Design and construction of absorption cells for precision radial velocities in the K band using methane isotopologues
Article
Article Title | Design and construction of absorption cells for precision radial velocities in the K band using methane isotopologues |
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ERA Journal ID | 1082 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Anglada-Escude, Guillem (Author), Plavchan, Peter (Author), Mills, Sean (Author), Gao, Peter (Author), Garcia-Berrios, Edgardo (Author), Lewis, Nathan S. (Author), Sung, Keeyoon (Author), Ciardi, David (Author), Beichman, Chas (Author), Brinkworth, Carolyn (Author), Johnson, John (Author), Davison, Cassy (Author), White, Russel (Author) and Prato, Lisa (Author) |
Journal Title | Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
Journal Citation | 124 (916), pp. 586-597 |
Number of Pages | 12 |
Year | 2012 |
Publisher | IOP Publishing |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 0004-6280 |
1538-3873 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1086/666489 |
Web Address (URL) | http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/666489 |
Abstract | We present a method to optimize absorption cells for precise wavelength calibration in the nearinfrared. We apply it to design and optimize methane isotopologue cells for precision radial velocity measurements in the K band. We also describe the construction and installation of two such cells for the CSHELL spectrograph at NASA's IRTF. We have obtained their high-resolution laboratory spectra, which we can then use in precision radial velocity measurements and which can also have other applications. In terms of obtainable RV precision, methane should outperform other proposed cells, such as the ammonia cell ( 14NH 3) recently demonstrated on CRIRES/VLT. The laboratory spectra of the ammonia and methane cells show strong absorption features in the H band that could also be exploited for precision Doppler measurements. We present spectra and preliminary radial velocity measurements obtained during our first-light run. These initial results show that a precision down to 20-30 m s -1 can be obtained using a wavelength interval of only 5 nm in the K band and S=N ~ 150. This supports the prediction that a precision down to a few meters per second can be achieved on late-M dwarfs using the new generation of NIR spectrographs, thus enabling the detection of terrestrial planets in their habitable zones. Doppler measurements in the NIR can also be used to mitigate the radial velocity jitter due to stellar activity, enabling more efficient surveys on young active stars. |
Keywords | Wavelength calibration; radial velocities; methane isotopologues |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 519999. Other physical sciences not elsewhere classified |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | Carnegie Institution of Washington, United States |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), United States | |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States | |
Georgia State University, United States | |
Lowell Observatory, United States | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q4325/design-and-construction-of-absorption-cells-for-precision-radial-velocities-in-the-k-band-using-methane-isotopologues
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