2024
Authors
Millour, F; Bourdarot, G; Le Bouquin, JB; Berdeu, A; Houllé, M; Berio, P; Paumard, T; Defrère, D; Garcia, P; Soulez, F; Hoenig, S; Allouche, F; Bachbucher, M; Bailet, C; Blanchard, C; Boebion, O; Bonnet, H; Brara, A; Carbillet, M; Czempiel, S; Delboulbé, A; Dembet, R; Edouard, C; Eisenhauer, F; Feuchtgruber, H; Furchstsam, C; Gillessen, S; Goldbrunner, A; Gomes, T; Gouvvret, C; Guieu, S; Hartl, M; Hartwig, J; Haussmann, F; Huber, D; Ibn Taïeb, I; Kolb, J; Lagarde, S; Lai, O; Leftley, J; Lutz, D; Magnard, Y; Marcotto, A; Nowacki, H; Oberti, S; Ott, T; Rau, C; Robbe-Dubois, S; Scigliuto, J; Soller, F; Shchekaturov, P; Schuppe, D; Stadler, E; Uysal, S; Widmann, F; Wieprecht, E; Woillez, J; Yazici, S;
Publication
OPTICAL AND INFRARED INTERFEROMETRY AND IMAGING IX
Abstract
We present in this proceeding the results of the test phase of the GRAVITY+ adaptive optics. This extreme AO will enable both high-dynamic range observations of faint companions (including exoplanets) thanks to a 40x40 sub-apertures wavefront control, and sensitive observations (including AGNs) thanks to the addition of a laser guide star to each UT of the VLT. This leap forward is made thanks to a mostly automated setup of the AO, including calibration of the NCPAs, that we tested in Europe on the UT+atmosphere simulator we built in Nice. We managed to reproduce in laboratory the expected performances of all the modes of the AO, including under non-optimal atmospheric or telescope alignment conditions, giving us the green light to proceed with the Assembly, Integration and Verification phase in Paranal.
2024
Authors
Filho, M; Amorim, A; Carvalho, F; Garcia, P;
Publication
MODELING, SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR ASTRONOMY XI, PT 1
Abstract
The WSS is a subsystem being designed and manufactured by the CENTRA team ( Portugal) for the ESO ELT first light instrument METIS. The WSS consists of three substructures - the support system (ELP), the alignment system (CAS), and the access and maintenance system (RIG). In total, the WSS dimensions are approximately 6 x 6 x 6 meters. In order to fully assemble, integrate, and test such a large structure, an integration hall of at least 2.5 times the WSS volume would be required to accommodate the necessary lateral and vertical clearance around WSS. Such integration halls are not readily available or accessible. In order to overcome this challenge, we have devised a 3-step strategy to assemble, integrate, and test the WSS at three different locations in three different configurations.
2024
Authors
More, N; Genzel, R; Eisenhauer, F; Lutz, D; Gillessen, S; Schubert, J; Hartl, M; Haussmann, F; Rehm, C; Weisz, H; Yazici, S; Feuchtgruber, H; Rau, C; Uysal, S; Bourdarot, G; Wieprecht, E; Ott, T; Fabricius, M; Widmann, F; Drescher, A; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, T; Gonté, F; Woillez, J; Schuhler, N; Bourget, P; Oberti, S; Le Bouquin, JB; Paumard, T; Millour, F; Straubmeier, C; Kreidberg, L; Garcia, P; Gomes, T; Hoenig, S; Defrére, D;
Publication
OPTICAL AND INFRARED INTERFEROMETRY AND IMAGING IX
Abstract
The GRAVITY+ project consists of instrumental upgrades to the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) for faint-science, high-contrast, milliarcsecond interferometric imaging. As an integral part of the GRAVITY+ Adaptive Optics (AO) architecture, the Wavefront Sensor (WFS) subsystem corrects image distortions caused by the turbulence of Earth's atmosphere. We present the opto-mechanical design of the WFS subsystem and the design strategies used to implement two payloads positioned diagonally opposite each other - Natural Guide Star (NGS) and Laser Guide Star (LGS) - within a single compact design structure. We discuss the implementation of relative motions of the two payloads covering their respective patrol fields and a nested motion within the LGS Payload covering the complete Sodium layer profile in the Earth's atmosphere.
2024
Authors
Berdeu, A; Bonnet, H; Le Bouquin, JB; Kolb, I; Bourdarot, G; Berio, P; Paumard, T; Eisenhauer, F; Straubmeier, C; Garcia, P; Hönig, S; Millour, F; Kreidberg, L; Defrère, D; Soulez, F; Mourard, D; Schaefer, G; Anugum, N;
Publication
ADAPTIVE OPTICS SYSTEMS IX
Abstract
Performances of an adaptive optics (AO) system are directly linked with the quality of its alignment. During the instrument calibration, having open loop fast tools with a large capture range are necessary to quickly assess the system misalignment and to drive it towards a state allowing to close the AO loop. During operation, complex systems are prone to misalignments (mechanical flexions, rotation of optical elements,...) that potentially degrade the AO performances, creating a need for a monitoring tool to tackle their driftage. In this work, we first present an improved perturbative method to quickly assess large lateral errors in open loop. It uses the spatial correlation of the measured interaction matrix of a limited number of 2D spatial modes with a synthetic model. Then, we introduce a novel solution to finely measure and correct these lateral errors via the closed loop telemetry. Non-perturbative, this method consequently does not impact the science output of the instrument. It is based on the temporal correlation of 2D spatial frequencies in the deformable mirror commands. It is model-free (no need of an interaction matrix model) and sparse in the Fourier space, making it fast and easily scalable to complex systems such as future extremely large telescopes. Finally, we present some results obtained on the development bench of the GRAVITY+ extreme AO system (Cartesian grid, 1432 actuators). In addition, we show with on-sky results gathered with CHARA and GRAVITY/CIAO that the method is adaptable to non-conventional AO geometries (hexagonal grids, 60 actuators).
2024
Authors
Berdeu, A; Le Bouquin, JB; Melia, G; Bourgès, L; Berger, JP; Bourdarot, G; Paumard, T; Eisenhauer, F; Straubmeier, C; Garcia, P; Hönig, S; Millour, F; Kreidberg, L; Defrere, D; Soulez, F; Shimizu, T;
Publication
ADAPTIVE OPTICS SYSTEMS IX
Abstract
In the context of the GRAVITY+ upgrade, the adaptive optics (AO) systems of the GRAVITY interferometer are undergoing a major lifting. The current CILAS deformable mirrors (DM, 90 actuators) will be replaced by ALPAO kilo-DMs (43x43, 1432 actuators). On top of the already existing 9x9 Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors (SH-WFS) for infrared (IR) natural guide star (NGS), new 40x40 SH-WFSs for visible (VIS) NGS will be deployed. Lasers will also be installed on the four units of the Very Large Telescope to provide a laser guide star (LGS) option with 30x30 SH-WFSs and with the choice to either use the 9x9 IR-WFSs or 2x2 VIS-WFSs for low order sensing. Thus, four modes will be available for the GRAVITY+ AO system (GPAO): IR-NGS, IR-LGS, VIS-NGS and VIS-LGS. To prepare the instrument commissioning and help the observers to plan their observations, a tool is needed to predict the performances of the different modes and for different observing conditions (NGS magnitude, science object magnitude, turbulence conditions,...). We developed models based on a Mar ' echal approximation to predict the Strehl ratio of the four GPAO modes in order to feed the already existing tool that simulates the GRAVITY performances. Waiting for commissioning data, our model was validated and calibrated using the TIPTOP toolbox, a Point Spread Function simulator based on the computation of Power Spectrum Densities. In this work, we present our models of the NGS modes of GPAO and their calibration with TIPTOP.
2024
Authors
Xuan, JW; Mérand, A; Thompson, W; Zhang, Y; Lacour, S; Blakely, D; Mawet, D; Oppenheimer, R; Kammerer, J; Batygin, K; Sanghi, A; Wang, J; Ruffio, JB; Liu, MC; Knutson, H; Brandner, W; Burgasser, A; Rickman, E; Bowens-Rubin, R; Salama, M; Balmer, W; Blunt, S; Bourdarot, G; Caselli, P; Chauvin, G; Davies, R; Drescher, A; Eckart, A; Eisenhauer, F; Fabricius, M; Feuchtgruber, H; Finger, G; Schreiber, NMF; Garcia, P; Genzel, R; Gillessen, S; Grant, S; Hartl, M; Haussmann, F; Henning, T; Hinkley, S; Hönig, SF; Horrobin, M; Houllé, M; Janson, M; Kervella, P; Kral, Q; Kreidberg, L; Le Bouquin, JB; Lutz, D; Mang, F; Marleau, GD; Millour, F; More, N; Nowak, M; Ott, T; Otten, G; Paumard, T; Rabien, S; Rau, C; Ribeiro, DC; Bordoni, MS; Sauter, J; Shangguan, J; Shimizu, TT; Sykes, C; Soulain, A; Spezzano, S; Straubmeier, C; Stolker, T; Sturm, E; Subroweit, M; Tacconi, LJ; van Dishoeck, EF; Vigan, A; Widmann, F; Wieprecht, E; Winterhalder, TO; Woillez, J;
Publication
NATURE
Abstract
Owing to their similarities with giant exoplanets, brown dwarf companions of stars provide insights into the fundamental processes of planet formation and evolution. From their orbits, several brown dwarf companions are found to be more massive than theoretical predictions given their luminosities and the ages of their host stars1-3. Either the theory is incomplete or these objects are not single entities. For example, they could be two brown dwarfs each with a lower mass and intrinsic luminosity1,4. The most problematic example is Gliese 229 B (refs. 5,6), which is at least 2-6 times less luminous than model predictions given its dynamical mass of 71.4 +/- 0.6 Jupiter masses (MJup) (ref. 1). We observed Gliese 229 B with the GRAVITY interferometer and, separately, the CRIRES+ spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. Both sets of observations independently resolve Gliese 229 B into two components, Gliese 229 Ba and Bb, settling the conflict between theory and observations. The two objects have a flux ratio of 0.47 +/- 0.03 at a wavelength of 2 mu m and masses of 38.1 +/- 1.0 and 34.4 +/- 1.5 MJup, respectively. They orbit each other every 12.1 days with a semimajor axis of 0.042 astronomical units (au). The discovery of Gliese 229 BaBb, each only a few times more massive than the most massive planets, and separated by 16 times the Earth-moon distance, raises new questions about the formation and prevalence of tight binary brown dwarfs around stars. Analysis of the cool brown dwarf Gliese 229 B suggests that it is actually a close binary of two less massive brown dwarfs, explaining its low luminosity and settling the conflict between theoretical predictions and measurements.
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