Coude Du Foresto, Vincent, de Wit, Willem-Jan, De Zeeuw, Tim, Deen, Casey, Delplancke-Ströbele, Françoise, Dembet, Roderick, Derie, Frédéric, Dexter, Jason, Duvert, Gilles, Ebert, Monica, Eckart, Andreas, Eisenhauer, Frank, Esselborn, Michael, Fédou, Pierre, Garcia, Paulo J. V., Garcia-Dabo, Cesar Enrique, Garcia Lopez, Rebeca, Gao, Feng, Gendron, Eric, Genzel, Reinhard, Gillessen, Stefan, Haubois, Xavier, Haug, Marcus, Haussmann, Frank, Hippler, Stefan, Horrobin, Matthew, Huber, Armin, Huber, Zoltan, Hubin, Norbert, Hummel, Christian A., Jakob, Gerd, Jochum, Lieselotte, Jocou, Laurent, Karl, Martina, Kaufer, Andreas, Kellner, Stefan, Kendrew, Sarah, Kern, Lothar, Kiekebusch, Mario, Klein, Ralf, Kolb, Johann, Kulas, Martin, Lacour, Sylvestre, Lapeyrère, Vincent, Lazareff, Bernard, Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste, Léna, Pierre, Lenzen, Rainer, Lévêque, Samuel, Lippa, Magdalena, Magnard, Yves, Mehrgan, Leander, Mellein, Marcus, Mérand, Antoine, Moreno-Ventas, Javier, Moulin, Thibaut, Muller, Ewald, Muller, Friedrich, Neumann, Udo, Oberti, Sylvain, Ott, Thomas, Pallanca, Laurent, Panduro, Johana, Pasquini, Luca, Paumard, Thibaut, Percheron, Isabelle, Perraut, Karine, Petrucci, Pierre-Olivier, Pflüger, Andreas, Pfuhl, Oliver, Duc, Thanh Phan, Plewa, Philipp M., Popovic, Dan, Rabien, Sebastian, Ramirez, Andres, Ramos, Jose Ricardo, Rau, Christian, Riquelme, Miguel, Rodríguez-Coira, Gustavo, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, Rosales, Alejandra, Rousset, Gérard, Scheithauer, Silvia, Schuhler, Nicolas, Spyromilio, Jason, Straub, Odele, Straubmeier, Christian, Sturm, Eckhard, Suarez, Marco, Tristram, Konrad R. W., Ventura, Noel, Vincent, Frédéric, Waisberg, Idel, Wank, Imke, Widmann, Felix, Wieprecht, Ekkehard, Wiest, Michael, Wiezorrek, Erich, Wittkowski, Markus, Woillez, Julien, Wolff, Burkhard, Yazici, Senol, Ziegler, Denis, Zins, Gerard, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, European Southern Observatory [Santiago] (ESO), European Southern Observatory (ESO), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), University of Sheffield [Sheffield], 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), Universidad de Santiago de Chile [Santiago] (USACH), CENTRA Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA), University of Exeter, 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), Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève (ObsGE), Université de Genève (UNIGE), Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris-Saclay, Leiden University, Physikalisches Institut [Köln], Universität zu Köln, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Universidade do Porto [Porto], Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory [Berkeley] (LBNL), European Space Agency (Baltimore) Space Telescope Science Institute (ESA), 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), 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]), DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay (COmUE) [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris Saclay (COmUE), Universidade do Porto, Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174) (FEMTO-ST), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard (UTBM)-Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), and Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
INSTRUMENTATION: HAUTE RESOLUTION ANGULAIRE, IMAGERIE STELLAIRE, BINARY STAR, MASS LOSS, [SPI.OPTI]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Optics / Photonic, HIGH ANGULAR RESOLUTION, INSTRUMENTATION: INTERFEROMETRES, ETOILE: PERTE DE MASSE, STAR IMAGING, INTERFEROMETER, ETOILES BINAIRES, MASSIVE STAR, ETOILES MASSIVES
Abstract

International audience; Context. η Car is one of the most intriguing luminous blue variables in the Galaxy. Observations and models of the X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and infrared emission suggest a central binary in a highly eccentric orbit with a 5.54 yr period residing in its core. 2D and 3D radiative transfer and hydrodynamic simulations predict a primary with a dense and slow stellar wind that interacts with the faster and lower density wind of the secondary. The wind-wind collision scenario suggests that the secondary’s wind penetrates the primary’s wind creating a low-density cavity in it, with dense walls where the two winds interact. However, the morphology of the cavity and its physical properties are not yet fully constrained.Aims. We aim to trace the inner ∼5–50 au structure of η Car’s wind-wind interaction, as seen through Brγ and, for the first time, through the He I 2s-2p line.Methods. We have used spectro-interferometric observations with the K-band beam-combiner GRAVITY at the VLTI. The analyses of the data include (i) parametrical model-fitting to the interferometric observables, (ii) a CMFGEN model of the source’s spectrum, and (iii) interferometric image reconstruction.Results. Our geometrical modeling of the continuum data allows us to estimate its FWHM angular size close to 2 mas and an elongation ratio ϵ = 1.06 ± 0.05 over a PA = 130° ± 20°. Our CMFGEN modeling of the spectrum helped us to confirm that the role of the secondary should be taken into account to properly reproduce the observed Brγ and He I lines. Chromatic images across the Brγ line reveal a southeast arc-like feature, possibly associated to the hot post-shocked winds flowing along the cavity wall. The images of the He I 2s-2p line served to constrain the 20 mas (∼50 au) structure of the line-emitting region. The observed morphology of He I suggests that the secondary is responsible for the ionized material that produces the line profile. Both the Brγ and the He I 2s-2p maps are consistent with previous hydrodynamical models of the colliding wind scenario. Future dedicated simulations together with an extensive interferometric campaign are necessary to refine our constraints on the wind and stellar parameters of the binary, which finally will help us predict the evolutionary path of η Car.; Contexte : η Car est une des étoiles brillantes bleues variables les plus intrigante de notre galaxie. Les observations et les modèles des émissions X, UV et optique et IR suggèrent qu'une étoile binaire avec une orbite fortement excentrique de période 5,54 ans réside au centre de son coeur. Les simulations hydrodynamiques et de transfert radiatif 2D et 3D prédisent la présence d'une étoile primaire avec vent stellaire dense et lent, qui interagit avec le vent de densité moindre et plus rapide de l'étoile secondaire. Ce scénario de collision vent-vent suggère que le vent de l'étoile secondaire pénètre dans le vent de l'étoile primaire, créant dans ce dernier une cavité de faible densité, avec des murs denses où les deux vents interagissent. Cependant, la morphologie de cette cavité et ses propriétés physiques ne sont pas encore pleinement contraints.Objectifs. Nous visons à déterminer la structure interne de l’interaction vent-vent de Car dans une zone allant de 5 à 50 Unités Astronomiques, telle que vue à travers Br γ et, pour la première fois, à travers la transition 2s-2p de He I.Méthodes : Nous avons utilisé des observations spectro-interférométriques du combineur de faisceaux en bande K de GRAVITY au VLTI. Les analyses des données comprennent: (i) un ajustement de modèle paramétrique aux observables interférométriques, (ii) un modèle CMFGEN du spectre de la source, et (iii) des reconstructions d'image interférométriques.Résultats : Notre modélisation géométrique des données du continuum nous permet d'estimer sa taille angulaire FWHM proche de 2 mas et son coefficient d'allongement de 1,06 ± 0,05 sur un PA = 130° ± 20°. Notre modélisation CMFGEN du spectre nous a permis de confirmer que le rôle de l'étoile secondaire devrait être pris en compte pour reproduire correctement les émissions Br γ et He I observées. Les images spectrales dans la bande Br γ révèle une caractéristique semblable à un arc au sud-est, peut-être associé aux vents chauds post-choc circulant le long du mur de la cavité. Les images dans la bande He I 2s-2p ont servi à contraindre la structure de la région d'émission de la transition, avec une résolution de 20 millisecondes d'arc (50 UA). La morphologie observée de He I suggère que l'étoile secondaire est responsable de l'ionisationproduisant le profil de raie. Les deux images (en Br γ et He I 2s-2p) sont compatibles avec les modèles hydrodynamiques précédents du scénario de vent en collision. De futures simulations dédiées ainsi qu’une vaste campagne interférométrique sont nécessaires pour affiner nos contraintes sur le vent et les paramètres stellaires de la binaire, ce qui nous aidera enfin à prédire le chemin évolutif de η Car.

Published
2018
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31. Raman-scattered laser guide-star photons to monitor the scatter of astronomical telescope mirrors

Author

Vogt, Frédéric P. A., primary, Luis Álvarez, José, additional, Bonaccini Calia, Domenico, additional, Hackenberg, Wolfgang, additional, Bourget, Pierre, additional, Aranda, Ivan, additional, Bellhouse, Callum, additional, Blanchard, Israel, additional, Cerda, Susana, additional, Cid, Claudia, additional, Comin, Mauro, additional, Espinoza Contreras, Marcela, additional, Hau, George, additional, Hibon, Pascale, additional, Holzlöhner, Ronald, additional, Jaffé, Yara L., additional, Kolb, Johann, additional, Kuntschner, Harald, additional, Madec, Pierre-Yves, additional, Mieske, Steffen, additional, Milli, Julien, additional, Opitom, Cyrielle, additional, Parraguez, Diego, additional, Romero, Cristian, additional, Selman, Fernando, additional, Schmidtobreick, Linda, additional, Smoker, Jonathan, additional, Vera Urrutia, Sergio, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2018
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32. The installation and ongoing commissioning of the MATISSE mid-infrared interferometer at the ESO Very Large Telescope Observatory

Author

Lopez, Bruno, primary, Lagarde, Stephane, primary, Matter, Alexis, primary, Agocs, Tibor, primary, Allouche, Fatme, primary, Antonelli, Pierre, primary, Augereau, Jean-Charles, primary, Bailet, Christophe, primary, Berio, Philippe, primary, Bettonvil, Felix, primary, Beckmann, Udo, primary, van Boekel, Roy, primary, Bresson, Yves, primary, Bristow, Paul, primary, Cruzalèbes, Pierre, primary, Delbo, Marco, primary, Dominik, Carsten, primary, Elswijk, Eddy, primary, Fantei-Caujolle, Yan, primary, Glindemann, Andreas, primary, Heininger, Matthias, primary, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, primary, Hogerheijde, Michiel, primary, Hron, Josef, primary, Jaffe, Walter, primary, Kroes, Gaby, primary, Laun, Werner, primary, Lehmitz, Michael, primary, Meilland, Anthony, primary, Meisenheimer, Klaus, primary, Millour, Florentin, primary, Morel, Sebastien, primary, Neumann, Udo, primary, Pantin, Eric, primary, Petrov, Romain, primary, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, primary, Schertl, Dieter, primary, Schoeller, Markus, primary, Wolf, Sebastian, primary, Zins, Gerard, primary, Henning, Thomas, primary, Stee, Philippe, primary, and Weigelt, Gerd, primary

Published
2018
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33. NEAR : New Earths in the Alpha Cen Region (bringing VISIR as a 'visiting instrument' to ESO-VLT-UT4)

Author

Kaeufl, Hans Ulrich, Kasper, Markus, Arsenaut, Robin, Jakob, Gerd, Leveratto, Serban, Zins, Gerard, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Riquelme, Miguel, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Sterzik, Michael, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Kampf, Dirk, Reutlinger, Arnd, Absil, Olivier, Carlomagno, Brunella, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Pantin, Eric, Dohlen, Kjetil, Kaeufl, Hans Ulrich, Kasper, Markus, Arsenaut, Robin, Jakob, Gerd, Leveratto, Serban, Zins, Gerard, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Riquelme, Miguel, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Sterzik, Michael, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Kampf, Dirk, Reutlinger, Arnd, Absil, Olivier, Carlomagno, Brunella, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Pantin, Eric, and Dohlen, Kjetil

Abstract

ESO in collaboration with the Breakthrough Initiatives, is adding a dedicated coronagraph to the Very Large Telescope mid-IR imager (VISIR) to further boost the high dynamic range imaging capability of this instrument. After the VISIR upgrade in 2012, where coronagraphic masks were first added to VISIR, it became evident that coronagraphy at a ground-based 8m-class telescope, even at wavelengths as long as 10 mu m, critically needs adaptive optics. For VISIR, a work-horse observatory facility instrument in normal operations, this is "easiest" achieved by bringing VISIR as a visiting instrument to the ESO-VLT-UT4 having an adaptive M2. This "visit" enables a meaningful search for Earth-like planets in the habitable zone around both alpha-Cen(1) and alpha-Cen(2). Meaningful here means, achieving a contrast of approximate to 10(-6) within approximate to 0.8 arcsec from the star. Various measures to improve the sensitivity of VISIR will be applied, especially a dedicated filter, faster chopping and a Strehl-ratio close to 100% thanks to extreme adaptive optics. This should allow to detect a planet twice the diameter of Earth in 50 h on source integration time. Key components will be a diffractive coronagraphic mask, the annular groove phase mask (AGPM), optimized for the most sensitive spectral band-pass in the N-band, complemented by a sophisticated apodizer at the level of the Lyot stop. For VISIR noise filtering based on fast chopping is required. A novel internal chopper system will be integrated into the cryostat. This chopper is based on the standard technique from early radio astronomy, conceived by the microwave pioneer Robert Dicke in 1946, which was instrumental for the discovery of the 3K microwave background. For risk mitigation all components are being tested and quali fi ed under realistic conditions in the lab at ESO headquarters before integration into the instrument. The performance or suppression of the coronagraph is so good, that a non-thermal source

Published
2018
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34. Multiple star systems in the Orion nebula

Author

Karl, Martina, Pfuhl, Oliver, Eisenhauer, Frank, Genzel, Reinhard, Grellmann, Rebekka, Habibi, Maryam, Abuter, Roberto, Accardo, Matteo, Amorim, Antonio, Anugu, Narsireddy, Avila, Gerardo, Benisty, Myriam, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Blind, Nicolas, Bonnet, Henri, Bourget, Pierre, Brandner, Wolfgang, Brast, Roland, Buron, Alexander, Garatti, Alessio Caratti O., Chapron, Frederic, Clenet, Yann, Collin, Claude, du Foresto, Vincent Coude, de Wit, Willem-Jan, de Zeeuw, Tim, Deen, Casey, Delplancke-Stroebele, Francoise, Dembet, Roderick, Derie, Frederic, Dexter, Jason, Duvert, Gilles, Ebert, Monica, Eckart, Andreas, Esselborn, Michael, Fedou, Pierre, Finger, Gert, Garcia, Paulo, Dabo, Cesar Enrique Garcia, Lopez, Rebeca Garcia, Gao, Feng, Gendron, Eric, Gillessen, Stefan, Gonte, Frederic, Gordo, Paulo, Groezinger, Ulrich, Guajardo, Patricia, Guieu, Sylvain, Haguenauer, Pierre, Hans, Oliver, Haubois, Xavier, Haug, Marcus, Haussmann, Frank, Henning, Thomas, Hippler, Stefan, Horrobin, Matthew, Huber, Armin, Hubert, Zoltan, Hubin, Norbert, Jakob, Gerd, Jochum, Lieselotte, Jocou, Laurent, Kaufer, Andreas, Kellner, Stefan, Kendrew, Sarah, Kern, Lothar, Kervella, Pierre, Kiekebusch, Mario, Klein, Ralf, Koehler, Rainer, Kolb, Johan, Kulas, Martin, Lacour, Sylvestre, Lapeyrere, Vincent, Lazareff, Bernard, Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste, Lena, Pierre, Lenzen, Rainer, Leveque, Samuel, Lin, Chien-Cheng, Lippa, Magdalena, Magnard, Yves, Mehrgan, Leander, Merand, Antoine, Moulin, Thibaut, Mueller, Eric, Mueller, Friedrich, Neumann, Udo, Oberti, Sylvain, Ott, Thomas, Pallanca, Laurent, Panduro, Johana, Pasquini, Luca, Paumard, Thibaut, Percheron, Isabelle, Perraut, Karine, Perrin, Guy, Pflueger, Andreas, Plewa, Philipp M., Popovic, Dan, Rabien, Sebastian, Ramirez, Andres, Ramos, Jose, Rau, Christian, Riquelme, Miguel, Rodriguez-Coira, Gustavo, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, Rosales, Alejandra, Rousset, Gerard, Sanchez-Bermudez, Joel, Scheithauer, Silvia, Schoeller, Markus, Schuhler, Nicolas, Spyromilio, Jason, Straub, Odele, Straubmeier, Christian, Sturm, Eckhard, Suarez, Marcos, Tristram, Konrad R. W., Ventura, Noel, Vincent, Frederic, Waisberg, Idel, Wank, Imke, Widmann, Felix, Wieprecht, Ekkehard, Wiest, Michael, Wiezorrek, Erich, Wittkowski, Markus, Woillez, Julien, Wolff, Burkhard, Yazici, Senol, Ziegler, Denis, Zins, Gerard, Karl, Martina, Pfuhl, Oliver, Eisenhauer, Frank, Genzel, Reinhard, Grellmann, Rebekka, Habibi, Maryam, Abuter, Roberto, Accardo, Matteo, Amorim, Antonio, Anugu, Narsireddy, Avila, Gerardo, Benisty, Myriam, Berger, Jean-Philippe, Blind, Nicolas, Bonnet, Henri, Bourget, Pierre, Brandner, Wolfgang, Brast, Roland, Buron, Alexander, Garatti, Alessio Caratti O., Chapron, Frederic, Clenet, Yann, Collin, Claude, du Foresto, Vincent Coude, de Wit, Willem-Jan, de Zeeuw, Tim, Deen, Casey, Delplancke-Stroebele, Francoise, Dembet, Roderick, Derie, Frederic, Dexter, Jason, Duvert, Gilles, Ebert, Monica, Eckart, Andreas, Esselborn, Michael, Fedou, Pierre, Finger, Gert, Garcia, Paulo, Dabo, Cesar Enrique Garcia, Lopez, Rebeca Garcia, Gao, Feng, Gendron, Eric, Gillessen, Stefan, Gonte, Frederic, Gordo, Paulo, Groezinger, Ulrich, Guajardo, Patricia, Guieu, Sylvain, Haguenauer, Pierre, Hans, Oliver, Haubois, Xavier, Haug, Marcus, Haussmann, Frank, Henning, Thomas, Hippler, Stefan, Horrobin, Matthew, Huber, Armin, Hubert, Zoltan, Hubin, Norbert, Jakob, Gerd, Jochum, Lieselotte, Jocou, Laurent, Kaufer, Andreas, Kellner, Stefan, Kendrew, Sarah, Kern, Lothar, Kervella, Pierre, Kiekebusch, Mario, Klein, Ralf, Koehler, Rainer, Kolb, Johan, Kulas, Martin, Lacour, Sylvestre, Lapeyrere, Vincent, Lazareff, Bernard, Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste, Lena, Pierre, Lenzen, Rainer, Leveque, Samuel, Lin, Chien-Cheng, Lippa, Magdalena, Magnard, Yves, Mehrgan, Leander, Merand, Antoine, Moulin, Thibaut, Mueller, Eric, Mueller, Friedrich, Neumann, Udo, Oberti, Sylvain, Ott, Thomas, Pallanca, Laurent, Panduro, Johana, Pasquini, Luca, Paumard, Thibaut, Percheron, Isabelle, Perraut, Karine, Perrin, Guy, Pflueger, Andreas, Plewa, Philipp M., Popovic, Dan, Rabien, Sebastian, Ramirez, Andres, Ramos, Jose, Rau, Christian, Riquelme, Miguel, Rodriguez-Coira, Gustavo, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, Rosales, Alejandra, Rousset, Gerard, Sanchez-Bermudez, Joel, Scheithauer, Silvia, Schoeller, Markus, Schuhler, Nicolas, Spyromilio, Jason, Straub, Odele, Straubmeier, Christian, Sturm, Eckhard, Suarez, Marcos, Tristram, Konrad R. W., Ventura, Noel, Vincent, Frederic, Waisberg, Idel, Wank, Imke, Widmann, Felix, Wieprecht, Ekkehard, Wiest, Michael, Wiezorrek, Erich, Wittkowski, Markus, Woillez, Julien, Wolff, Burkhard, Yazici, Senol, Ziegler, Denis, and Zins, Gerard

Abstract

This work presents an interferometric study of the massive-binary fraction in the Orion Trapezium cluster with the recently comissioned GRAVITY instrument. We observed a total of 16 stars of mainly OB spectral type. We find three previously unknown companions for theta(1) Ori B, theta(2) Ori B, and theta(2) Ori C. We determined a separation for the previously suspected companion of NU Ori. We confirm four companions for theta(1) Ori A, theta(1) Ori C, theta(1) Ori D, and theta(2) Ori A, all with substantially improved astrometry and photometric mass estimates. We refined the orbit of the eccentric high-mass binary theta(1) Ori C and we are able to derive a new orbit for theta(1) Ori D. We find a system mass of 21.7 M-circle dot and a period of 53 days. Together with other previously detected companions seen in spectroscopy or direct imaging, eleven of the 16 high-mass stars are multiple systems. We obtain a total number of 22 companions with separations up to 600 AU. The companion fraction of the early B and O stars in our sample is about two, significantly higher than in earlier studies of mostly OB associations. The separation distribution hints toward a bimodality. Such a bimodality has been previously found in A stars, but rarely in OB binaries, which up to this point have been assumed to be mostly compact with a tail of wider companions. We also do not find a substantial population of equal-mass binaries. The observed distribution of mass ratios declines steeply with mass, and like the direct star counts, indicates that our companions follow a standard power law initial mass function. Again, this is in contrast to earlier findings of flat mass ratio distributions in OB associations. We excluded collision as a dominant formation mechanism but find no clear preference for core accretion or competitive accretion.

Published
2018

35. NEAR: Low-mass Planets in α Cen with VISIR

Author

Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Käufl, Hans-Ulrich, Jakob, Gerd, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Riquelme, Miguel, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Sterzik, Michael, Zins, Gerard, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Reutlinger, Arnd, Kampf, Dirk, Absil, Olivier, Carlomagno, Brunella, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Pantin, Eric, and Dohlen, Kjetil

Subjects
0301 basic medicine, 03 medical and health sciences, 030104 developmental biology, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 7. Clean energy, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, 01 natural sciences, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
Abstract

ESO, in collaboration with the Breakthrough Initiatives, is working to modify the Very Large Telescope mid-IR imager (VISIR) to greatly enhance its ability to search for potentially habitable planets around both components of the binary Alpha Centauri, part of the closest stellar system to the Earth. Much of the funding for the NEAR (New Earths in the Alpha Cen Region) project is provided by the Breakthrough Initiatives, and ESO mostly provides staff and observing time. The concept combines adaptive optics using the deformable secondary mirror at Unit Telescope 4, a new annular groove phase mask (AGPM) coronagraph optimised for the most sensitive spectral bandpass in the N-band, and a novel internal chopper system for noise filtering based on a concept for longer wavelengths invented by the microwave pioneer Robert Dicke. The NEAR experiment is relevant to the mid-infrared METIS instrument on the Extremely Large Telescope, as the knowledge gained and proof of concept will be transferable., Published in The Messenger vol. 169, pp. 16-20, September 2017.

Published
2017
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36. Commissioning MATISSE: operation and performances

Author

Tuthill, Peter G., Mérand, Antoine, Sallum, Stephanie, Petrov, Romain G., Allouche, Fatmé, Matter, Alexis, Meilland, Anthony, Lagarde, Stéphane, Berio, Philippe, Cruzalèbes, Pierre, Millour, Florentin, Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie, Jaffe, Walter, Hofmann, Karl-Heinz, Varga, Jozsef, Schertl, Dieter, Burtscher, Leonard, Meisenheimer, Klaus, Chelli, Alain, Zins, Gerard, Woillez, Julien, Schöller, Markus, and Lopez, Bruno

Published
2020
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37. The MAORY ICS software architecture.

Author

Salasnich, Bernardo, Baruffolo, Andrea, Balestra, Andrea, Busoni, Lorenzo, Puglisi, Alfio, Fantinel, Daniela, Di Rico, Gianluca, Gluck, Laurence, Zins, Gerard, Popovic, Dan, Kiekebusch, Mario, Diolaiti, Emiliano, Ciliegi, Paolo, Esposito, Simone, Feautrier, Philippe, and Ragazzoni, Roberto

Published
2018
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39. SPHERE on-sky performance compared with budget predictions

Author

Evans, Christopher J., Simard, Luc, Takami, Hideki, Dohlen, Kjetil, Vigan, Arthur, Mouillet, David, Wildi, Francois, Sauvage, Jean Francois, Fusco, Thierry, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Puget, Pascal, Le Mignant, David, Roelfsema, Ronald, Pragt, Johan, Schmid, Hands Martin, Gratton, Raffaele, Mesa, Dino, Claudi, Ricardo, Langlois, Maud, Costille, Anne, Hugot, Emmanuel, O'Neil, Jared, Guerra, Juan Carlos, N'Diaye, Mamadou, Girard, Julien, Mawet, Dimitri, Zins, Gerard, Evans, Christopher J., Simard, Luc, Takami, Hideki, Dohlen, Kjetil, Vigan, Arthur, Mouillet, David, Wildi, Francois, Sauvage, Jean Francois, Fusco, Thierry, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Puget, Pascal, Le Mignant, David, Roelfsema, Ronald, Pragt, Johan, Schmid, Hands Martin, Gratton, Raffaele, Mesa, Dino, Claudi, Ricardo, Langlois, Maud, Costille, Anne, Hugot, Emmanuel, O'Neil, Jared, Guerra, Juan Carlos, N'Diaye, Mamadou, Girard, Julien, Mawet, Dimitri, and Zins, Gerard

Abstract

The SPHERE (spectro-photometric exoplanet research) extreme-AO planet hunter saw first light at the VLT observatory on Mount Paranal in May 2014 after ten years of development. Great efforts were put into modelling its performance, particularly in terms of achievable contrast, and to budgeting instrumental features such as wave front errors and optical transmission to each of the instrument’s three focal planes, the near infrared dual imaging camera IRDIS, the near infrared integral field spectrograph IFS and the visible polarimetric camera ZIMPOL. In this paper we aim at comparing predicted performance with measured performance. In addition to comparing on-sky contrast curves and calibrated transmission measurements, we also compare the PSD-based wave front error budget with in-situ wave front maps obtained thanks to a Zernike phase mask, ZELDA, implemented in the infrared coronagraph wheel. One of the most critical elements of the SPHERE system is its high-order deformable mirror, a prototype 40x40 actuator piezo stack design developed in parallel with the instrument itself. The development was a success, as witnessed by the instrument performance, in spite of some bad surprises discovered on the way. The devastating effects of operating without taking properly into account the loss of several actuators and the thermally and temporally induced variations in the DM shape will be analysed, and the actions taken to mitigate these defects through the introduction of specially designed Lyot stops and activation of one of the mirrors in the optical train will be described.

Published
2016

40. SPHERE on-sky performance compared with budget predictions

Author

Dohlen, Kjetil, additional, Vigan, Arthur, additional, Mouillet, David, additional, Wildi, François, additional, Sauvage, Jean-François, additional, Fusco, Thierry, additional, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, additional, Puget, Pascal, additional, Le Mignant, David, additional, Roelfsema, Ronald, additional, Pragt, Johan, additional, Schmid, Hans Martin, additional, Gratton, Raffaele, additional, Mesa, Dino, additional, Claudi, Riccardo, additional, Langlois, Maud, additional, Costille, Anne, additional, Hugot, Emmanuel, additional, O'Neil, Jared, additional, Guerra, Juan Carlos, additional, N'Diaye, Mamadou, additional, Girard, Julien, additional, Mawet, Dimitri, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2016
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41. SPHERE IRDIS and IFS astrometric strategy and calibration

Author

Maire, Anne-Lise, additional, Langlois, Maud, additional, Dohlen, Kjetil, additional, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, additional, Gratton, Raffaele, additional, Chauvin, Gaël, additional, Desidera, Silvano, additional, Girard, Julien H., additional, Milli, Julien, additional, Vigan, Arthur, additional, Zins, Gerard, additional, Delorme, Philippe, additional, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, additional, Claudi, Riccardo U., additional, Feldt, Markus, additional, Mouillet, David, additional, Puget, Pascal, additional, Turatto, Massimo, additional, and Wildi, François, additional

Published
2016
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42. VLT interferometer upgrade for the 2nd generation of interferometric instruments

Author

Gonté, Frederic, additional, Woillez, Julien, additional, Schuhler, Nicolas, additional, Egner, Sebastian, additional, Merand, Antoine, additional, Abad, José Antonio, additional, Abadie, Sergio, additional, Abuter, Roberto, additional, Acuña, Margarita, additional, Allouche, Fatmé, additional, Alonso, Jaime, additional, Andolfalto, Luigi, additional, Antonelli, Pierre, additional, Avila, Gerardo, additional, Barriga, Pablo José, additional, Beltran, Juan, additional, Berger, Jean-Philippe, additional, Bolados, Carlos, additional, Bonnet, Henri, additional, Bourget, Pierre, additional, Brast, Roland, additional, Bristow, Paul, additional, Caniguante, Luis, additional, Castillo, Roberto, additional, Conzelmann, Ralf, additional, Cortes, Angela, additional, Delplancke, Françoise, additional, Del Valle, Diego, additional, Derie, Frederic, additional, Diaz, Alvaro, additional, Donoso, Reinaldo, additional, Dorn, Reinhold, additional, Duhoux, Philippe, additional, Dupuy, Christophe, additional, Eisenhauer, Frank, additional, Elao, Christian, additional, Fuenteseca, Eloy, additional, Fernandez, Ruben, additional, Gaytan, Daniel, additional, Glindemann, Andreas, additional, Gonzales, Jaime, additional, Guieu, Sylvain, additional, Guisard, Stephane, additional, Haguenauer, Pierre, additional, Haimerl, Andreas, additional, Heinz, Volker, additional, Henriquez, Juan Pablo, additional, van der Heyden, P., additional, Hubin, Norbert, additional, Huerta, Rodrigo, additional, Jochum, Lieselotte, additional, Leiva, Alfredo, additional, Lévêque, Samuel, additional, Lizon, Jean-Louis, additional, Luco, Fernando, additional, Mardones, Pedro, additional, Mellado, Angel, additional, Osorio, Juan, additional, Ott, Jürgen, additional, Pallanca, Laurent, additional, Pavez, Marcus, additional, Pasquini, Luca, additional, Percheron, Isabelle, additional, Pirard, Jean-Francois, additional, Than Phan, Duc, additional, Pineda, Juan Carlos, additional, Pino, Andres, additional, Poupar, Sebastien, additional, Ramírez, Andres, additional, Reinero, Claudio, additional, Riquelme, Miguel, additional, Romero, Juan, additional, Rivinius, Thomas, additional, Rojas, Chester, additional, Rozas, Felix, additional, Salgado, Fernando, additional, Scheithauer, Silvia, additional, Schmid, Christian, additional, Schöller, Markus, additional, Siclari, Waldo, additional, Stephan, Christian, additional, Tamblay, Richard, additional, Tapia, Mario, additional, Tristram, Konrad, additional, Valdes, Guillermo, additional, de Wit, Willem-Jan, additional, Wright, Andrew, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2016
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43. CIAO: wavefront sensors for GRAVITY

Author

Scheithauer, Silvia, additional, Brandner, Wolfgang, additional, Deen, Casey, additional, Adler, Tobias, additional, Bonnet, Henri, additional, Bourget, Pierre, additional, Chemla, Fanny, additional, Clenet, Yann, additional, Delplancke, Francoise, additional, Ebert, Monica, additional, Eisenhauer, Frank, additional, Esselborn, Michael, additional, Finger, Gert, additional, Gendron, Eric, additional, Glauser, Adrian, additional, Gonte, Frederic, additional, Henning, Thomas, additional, Hippler, Stefan, additional, Huber, Armin, additional, Hubert, Zoltan, additional, Jakob, Gerd, additional, Jochum, Lieselotte, additional, Jocou, Laurent, additional, Kendrew, Sarah, additional, Klein, Ralf, additional, Kolb, Johann, additional, Kulas, Martin, additional, Laun, Werner, additional, Lenzen, Rainer, additional, Mellein, Marcus, additional, Müller, Eric, additional, Moreno-Ventas, Javier, additional, Neumann, Udo, additional, Oberti, Sylvain, additional, Ott, Jürgen, additional, Pallanca, Laurent, additional, Panduro, Johana, additional, Ramos, Jose, additional, Riquelme, Miguel, additional, Rohloff, Ralf-Rainer, additional, Rousset, Gérard, additional, Schuhler, Nicolas, additional, Suarez, Marcos, additional, and Zins, Gerard, additional

Published
2016
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44. Sphere: complete laboratory performance and prediction for on-sky first light

Author

Sauvage, Jean-François, Beuzit, Jean-Luc, Roelfsema, Ronald, Feldt, Markus, Dohlen, Kjetil, Mouillet, David, Puget, Pascal, Wildi, François, Abe, Lyu, Baruffolo, Andrea, Baudoz, Pierre, Bazzon, Andreas, Boccaletti, Anthony, Buey, Tristan, Carbillet, Marcel, Charton, Julien, Claudi, Riccardo, Costille, Anne, Delboulbe, Alain, Desidera, Silvano, Dominik, Carsten, Downing, Mark, Fabron, Christophe, Feautrier, Philippe, Fedrigo, Enrico, Fusco, Thierry, Giro, Enrico, Gluck, Laurence, Gratton, Raffaele, Henning, Thomas, Hubin, Norbert, Kasper, Markus, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, Langlois, Maud, Le Mignant, David, Lizon, Jean-Louis, Madec, Fabrice, Magnard, Yves, Martinez, Patrice, Mesa, Dino, Möller-Nilsson, Ole, Moulin, Thibaut, Moutou, Claire, Pavlov, Alexey, Perret, Denis, Petit, Cyril, Pragt, Johan, Rabou, Patrick, Rochat, Sylvain, Salasnich, Bernardo, Rousset, Gérard, Schmid, Hans-Martin, Sevin, Arnaud, Soenke, Christian, Stadler, Eric, Suarez, Marcos, Turatto, Massimo, Udry, Stephane, Vigan, Arthur, Vakili, Farrokh, Zins, Gerard, Zurlo, Alice, Bazzon, Andrea, Lagrange, Anne, Shaklan, Stuart, ONERA - The French Aerospace Lab [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris Saclay (COmUE), NOVA-ASTRON, 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), Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG ), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-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 Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-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)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève (ObsGE), Université de Genève = University of Geneva (UNIGE), Laboratoire Hippolyte Fizeau (FIZEAU), 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), INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (OAPD), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA (UMR_8109)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, 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), Collège de France (CdF (institution)), European Southern Observatory (ESO), Institut Pythéas (OSU PYTHEAS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay (COmUE) [Châtillon], Université Lille 3 - UFR Information, Documentation, Information Scientifique et Technique (Lille 3 UFR IDIST), Université de Lille, Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF), Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de 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), ONERA - The French Aerospace Lab [Toulouse], ONERA, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-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), Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), European Southern Observatory [Santiago] (ESO), 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), 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), Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Grenoble (LAOG), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Genève (UNIGE), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Collège de France (CDF), Collège de France (CdF), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay [Châtillon], ONERA-Université Paris-Saclay, université J.Fourier, École normale supérieure - Lyon (ENS Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), 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), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-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), 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, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Shaklan, S.

Subjects
media_common.quotation_subject, Astronomy, Polarimetry, Flux, 02 engineering and technology, Astrophysics, Star (graph theory), 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, 010309 optics, 0103 physical sciences, Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics, media_common, Physics, Very Large Telescope, Research Programm of Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, First light, 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology, Exoplanet, Planetary science, Sky, Proceedings of SPIE, Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 0210 nano-technology, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract

International audience; Direct imaging of exoplanet is one of the most exciting field of planetology today. The light coming from exoplanet orbiting their host star witnesses for the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and the potential biomarkers for life. However, the faint flux to be imaged, very close to the huge flux of the parent star, makes this kind of observation extremely difficult to perform from the ground. The direct imaging instruments (SPHERE [1], GPI [2]) are nowaday reaching lab maturity. Such instrument imply the coordination of XAO for atmospherical turbulence real-time correction, coronagraphy for star light extinction, IR Dual band camera, IFS, and visible polarimetry. The imaging modes include single and double difference (spectral and angular). The SPHERE project is now at the end of AIT phase. This paper presents the very last results obtained in laboratory, with realistic working conditions. These AIT results allows one to predict on-sky performance, that should come within the next weeks after re-installation at Very Large Telescope at Paranal.

Published
2013
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45. JMMC Model Fitting Software for optical interferometry

Author

Tallon, Michel, Tallon-Bosc, I., Thiébaut, Eric, Béchet, C., Chadid, M., Chelli, Alain E., Clausse, J.-M., Duvert, Gilles, Mourard, Denis, Perrin, Guy, Petrov, Romain G., Stee, Philippe, Zins, Gerard, Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pôle Astronomie du LESIA, and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris

Subjects
[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract

International audience

Published
2004

46. HARMONI instrument control electronics

Author

Gigante, José V., additional, Rodríguez Ramos, Luis F., additional, Zins, Gerard, additional, Schnetler, Hermine, additional, Pecontal, Arlette, additional, Herreros, José Miguel, additional, Clarke, Fraser, additional, Bryson, Ian, additional, and Thatte, Niranjan, additional

Published
2014
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47. NEAR: new earths in the Alpha Cen Region (bringing VISIR as a "visiting instrument" to ESO-VLT-UT4)

Author

Evans, Christopher J., Simard, Luc, Takami, Hideki, Käufl, Hans-Ulrich, Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Jakob, Gerd, Leveratto, Serban, Zins, Gerard, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Riquelme, Miguel, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Sterzik, Michael, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Kampf, Dirk, Reutlinger, Arnd, Absil, Olivier, Carlomagno, Brunella, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Pantin, Eric, and Dohlen, Kjetil

Published
2018
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48. NAOS, the first AO System of the VLT

Author

Fusco, Thierry, Rousset, Gérard, Lacombe, François, Lagrange, Anne-Marie, Gendron, Éric, Puget, Pascal, Arsenault, Robin, Charton, J., Hubin, Norbert N., Kern, P., Gigan, Pierre, Madec, Pierre-Yves, Mouillet, David, Rabaud, Didier, Rabou, Patrick, Stadler, Eric, Zins, Gerard, Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pôle Astronomie du LESIA, and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris

Subjects
[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]
Abstract

International audience

Published
2002

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