Automated alignment and on-sky performance of the Gemini planet imager coronagraph

From National Research Council Canada

DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2055752
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Name affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. National Science Infrastructure
FormatText, Article
Proceedings titleGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V
Series titleProceedings of SPIE; no. 9147
ConferenceGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, June 22-26, 2014
ISSN0277-786X
1996-756X
ISBN9780819496157
Article number914740
Subjectadaptive optics; alignment; astronomy; automated operations; Gemini Planet Imager; GPI; high contrast imaging; extrasolar planets
Abstract
The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is a next-generation, facility instrument currently being commissioned at the Gemini South observatory. GPI combines an extreme adaptive optics system and integral field spectrograph (IFS) with an apodized-pupil Lyot coronagraph (APLC) producing an unprecedented capability for directly imaging and spectroscopically characterizing extrasolar planets. GPI's operating goal of 10-7 contrast requires very precise alignments between the various elements of the coronagraph (two pupil masks and one focal plane mask) and active control of the beam path throughout the instrument. Here, we describe the techniques used to automatically align GPI and maintain the alignment throughout the course of science observations. We discuss the particular challenges of maintaining precision alignments on a Cassegrain mounted instrument and strategies that we have developed that allow GPI to achieve high contrast even in poor seeing conditions.
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PublisherSPIE
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
NPARC number21275493
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