Arlette Pecontal

Overview of the Nearby Supernova Factory

The Nearby Supernova Factory (Snfactory) is an international experiment designed to lay the foundation for the next generation of cosmology experiments (such as CFHTLS, wP, SNAP and LSST) which will measure the expansion history of the Universe using Type Ia supernovae. The Snfactory will discover and obtain frequent lightcurve spectrophotometry covering 3200-10000Å for roughly 300 Type Ia supernovae at the low-redshift end of the smooth Hubble flow. The quantity, quality, breadth of galactic environments, and homogeneous nature of the Snfactory dataset will make it the premier source of calibration for the Type Ia supernova width-brightness relation and the intrinsic supernova colors used for K-correction and correction for extinction by host-galaxy dust. This dataset will also allow an extensive investigation of additional parameters which possibly influence the quality of Type Ia supernovae as cosmological probes. The Snfactory search capabilities and follow-up instrumentation include wide-field CCD imagers on two 1.2-m telescopes (via collaboration with the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking team at JPL and the QUEST team at Yale), and a two-channel integral-field-unit optical spectrograph/imager being fabricated for the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope. In addition to ground-based follow-up, UV spectra for a subsample of these supernovae will be obtained with HST. The pipeline to obtain, transfer via wireless and standard internet, and automatically process the search images is in operation. Software and hardware development is now underway to enable the execution of follow-up spectroscopy of supernova candidates at the Hawaii 2.2-m telescope via automated remote control of the telescope and the IFU spectrograph/imager.

SNIFS: a wideband integral field spectrograph with microlens arrays

SNIFS is an integral field spectrograph devoted to the observation of supernovae. This instrument is today in the manufacturing phase and should be able to observe supernovae at the end of this year (2003) on the 2.2m telescope of University Hawaii. The concept of SNIFS is to split the 6” x 6” field of view into 225 samples of 0.4” x 0.4” through a microlens array. Then the spectral decomposition of each sample is imaged on a 2k x 4k CCD. In order to cover all the large spectral range with a high resolution, the spectrograph is composed of two modules, one for the blue wavelengths (320 nm to 560nm)with a resolution around 1000 at 430 nm and one for the red wavelengths (520 nm to 1 µm) with a resolution around 1300 at 760 nm. First we will present the optical design and detail the function of each optical component. Then the mechanical design will be shown with some maps of the structure. Finally the first pictures taken during the alignments will be displayed.

The Nearby Supernova Factory

The Nearby Supernova Factory (SNfactory) is an ambitious project to find and study in detail approximately 300 nearby Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at redshifts 0.03 < z < 0.08. This program will provide an exceptional data set of well-studied SNe in the nearby smooth Hubble flow that can be used as calibration for the current and future programs designed to use SNe to measure the cosmological parameters. The first key ingredient for this program is a reliable supply of Hubble-flow SNe systematically discovered in unprecedented numbers using the same techniques as those used in distant SNe searches. In 2002, 35 SNe were found using our test-bed pipeline for automated SN search and discovery. The pipeline uses images from the asteroid search conducted by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking group at JPL. Improvements in our subtraction techniques and analysis have allowed us to increase our effective SN discovery rate to {approx}12 SNe/month in 2003.

The second-generation VLT instrument MUSE: science drivers and instrument design

The Multi Unit spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) is a second generation VLT panoramic integral-field spectrograph operating in the visible wavelength range. MUSE has a field of 1 x 1 arcmin2 sampled at 0.2x0.2 arcsec2 and is assisted by a ground layer adaptive optics system using four laser guide stars. The simultaneous spectral range is 0.465-0.93 μm, at a resolution of R~3000. MUSE couples the discovery potential of a large imaging device to the measuring capabilities of a high-quality spectrograph, while taking advantage of the increased spatial resolution provided by adaptive optics. This makes MUSE a unique and tremendously powerful instrument for discovering and characterizing objects that lie beyond the reach of even the deepest imaging surveys. MUSE has also a high spatial resolution mode with 7.5 x 7.5 arcse2 field of view sampled at 25 milli-arcsec. In this mode MUSE should be able to get diffraction limited data-cube in the 0.6-1 μm wavelength range. Although MUSE design has been optimized for the study of galaxy formation and evolution, it has a wide range of possible applications; e.g. monitoring of outer planets atmosphere, young stellar objects environment, supermassive black holes and active nuclei in nearby galaxies or massive spectroscopic survey of stellar fields.

HARMONI: a single-field wide-band integral-field spectrograph for the European ELT

We describe the results of a Phase A study for a single field, wide band, near-infrared integral field spectrograph for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). HARMONI, the High Angular Resolution Monolithic Optical & Nearinfrared Integral field spectrograph, provides the E-ELTs core spectroscopic requirement. It is a work-horse instrument, with four different spatial scales, ranging from seeing to diffraction-limited, and spectral resolving powers of 4000, 10000 & 20000 covering the 0.47 to 2.45 μm wavelength range. It is optimally suited to carry out a wide range of observing programs, focusing on detailed, spatially resolved studies of extended objects to unravel their morphology, kinematics and chemical composition, whilst also enabling ultra-sensitive observations of point sources. We present a synopsis of the key science cases motivating the instrument, the top level specifications, a description of the opto-mechanical concept, operation and calibration plan, and image quality and throughput budgets. Issues of expected performance, complementarity and synergies, as well as simulated observations are presented elsewhere in these proceedings[1].

MUSE Integral Field Unit: Test results on the first out of 24

MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) is a second generation VLT panoramic integral field spectrograph developed for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), operating in the visible wavelength range (0.465-0.93 μm). It is composed of 24 identical Integral Field Units (IFU); each one incorporates an advanced image slicer associated with a classical spectrograph and a detector vessel. The Image Slicer subsystem -ISS- is composed of two mirror arrays of 48 spherical elements each. It is made of Zerodur and uses an innovative polishing approach where all individual components are polished together by classical method. The MUSE Spectrograph -SPS-, with fast output focal ratio of f/1.95, implements a Volume Phase Holographic Grating - VPHG. The last subsystem, the Detector Vessel -DV- includes a chip of 4k by 4k 15μm pixels supported by a Vacuum and Cryogenic System - VCS - provided by ESO. The first out of 24 IFUs for MUSE instrument has been manufactured, aligned and tested last months. First, this paper describes the optical design, the manufacturing and test results (image quality, pupil and field of view positioning) of each subsystem independently. Second, we will focus on overall system performance (image quality and positioning) of the spectrograph associated with the detector vessel. At the end, the test results (image quality, positioning, throughput, mechanical interfaces) of the first IFU for MUSE instrument will be reported. Most of them are compliant with requirements that it demonstrates that the manufacturing, integration, alignment and tests processes are mature and gives good confidence for serial production by 24 times applied to MUSE instrument.

The JWST/NIRSpec instrument performance simulator software

NIRSpec is the near-infrared multi-object spectrograph for the future James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It is developed by EADS Astrium for the European Space Agency. The Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL) has developed the Instrument Performance Simulator (IPS) software that is being used for the modeling of NIRSpecs performances and to simulate raw NIRSpec exposures. In this paper, we present the IPS software itself (main simulation modules and users interface) and discuss its intrinsic accuracy. We also show the results of simulations of calibration exposures as they will be obtained during the NIRSpec on-ground calibration campaign.

MUSE instrument global performance analysis

MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) is a second generation instrument developed for ESO (European Southern Observatory) and will be assembled to the VLT (Very Large Telescope) in 2012. The MUSE instrument can simultaneously record 90.000 spectra in the visible wavelength range (465-930nm), across a 1*1arcmin2 field of view, thanks to 24 identical Integral Field Units (IFU). A collaboration of 7 institutes has successfully passed the Final Design Review and is currently working on the first sub-assemblies. The sharing of performances has been based on 5 main functional sub-systems. The Fore Optics sub-system derotates and anamorphoses the VLT Nasmyth focal plane image, the Splitting and Relay Optics associated with the Main Structure are feeding each IFU with 1/24th of the field of view. Each IFU is composed of a 3D function insured by an image slicer system and a spectrograph, and a detection function by a 4k*4k CCD cooled down to 163°K. The 5th function is the calibration and data reduction of the instrument. This article depicts the breakdown of performances between these sub-systems (throughput, image quality...), and underlines the constraining parameters of the interfaces either internal or with the VLT. The validation of all these requirements is a critical task started a few months ago which requires a clear traceability and performances analysis.

4MOST low-resolution spectrograph: design and performances

4MOST, the 4m Multi Object Spectroscopic Telescope, is an upcoming optical, fibre-fed, MOS facility for the VISTA telescope at ESOs Paranal Observatory in Chile. Its main science drivers are in the fields of galactic archeology, highenergy physics, galaxy evolution and cosmology. The preliminary design of 4MOST features 2436 fibres split into lowresolution (1624 fibres, 370-950 nm, R > 4000) and high-resolution spectrographs (812 fibres, three arms, ~44-69 nm coverage each, R >18000) with a fibre positioner and covering an hexagonal field of view of ~4.1 deg2. The 4MOST consortium consists of several institutes in Europe and Australia under leadership of the Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik, Potsdam (AIP). 4MOST is currently in its Preliminary Design Phase with an expected start of science operations in 2021. Two third of fibres go to two Low Resolution Spectrographs with three channels per spectrograph. Each low resolution spectrograph is composed of 812 scientific and 10 calibration fibres using 85μm core fibres at f/3, a 200mm beam for an off-axis collimator associated to its Schmidt corrector, 3 arms with f/1.73 cameras and standard 6k x 6k 15μm pixel detectors. CRAL has the responsibility of the Low Resolution Spectrographs. In this paper, the optical design and performances of 4MOST Low Resolution Spectrograph designed for 4MOST PDR in June, 2016 will be presented. Special emphasis will be put on the Low Resolution Spectrograph system budget and performance analysis.

The MUSE observation preparation tool

MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) is an integral-field spectrograph which will be mounted on the Very Large Telescope (VLT). MUSE is being built for ESO by a European consortium under the supervision of the Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL). In this context, CRAL is responsible for the development of dedicated software to help MUSE users prepare and submit their observations. This software, called MUSE-PS, is based on the ESO SkyCat tool that combines visualization of images and access to catalogs and archive data for astronomy. MUSE-PS has been developed as a plugin to SkyCat to add new features specific to MUSE observations. In this paper, we present the MUSE observation preparation tool itself and especially its specific functionalities: definition of the center of the MUSE field of view and orientation, selection of the VLT guide star for the different modes of operations (Narrow Field Mode or Wide Field Mode, with or without AO). We will also show customized displays for MUSE (zoom on specific area, help with MUSE mosaïcing and generic offsets, finding charts …).