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July 01, 2024 article Open access Aachen paper

GRAVITY for MATISSE

Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 688, pp. A190

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202449702 Full text (OA) OpenAlex

Abstract

Context. MATISSE, the mid-infrared spectro-imaging instrument of VLTI, was designed to deliver its designed performance when paired with an external second-generation fringe tracker. Science observations started in 2019, demonstrating imaging capabilities and faint science target observations. Now, the GRAVITY fringe tracker stabilises the MATISSE fringes, which allows the use of all spectroscopic modes and improves sensitivity and data accuracy. Aims. We present how the MATISSE and GRAVITY instruments were adapted to make the GRAVITY fringe tracker work with MATISSE, under the umbrella of the aptly named GRA4MAT project, led by ESO in collaboration with the two instrument consortia. Methods. We detail the software modifications needed to implement an acquisition and observing sequence specific to GRA4MAT, including simultaneous fringe tracking and chopping and a narrow off-axis capability inspired by the Galactic Centre and exoplanet capability of GRAVITY. We explain the modified data collection and reduction processes. We show how we leveraged the recent fringe tracker upgrade to implement features specific to its use with MATISSE, for example mitigation of fringe jumps with an improved group delay control, and simultaneous fringe tracking and chopping with a new state machine. Results. We successfully demonstrate significant improvements to the MATISSE instrument. Observations can now be performed at higher spectral resolutions of up to R ~ 3300 and across the full LM bands at once. Long detector integration times, made possible with stabilised fringes, have improved the LM-band sensitivity by a factor of 10. Low flux biases in coherently reduced N-band data have been eliminated. The L-band transfer function is now higher and more stable. We finally illustrate the scientific potential of GRA4MAT with a preview of the first exoplanet observation made by MATISSE on β Pictoris b.

Authors 25

  1. Julien M. Woillez

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

    ESO - European Southern Observatory (Karl-Schwarzchild Str. 2 D-85748 Garching bei München - Germany)

  2. R. Petrov

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  3. R. Abuter

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

  4. F. Allouche

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur · European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    ESO - European Southern Observatory [Santiago] (Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 - Chile)

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  5. P. Berio

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  6. R. Dembet

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

  7. F. Eisenhauer

    Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

  8. Frédéric Gonté

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

  9. X. Haubois

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Vitacura, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago de Chile, Chile

  10. M. Houllé

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  11. W. Jaffe Aachen

    Leiden University · Leiden Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Observatory, Huygens Laboratory, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands

    Universiteit Leiden = Leiden University (Leiden University | 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands - Netherlands)

  12. S. Lacour

    European Southern Observatory · Observatoire de Paris

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

    Observatoire de Paris (61 Av de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS - France)

  13. S. Lagarde

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  14. J. Leftley

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  15. Begoña López López

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  16. A. Matter

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  17. A. Meilland

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  18. F. Millour

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  19. Mathias Nowak

    University of Cambridge

    Affiliation as printed

    Kavli Institute for Cosmology, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK

  20. C. Paladini

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Vitacura, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago de Chile, Chile

  21. Th. Rivinius

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Vitacura, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago de Chile, Chile

  22. D. Salabert

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Côte d'Azur · Lagrange Laboratory · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

    Affiliation as printed

    Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd. de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice cedex 4, France

    LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (Boulevard de l'Observatoire B.P. 4229 06304 Nice Cedex 04 - France - France)

  23. Nicolas Schuhler

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Vitacura, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago de Chile, Chile

  24. J. Varga

    Konkoly Observatory · HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences

    Affiliation as printed

    HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Konkoly Observatory, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 15–17, 1121 Budapest, Hungary

  25. G. Zins

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    ESO Vitacura, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago de Chile, Chile

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