arXiv subjects

Alex Bichkovsky

Publications and source records attributed to Alex Bichkovsky.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The SOXS Spectrograph Instrument Control Software

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a new spectrograph for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), recently installed at the New Technology Telescope (NTT) at the La Silla Observatory, Chile. The main instrument goal consists in the characterization of transient sources, based on alerts. It covers from (partially) ultra-violet to visible and near-infrared bands, with a spectral resolution of R $\sim 4500$, using two separate, wavelength-optimized spectrographs. A scientific grade visible camera, primarily intended for target acquisition, also provides a "light imaging" mode. In this paper, we present the design of the SOXS Instrument Control Software, which is in charge of controlling all motors, calibration lamps and detectors, monitoring sensors and components' status, coordinating the execution of exposures, and implementing all observation, calibration and maintenance procedures. Given the extensive experience of the SOXS consortium in the development of instruments for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), we decided to base the design of the Control System on the same standards, both for hardware and software control. We illustrate the control network, the instrument functions and detectors to be controlled, the overall design of SOXS Instrument Software (INS) and its main components. Then, we provide details about the control software for the most SOXS-specific components, and peculiar features: the piezoelectric tip-tilt corrector used for active compensation of mechanical flexures of the instrument; the cryogenic piezoelectric slit exchanger for the NIR spectrograph; the co-rotator monitoring system; and the control of the Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS)- based imaging camera.

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arXiv2024

HighSpec: A High-Resolution Spectrograph for the MAST Telescope Array

We present the updated design of HighSpec, a high-resolution $\mathcal{R} \sim 20,000$ spectrograph designed for the Multi Aperture Spectroscopic Telescope (MAST). HighSpec offers three observing modes centered at the Ca II H&K, Mg b triplet, and H$\alpha$ lines. Each mode is supported by a highly optimized ion-etched grating, contributing to an exceptional instrument peak efficiency of $\gtrsim85\%$ for the two latter bands ($\gtrsim55\%$ for the Ca II H&K band). Optimizing throughput over wavelength coverage ($\Delta \lambda=10-17$ nm), HighSpec enables the precise measurement of spectral lines from faint targets. This approach is especially relevant for stellar object studies, specifically of WDs, which are intrinsically faint and have few spectroscopic lines. Each observing mode was tailored to target spectral features essential for WD research. Its integration with MAST, an array of 20 custom-designed telescopes that can function as a single large telescope (equivalent to a $2.7$ m telescope in collecting area) or multiplexing over the entire sky, provides unique adaptability for extensive and effective spectroscopic campaigns. Currently in its final assembly and testing stages, HighSpec's on-sky commissioning is scheduled for 2025.

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arXiv2024

The SOXS Instrument Control Software approaching the PAE

The Instrument Control Software of SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter), the forthcoming spectrograph for the ESO New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory, has reached a mature state of development and is approaching the crucial Preliminary Acceptance in Europe phase. Now that all the subsystems have been integrated in the laboratories of the Padova Astronomical Observatory, the team operates for testing purposes with the whole instrument at both engineering and scientific level. These activities will make use of a set of software peculiarities that will be discussed in this contribution. In particular, we focus on the synoptic panel, the co-rotator system special device, on the Active Flexure Compensation system which controls two separate piezo tip-tilt devices.

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arXiv2024

Automated scheduler for the SOXS instrument: design and performance

We present the advancements in the development of the scheduler for the Son Of X-shooter instrument at the ESO-NTT 3.58-m telescope in La Silla, Chile. SOXS is designed as a single-object spectroscopic facility and features a high-efficiency spectrograph with two arms covering the spectral range of 350-2000 nm and a mean resolving power of approximately R=4500. It will conduct UV-visible and near-infrared follow-up observations of astrophysical transients, drawing from a broad pool of targets accessible through the streaming services of wide-field telescopes, both current and future, as well as high-energy satellites. The instrument will cater to various scientific objectives within the astrophysical community, each entailing specific requirements for observation planning. SOXS will operate at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in La Silla, without the presence of astronomers on the mountain. This poses a unique challenge for the scheduling process, demanding a fully automated algorithm that is autonomously interacting with the appropriate databases and the La Silla Weather API, and is capable of presenting the operator not only with an ordered list of optimal targets (in terms of observing constraints) but also with optimal backups in the event of changing weather conditions. This imposes the necessity for a scheduler with rapid-response capabilities without compromising the optimization process, ensuring the high quality of observations and best use of the time at the telescope. We thus developed a new highly available and scalable architecture, implementing API Restful applications like Docker Containers, API Gateway, and Python-based Flask frameworks. We provide an overview of the current state of the scheduler, which is now ready for the approaching on-site testing during Commissioning phase, along with insights into its web interface and preliminary performance tests.

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arXiv2024

The integration of the SOXS control electronics towards the PAE

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is the new single object spectrograph for the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT) at the La Silla Observatory, able to cover simultaneously both the UV-VIS and NIR bands (350-2000 nm). The instrument is currently in the integration and test phase, approaching the Preliminary Acceptance in Europe (PAE) before shipment to Chile for commissioning. After the assembly and preliminary test of the control electronics at INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte (Napoli), the two main control cabinets of SOXS are now hosted in Padova, connected to the real hardware. This contribution describes the final electronic cabinets layout, the control strategy and the different integration phases, waiting for the Preliminary Acceptance in Europe and the installation of the instrument in Chile.

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