The MAVIS Image Simulator: predicting the astrometric performance of MAVIS

Stephanie Monty*, François Rigaut, Richard McDermid, Jesse Cranney, Guido Agapito, Cedric Plantet, Davide Greggio, J. Trevor Mendel, Mojtaba Taheri, Daniele Vassallo, Christian Schwab, Giuliana Fiorentino, Giuseppe Bono, Dionne Haynes

*Corresponding author for this work

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

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present initial results from the Multi-conjugate Adaptive-optics Visible Imager-Spectrograph Image Simulator (MAVISIM) to explore the astrometric capabilities of the next generation instrument MAVIS. A core scientific and operational requirement of MAVIS will be to achieve highly accurate differential astrometry, with accuracies on the order that of the extremely large telescopes. To better understand the impact of known and anticipated astrometric error terms, we have created an initial astrometric budget which we present here to motivate the creation of MAVISIM. In this first version of MAVISIM we include three major astrometric error sources; point spread function (PSF) field variability due to high order aberrations, PSF degradation and field variability due to tip-tilt residual error, and field distortions due to non-common path aberrations in the AO module. An overview of MAVISIM is provided along with initial results from a study using MAVISIM to simulate an image of a Milky Way-like globular cluster. Astrometric accuracies are extracted using PSF-fitting photometry with encouraging results that suggest MAVIS will deliver accuracies of 150µas down to faint magnitudes.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII
EditorsChristopher J. Evans, Julia J. Bryant, Kentaro Motohara
Place of PublicationBellingham, WA
PublisherSPIE
Pages1-9
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9781510636828
ISBN (Print)9781510636811
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020
EventGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII - Virtual, United States
Duration: 14 Dec 202022 Dec 2020

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE
PublisherSPIE
Volume11447
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII
Country/TerritoryUnited States
Period14/12/2022/12/20

Keywords

  • Astrometry
  • Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics
  • Adaptive Optics
  • Adaptive optics
  • Multi-conjugate adaptive optics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The MAVIS Image Simulator: predicting the astrometric performance of MAVIS'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this