4,350 research outputs found
Pupil remapping for high contrast astronomy: results from an optical testbed
The direct imaging and characterization of Earth-like planets is among the
most sought-after prizes in contemporary astrophysics, however current optical
instrumentation delivers insufficient dynamic range to overcome the vast
contrast differential between the planet and its host star. New opportunities
are offered by coherent single mode fibers, whose technological development has
been motivated by the needs of the telecom industry in the near infrared. This
paper presents a new vision for an instrument using coherent waveguides to
remap the pupil geometry of the telescope. It would (i) inject the full pupil
of the telescope into an array of single mode fibers, (ii) rearrange the pupil
so fringes can be accurately measured, and (iii) permit image reconstruction so
that atmospheric blurring can be totally removed. Here we present a laboratory
experiment whose goal was to validate the theoretical concepts underpinning our
proposed method. We successfully confirmed that we can retrieve the image of a
simulated astrophysical object (in this case a binary star) though a pupil
remapping instrument using single mode fibers.Comment: Accepted in Optics Expres
Near-IR imaging of T Cha: evidence for scattered-light disk structures at solar system scales
T Chamaeleontis is a young star surrounded by a transitional disk, and a
plausible candidate for ongoing planet formation. Recently, a substellar
companion candidate was reported within the disk gap of this star. However, its
existence remains controversial, with the counter-hypothesis that light from a
high inclination disk may also be consistent with the observed data. The aim of
this work is to investigate the origin of the observed closure phase signal to
determine if it is best explained by a compact companion. We observed T Cha in
the L and K s filters with sparse aperture masking, with 7 datasets covering a
period of 3 years. A consistent closure phase signal is recovered in all L and
K s datasets. Data were fit with a companion model and an inclined
circumstellar disk model based on known disk parameters: both were shown to
provide an adequate fit. However, the absence of expected relative motion for
an orbiting body over the 3-year time baseline spanned by the observations
rules out the companion model. Applying image reconstruction techniques to each
dataset reveals a stationary structure consistent with forward scattering from
the near edge of an inclined disk.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
Unveiling the near-infrared structure of the massive-young stellar object NGC 3603 IRS 9A with sparse aperture masking and spectroastrometry
Contemporary theory holds that massive stars gather mass during their initial
phases via accreting disk-like structures. However, conclusive evidence for
disks has remained elusive for the most massive young objects. This is mainly
due to significant observational challenges. Incisive studies, even targeting
individual objects, are therefore relevant to the progression of the field. NGC
3603 IRS 9A* is a young massive stellar object still surrounded by an envelope
of molecular gas. Previous mid-infrared observations with long-baseline
interferometry provided evidence for a disk of 50 mas diameter at its core.
This work aims at a comprehensive study of the physics and morphology of IRS 9A
at near-infrared wavelengths. New sparse aperture masking interferometry data
taken with NACO/VLT at Ks and Lp filters were obtained and analysed together
with archival CRIRES spectra of the H2 and BrG lines. The calibrated
visibilities recorded at Ks and Lp bands suggest the presence of a partially
resolved compact object of 30 mas at the core of IRS 9A, together with the
presence of over-resolved flux. The spectroastrometric signal of the H2 line
shows that this spectral feature proceeds from the large scale extended
emission (300 mas) of IRS 9A, while the BrG line appears to be formed at the
core of the object (20 mas). This scenario is consistent with the brightness
distribution of the source for near- and mid-infrared wavelengths at various
spatial scales. However, our model suffers from remaining inconsistencies
between SED modelling and the interferometric data. Moreover, the BrG
spectroastrometric signal indicates that the core of IRS 9A exhibits some form
of complexity such as asymmetries in the disk. Future high-resolution
observations are required to confirm the disk/envelope model and to flesh out
the details of the physical form of the inner regions of IRS 9A.Comment: Accepted to be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 13 pages, 14
figure
High resolution observations of the outer disk around T Cha: the view from ALMA
T Cha is a young star surrounded by a transitional disk with signatures of
planet formation. We have obtained high-resolution and high-sensitivity ALMA
observations of T Cha in the --, --, and
-- emission lines to reveal the spatial distribution of the
gaseous disk around the star. In order to study the dust within the disk we
have also obtained continuum images at 850m from the line-free channels.
We have spatially resolved the outer disk around T Cha. Using the CO(3-2)
emission we derive a radius of 230 AU. We also report the detection of
the CO(3-2) and the CS(7-8) molecular emissions, which show smaller
radii than the CO(3-2) detection. The continuum observations at 850m allow
the spatial resolution of the dusty disk, which shows two emission bumps
separated by 40AU, consistent with the presence of a dust gap in the
inner regions of the disk, and an outer radius of 80AU. Therefore, T Cha
is surrounded by a compact dusty disk and a larger and more diffuse gaseous
disk, as previously observed in other young stars. The continuum intensity
profiles are different at both sides of the disk suggesting possible dust
asymmetries. We derive an inclination of i(deg)=675, and a position angle
of PA (deg)= 1136, for both the gas and dust disks. The comparison of the
ALMA data with radiative transfer models shows that the gas and dust components
can only be simultaneously reproduced when we include a tapered edge
prescription for the surface density profile. The best model suggests that most
of the disk mass is placed within a radius of 50AU. Finally, we derive a
dynamical mass for the central object of =1.50.2M,
comparable to the one estimated with evolutionary models for an age of
10Myr.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letter
High resolution imaging of young M-type stars of the solar neighborhood: Probing the existence of companions down to the mass of Jupiter
Context. High contrast imaging is a powerful technique to search for gas
giant planets and brown dwarfs orbiting at separation larger than several AU.
Around solar-type stars, giant planets are expected to form by core accretion
or by gravitational instability, but since core accretion is increasingly
difficult as the primary star becomes lighter, gravitational instability would
be the a probable formation scenario for yet-to-be-found distant giant planets
around a low-mass star. A systematic survey for such planets around M dwarfs
would therefore provide a direct test of the efficiency of gravitational
instability. Aims. We search for gas giant planets orbiting around late-type
stars and brown dwarfs of the solar neighborhood. Methods. We obtained deep
high resolution images of 16 targets with the adaptive optic system of VLT-NACO
in the Lp band, using direct imaging and angular differential imaging. This is
currently the largest and deepest survey for Jupiter-mass planets around
Mdwarfs. We developed and used an integrated reduction and analysis pipeline to
reduce the images and derive our 2D detection limits for each target. The
typical contrast achieved is about 9 magnitudes at 0.5" and 11 magnitudes
beyond 1". For each target we also determine the probability of detecting a
planet of a given mass at a given separation in our images. Results. We derived
accurate detection probabilities for planetary companions, taking into account
orbital projection effects, with in average more than 50% probability to detect
a 3MJup companion at 10AU and a 1.5MJup companion at 20AU, bringing strong
constraints on the existence of Jupiter-mass planets around this sample of
young M-dwarfs.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Reaching micro-arcsecond astrometry with long baseline optical interferometry; application to the GRAVITY instrument
A basic principle of long baseline interferometry is that an optical path
difference (OPD) directly translates into an astrometric measurement. In the
simplest case, the OPD is equal to the scalar product between the vector
linking the two telescopes and the normalized vector pointing toward the star.
However, a too simple interpretation of this scalar product leads to seemingly
conflicting results, called here "the baseline paradox". For micro-arcsecond
accuracy astrometry, we have to model in full the metrology measurement. It
involves a complex system subject to many optical effects: from pure baseline
errors to static, quasi-static and high order optical aberrations. The goal of
this paper is to present the strategy used by the "General Relativity Analysis
via VLT InTerferometrY" instrument (GRAVITY) to minimize the biases introduced
by these defects. It is possible to give an analytical formula on how the
baselines and tip-tilt errors affect the astrometric measurement. This formula
depends on the limit-points of three type of baselines: the wide-angle
baseline, the narrow-angle baseline, and the imaging baseline. We also,
numerically, include non-common path higher-order aberrations, whose amplitude
were measured during technical time at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer.
We end by simulating the influence of high-order common-path aberrations due to
atmospheric residuals calculated from a Monte-Carlo simulation tool for
Adaptive optics systems. The result of this work is an error budget of the
biases caused by the multiple optical imperfections, including optical
dispersion. We show that the beam stabilization through both focal and pupil
tracking is crucial to the GRAVITY system. Assuming the instrument pupil is
stabilized at a 4 cm level on M1, and a field tracking below 0.2, we
show that GRAVITY will be able to reach its objective of 10as accuracy.Comment: 14 pages. Accepted by A&
Spatially Resolved Mid-IR Imaging of the SR 21 Transition Disk
We present mid-IR observations from Gemini/TReCS that spatially resolve the
dust emission around SR 21. The protoplanetary disk around SR 21 is believed to
have a cleared gap extending from stellocentric radii of ~0.5 AU to ~20 AU,
based on modeling of the observed spectral energy distribution. Our new
observations resolve the dust emission, and our data are inconsistent with the
previous model. We require the disk to be completely cleared within ~10 AU,
without the hot inner disk spanning ~0.25-0.5 AU posited previously. To fit the
SED and mid-IR imaging data together, we propose a disk model with a large
inner hole, but with a warm companion--possibly surrounded by circumstellar
material of its own--residing near the outer edge of the cleared region. We
also discuss a model with a narrow ring included in a large cleared inner disk
region, and argue that it is difficult to reconcile with the data.Comment: 13 pages, including 3 figures. Accepted for publication by ApJ
Letter
Performance of Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistors in Saline Solution
Transistors are often envisioned as alternative transducing devices to microelectrodes to communicate with the nervous system. Independently of the selected technology, the transistors should have reliable performance when exposed to physiological conditions (37A degrees C, 5% CO2). Here, we report on the reliable performance of parylene encapsulated indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) based thin-film transistors (TFTs) after prolonged exposure to phosphate buffer saline solution in an incubator. The encapsulated IGZO TFTs (W/L = 500 mu m/20 mu m) have an ON/OFF current ratio of 10(7) and field effect mobility of 8.05 +/- A 0.78 cm(2)/Vs. The transistors operate within 4 V; their threshold voltages and subthreshold slope are similar to 1.9 V and 200 mV/decade, respectively. After weeks immersed in saline solution and at 37A degrees C, we did not observe any significant deterioration in the transistors' performance. The long-term stability of IGZO transistors at physiological conditions is a promising result in the direction of metal oxide bioelectronics
Imaging the spotty surface of Betelgeuse in the H band
This paper reports on H-band interferometric observations of Betelgeuse made
at the three-telescope interferometer IOTA. We image Betelgeuse and its
asymmetries to understand the spatial variation of the photosphere, including
its diameter, limb darkening, effective temperature, surrounding brightness,
and bright (or dark) star spots. We used different theoretical simulations of
the photosphere and dusty environment to model the visibility data. We made
images with parametric modeling and two image reconstruction algorithms: MIRA
and WISARD. We measure an average limb-darkened diameter of 44.28 +/- 0.15 mas
with linear and quadratic models and a Rosseland diameter of 45.03 +/- 0.12 mas
with a MARCS model. These measurements lead us to derive an updated effective
temperature of 3600 +/- 66 K. We detect a fully-resolved environment to which
the silicate dust shell is likely to contribute. By using two imaging
reconstruction algorithms, we unveiled two bright spots on the surface of
Betelgeuse. One spot has a diameter of about 11 mas and accounts for about 8.5%
of the total flux. The second one is unresolved (diameter < 9 mas) with 4.5% of
the total flux. Resolved images of Betelgeuse in the H band are asymmetric at
the level of a few percent. The MOLsphere is not detected in this wavelength
range. The amount of measured limb-darkening is in good agreement with model
predictions. The two spots imaged at the surface of the star are potential
signatures of convective cells.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, references
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