ILocater: A diffraction-limited Doppler spectrometer for the Large Binocular Telescope

Justin R. Crepp, Jonathan Crass, David King, Andrew Bechter, Eric Bechter, Ryan Ketterer, Robert Reynolds, Philip Hinz, Derek Kopon, David Cavalieri, Louis Fantano, Corina Koca, Eleanya Onuma, Karl Stapelfeldt, Joseph Thomes, Sheila Wall, Steven Macenka, James McGuire, Ronald Korniski, Leonard ZugbyJoshua Eisner, B. S. Gaudi, Fred Hearty, Kaitlin Kratter, Marc Kuchner, Giusi Micela, Matthew Nelson, Isabella Pagano, Andreas Quirrenbach, Christian Schwab, Michael Skrutskie, Alessandro Sozzetti, Charles Woodward, Bo Zhao

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

    72 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We are developing a stable and precise spectrograph for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) named "iLocater." The instrument comprises three principal components: a cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph that operates in the YJ-bands (0.97-1.30 μm), a fiber-injection acquisition camera system, and a wavelength calibration unit. iLocater will deliver high spectral resolution (R∼150,000-240,000) measurements that permit novel studies of stellar and substellar objects in the solar neighborhood including extrasolar planets. Unlike previous planet-finding instruments, which are seeing-limited, iLocater operates at the diffraction limit and uses single mode fibers to eliminate the effects of modal noise entirely. By receiving starlight from two 8.4m diameter telescopes that each use "extreme" adaptive optics (AO), iLocater shows promise to overcome the limitations that prevent existing instruments from generating sub-meter-per-second radial velocity (RV) precision. Although optimized for the characterization of low-mass planets using the Doppler technique, iLocater will also advance areas of research that involve crowded fields, line-blanketing, and weak absorption lines.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VI
    EditorsChristopher J. Evans, Luc Simard, Hideki Takami
    Place of PublicationWashington, US
    PublisherSPIE
    Pages1-13
    Number of pages13
    ISBN (Electronic)9781510601956
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016
    EventGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VI - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
    Duration: 26 Jun 201630 Jun 2016

    Publication series

    NameProceedings of SPIE
    PublisherSPIE
    Volume9908
    ISSN (Print)0277-786X

    Other

    OtherGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VI
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CityEdinburgh
    Period26/06/1630/06/16

    Keywords

    • Adaptive optics
    • Exoplanets
    • Optical fibers
    • Radial velocity
    • Spectroscopy

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