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Sebastien Vievard

Publications and source records attributed to Sebastien Vievard.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Addressing the low-wind effect with the Lyot-based low-order wavefront sensor on SCExAO

The Low-Wind Effect (LWE) is a well-known issue that affects the coronagraphic capabilities of instruments optimized to take direct images of exoplanets. This effect is prominent in segmented and obstructed pupils with spider arms, causing differential pistons due to phase discontinuities and, in some cases, tip-tilt errors under low-wind conditions. LWE-induced low-order errors contribute to coronagraphic leakage and reduce the exoplanet detection sensitivity of direct imaging instruments. Solutions to mitigate the impact of LWE have been developed in both passive mode, such as coating the spider arms with low-emissivity material, and active mode using wavefront sensors (WFS). The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) instrument at the Subaru Telescope also attempted to mitigate LWE by testing several dedicated WFS. Such techniques, when tested on SCExAO, have proven their ability to measure and correct LWE; however, most remain incompatible with SCExAO's coronagraphic imaging modes. Addressing the need for an efficient solution that can correct LWE in coronagraphic observing modes, we revisited the coronagraphic WFS on SCExAO, known as the Lyot-based Low-order Wavefront Sensor (LLOWFS). LLOWFS utilizes the unused starlight reflected off the Lyot stop and is a well-proven technique that can prevent coronagraphic leaks by sensing low-order errors in a re-imaged focal plane or pupil plane downstream of the focal plane mask. We present the machine-learned LLOWFS's initial on-sky measurement and control of the differential piston aberrations induced by the LWE downstream of a Lyot coronagraph in SCExAO's infrared arm. Preliminary LLOWFS corrections of LWE in the coronagraphic mode are encouraging and would leverage future high-contrast performance of SCExAO, enabling the detection of mature exoplanets at small angular separations.

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The Photonic Lantern Nuller: from concept to laboratory and on-sky demonstrations

This thesis work presents the conceptual design and experimental characterization of the Photonic Lantern Nuller instrument, which uses a multimode-to-single-mode demultiplexing waveguide to cancel out starlight while maintaining planet light, allowing for the direct characterization of planets at a telescope's diffraction limit. The PLN was experimentally characterized in the lab, where it was further enhanced using common-path wavefront sensing and control techniques, and then demonstrated on sky at the Subaru Telescope. Highlights include measured in-lab null-depths of $\sim 10^{-4}$ in three out of four ports simultaneously and on-sky null-depths of approximately $\sim 10^{-1}$ (limited by jitter and atmospheric residuals). We provide an overview of these results and discuss avenues for future work.

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Instrumental artifacts in photonic lantern spectroastrometry and their mitigation with PLred

Spectroastrometry is a powerful spectral-differential technique for probing angular scales below the resolution limit, but it is also well known to be susceptible to instrumental artifacts that can mimic or obscure real signals. In photonic lantern spectroastrometry, recently demonstrated on-sky with Subaru/FIRST-PL, the astrometric signal is encoded in relative flux variations between lantern outputs rather than in centroid shifts along a slit. This changes the artifact landscape: some slit-based spectroastrometric artifacts are avoided, but new artifact mechanisms emerge, including detector nonlinearity and spectral extraction errors, which can produce spurious features on emission or absorption lines. These lessons directly informed the design of PLred, an open source Python package for photonic lantern data reduction and instrument-agnostic spectral-differential image reconstruction. We describe the origin of these artifacts and the key pipeline design choices used to mitigate them.

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SCExAO/CHARIS High-Contrast Pre-Launch Vetting of Roman Coronagraph Technology Demonstration PSF Reference Stars

We present deep, SCExAO/CHARIS high-contrast integral field spectroscopy and archival imaging of four candidate Roman Coronagraph PSF reference stars within/near the Roman Continuous Viewing Zone and potentially suitable for the Coronagraph's key technology demonstration targets HIP 71618 and HIP 54515. For CHARIS data, we achieve 5-$\sigma$ contrasts down to $\sim$1.4$\times$10$^{-5}$, $\sim$6$\times$10$^{-6}$, and 10$^{-6}$ to 4$\times$10$^{-7}$ at 0\farcs{}16, 0\farcs{}25, and 0\farcs{}5 to 1\arcsec{}. Companion mass limits rule out brown dwarfs at $\rho$ $\sim$ 0\farcs{}15--0\farcs{}25 and massive planets at wider separations around all targets. More critically, for three of the four references our analysis disfavors companions with $V$ band contrasts brighter than 10$^{-8}$, 10$^{-9}$, and $10^{-10}$ at 0\farcs{}15, 0\farcs{}3, and 1$\arcsec{}$. Unless these targets have faint substellar companions within $\rho$ $\sim$ 0\farcs{}15, they likely lack background stars or companions that could corrupt the Roman Coronagraph's dark hole digging to preclude detecting reflected-light planets. For $\alpha$ Cep, our limits are a factor of $\sim$10 worse but still meet the TTR5 limit of 10$^{-7}$ beyond $\rho$ $\sim$ 0\farcs{}25: beyond 0\farcs{}4, they exclude a Jupiter-twin reflected-light companion (10$^{-9}$). Archival Keck/NIRC2 data likewise find no substellar companions with $\Delta$V $>$ 10$^{-8}$ at wider separations. Finally, we assess the observability of HIP 71618 and HIP 54515 -- updated for Roman's launch date of August 30, 2026. Adding $\gamma$ Boo -- not currently in the Roman CPP team reference-star list -- would improve schedulability for the tech demo's key targets.

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Technology and Science Advancing Observations with Roman Coronagraph Informed by Ground-Based High-Contrast Imaging

The Roman Coronagraph technology demonstration focuses on achieving $<$ 10$^{-7}$ contrasts within the instrument's dark hole and our ability to detect and characterize properties of faint companions around bright stars. Here, we describe results from a study of potential Roman Coronagraph technology demonstration phase observations focused on these goals, informed by the ongoing OASIS survey at the Subaru Telescope and precursor survey work. OASIS provides at least three compelling targets for the technology demonstration phase with imaged companions - the HIP 71618 B brown dwarf and superjovian planets HIP 54515 b and HIP 99770 b. HIP 71618 is well suited for demonstrating the Coronagraph's core performance requirement while all three targets are well suited for spectroscopic mode observations. Each target can be paired with a PSF reference star vetted for companions. While HIP 71618 and HIP 54515 are already planned for Technology Demonstration phase observations, we describe the programmatic and scientific value of adding spectroscopic mode observations of HIP 99770 as well.

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He'e-Lab: A modular testbed for astrophotonics and wavefront sensing development

Advanced astronomical instrumentation requires accessible, reconfigurable platforms to validate novel technologies and algorithms before on-sky deployment. We present the design, architecture, and alignment validation of the Hawaii Experimental Engineering Lab (He'e-Lab), a state-of-the-art modular testbed dedicated to two complementary research tracks: (A) the integration and characterization of astrophotonics components within a real-time computing loop, and (B) the development of advanced wavefront sensing and control (WFS&C) algorithms. The testbed features a broadband supercontinuum source (500 nm to 2 microns), a high-order 1k-actuator Boston Micromachines deformable mirror, and a 37-segment hexagonal mirror assembly providing piston-tip-tilt control to emulate segmented apertures like Keck and JWST. Downstream capabilities include a HASO 126 Shack-Hartmann sensor, a real-time computing environment driven by the CACAO package, and a modular injection platform coupled to a visible-wavelength spectrograph (R3, 000). We report on the successful system alignment and outline the roadmap for upcoming adaptive optics and photonic device validation frameworks.

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FIRST-PL: Commissioning the first visible photonic lantern spectrograph for sub-diffraction-limit astronomy on Subaru/SCExAO

FIRST-PL (Fibered Imager foR a Single Telescope - Photonic Lantern) is a newly commissioned visible-light instrument on Subaru/SCExAO achieving spectroscopy below the diffraction limit. The instrument uses a Photonic Lantern (PL)-converting multimode fiber into 19 single-mode outputs-feeding a mid-resolution spectrograph (R 3000, 630-790 nm). On-sky performance demonstrates 40% injection efficiency at 680 nm (Strehl 30%) and 12x throughput improvement over single-mode fibers. Three operational modes enable spectro-astrometry (50 microarcseconds precision demonstrated on beta-CMi), image reconstruction, and high-contrast imaging. FIRST-PL represents a significant advancement in high-throughput photonic instrumentation.

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Updating the SCExAO/CHARIS polarimetric calibration following the Nasmyth beam-switcher upgrade

Subaru/SCExAO/CHARIS enables near-infrared integral field spectropolarimetry. Quantitative polarimetry is useful for a variety of science cases, particularly measurements related to dust grain properties in circumstellar disks. This capability requires correcting for polarization effects from the optical path via a Mueller matrix model. We present an updated model accounting for the recently installed SCExAO near-infrared wavefront sensor YJH50 dichroic beamsplitter and the major Subaru Nasmyth beam-switcher upgrade. Using internal light source measurements from before and after the beam switcher installation, we find an elliptical retarder model for the image derotator improves polarimetric accuracy over the previous linear retarder model. We additionally find the YJH50 dichroic produces faint polarization effects that we cannot characterize with our Mueller matrix modeling capabilities, and that the Nasmyth beam-switcher has minimal polarization effects other than inducing a sign flip in Q and V polarized light. Using unpolarized standard star calibration measurements, we fit the diattenuation of Subaru's tertiary mirror as a function of wavelength and find that the diattenuation has increased since the previous CHARIS calibration. We calculate that the polarimetric accuracy of the model in the degree of linear polarization ranges from 0.02% to 0.12% for a 1% polarized target. This model update will soon be incorporated into CHARIS's data processing pipeline, and should be used for any polarimetric data taken after the Nasmyth beam-switcher update in October 2025. Additionally, we provide the code for this calibration as part of an open-source Python package for polarimetric calibration called pyPolCal, enabling straightforward re-calibration of the system after any future changes, e.g. the recent recoating of M3.

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Revealing {\alpha}-Element's Past with Subaru/IRD: Oxygen Abundance of 35 Very Metal-Poor Stars from Near-IR OH lines

Oxygen abundances in very and extremely metal-poor (V/EMP) stars provide critical constraints on early massive stars' nucleosynthesis. An Oxygen abundance analysis is presented for 35 V/EMP stars (-4.0<[Fe/H]< -1.5) using near-infrared H-band OH vibro-rotational lines from high-resolution Subaru/IRD spectra. To examine the reliability of these NIR OH lines, the results are compared with the abundances obtained from the 3D/NLTE-insensitive forbidden [OI] 6300{\AA} line using archival high-resolution optical spectra. After homogeneously rederiving stellar parameters and 1D/NLTE Fe abundances using Gaia photo-astrometry and literature optical Fe equivalent width data, oxygen abundance from OH and [OI] lines is determined through 1D/LTE spectral synthesis. A sensitivity analysis confirms that near-IR OH lines are highly sensitive to the adopted temperature compared to the forbidden line. A temperature-dependent discrepancy between the tracers is identified: in cool red giants (Teff <4600 K), OH-based abundances are systematically lower than [OI]-based abundance by 0.05 to 0.25 dex, while warmer red giants show higher OH-based abundances as expected from 3D effects. Despite this systematic offset, the numerous measurable NIR OH lines yield significantly smaller random abundance errors than that of the single, weak [OI] line. Leveraging this statistical precision, an empirical calibration as a function of Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and [C/Fe] is derived to align the 1D/LTE OH abundances onto the [OI] scale. Applying this correction substantially reduces the scatter and temperature dependence in the [O/Fe] versus [Fe/H] plane and flattens the trend, bringing the results into fairly good agreement with Galactic chemical evolution models.

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Combining spectroscopy and wavefront control at deep contrast with photonic lanterns

HWO aims to directly image objects orbiting Sun-like stars, using a 6-m telescope capable of high-contrast imaging ($10^{-10}$) and spectroscopy to search for biosignatures in planets located in the habitable zone. Recent laboratory demonstrations and ground-based telescope projects have shown the effectiveness of SMFs in spectroscopy, paving the way for SMF-fed spectrographs in future space missions like HWO. SMFs enhance spectral stability and reduce modal noise. HWO spectroscopy will need extended integration times, potentially lasting weeks. During these observations, the wavefront must be precisely measured and maintained to achieve the deep contrast and robust calibration of starlight contamination necessary for exoplanet characterization. We show that photonic lanterns (PLs) are ideally suited to meet these requirements. PLs are compact devices that couple light over a broader angular range than SMFs, ensuring higher throughput, converting a multimode input into multiple single-mode outputs. Positioned at the focal plane, they measure the complex amplitude of the coherent starlight within $\sim$ 2 l/D of the planet image, acting as compact wavefront sensors. Among the different variants of PLs that have emerged, the Hybrid-Mode Selective Photonic Lantern (HMSPL) is particularly attractive, as it directs object light into a central SMF feeding a mid-R spectrograph for exoplanet spectroscopy, while the adjacent SMFs route surrounding speckle light to a low-R spectrograph for rapid wavefront sensing. This dual function eliminates non-common path aberrations, optimizing injection efficiency and background suppression. We introduce HMSPL's dual role and planned tests at UTSA's high-contrast imaging lab and at SCExAO at the Subaru Telescope.

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Discovery of a Low-Mass Companion to the Accelerating Star HIP 53005 with Strongly Conflicting Mass Estimates

We present the discovery of a low-mass companion located at $\rho$ $\sim$ 0\farcs{}85 ($r_{\rm proj} \approx 62~au$) from the early-type 1.2 Gyr-old star HIP 53005 using direct imaging data from the Subaru and Keck Telescopes and astrometry from the Hipparcos-Gaia Catalog of Accelerations. The companion, HIP 53005 C, is a component of a multiple system also including a $\approx$ 12\farcs{}4-separation M dwarf companion inducing a negligible proper motion acceleration. HIP~53005 C's position on color-magnitude diagrams, the fit of its spectral energy distribution to atmosphere models, and its location on an empirical mass-magnitude diagram all suggest that it lies at the M/L transition and near the hydrogen-burning limit ($\sim80~M_{\rm Jup}$). However, our orbital fitting combining direct-imaging relative astrometry with proper motion acceleration favors a much higher dynamical mass of $\sim185\ M_{\rm Jup}$. An additional unseen, more closely-orbiting companion below the detection limit (at $\rho\lesssim0\farcs2$)) may explain this discrepancy. Alternatively, HIP~53005C could be a low-mass binary like Gliese~229Bab, making this system an intriguing laboratory for studying multiple star formation.

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Direct Imaging Explorations for Companions from the Subaru/IRD Strategic Program II; Discovery of a Brown-dwarf Companion around a Nearby mid-M~dwarf LSPM~J1446+4633

We report the discovery of a new directly-imaged brown dwarf companion with Keck/NIRC2+pyWFS around a nearby mid-type M~dwarf LSPM~J1446+4633 (hereafter J1446). The $L'$-band contrast ($4.5\times10^{-3}$) is consistent with a $\sim20-60\ M_{\rm Jup}$ object at 1--10~Gyr and our two-epoch NIRC2 data suggest a $\sim30\%$ ($\sim3.1\sigma)$ variability in its $L'$-band flux. We incorporated Gaia DR3 non-single-star catalog into the orbital fitting by combining the Subaru/IRD RV monitoring results, NIRC2 direct imaging results, and Gaia proper motion acceleration. As a result, we derive ${59.8}_{-1.4}^{+1.5}\ M_{\rm Jup}$ and $\approx4.3~{\rm au}$ for the dynamical mass and the semi-major axis of the companion J1446B, respectively. J1446B is one of the intriguing late-T~dwarfs showing variability at $L'$-band for future atmospheric studies with the constrained dynamical mass. Because the J1446 system is accessible with various observation techniques such as astrometry, direct imaging, and high-resolution spectroscopy including radial velocity measurement, it has a potential as a great benchmark system to improve our understanding for cool dwarfs.

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Multi-band Spectral and Astrometric Characterization of the HIP 99770 b Planet with SCExAO/CHARIS and Gaia

We present and analyze follow-up, higher resolution ($R$ $\sim$ 70) $H$ and $K$ band integral field spectroscopy of the superjovian exoplanet HIP 99770 b with SCExAO/CHARIS. Our new data recover the companion at a high signal-to-noise ratio in both bandpasses and more than double the astrometric baseline for its orbital motion. Jointly modeling HIP 99770 b's position and the star's astrometry from Hipparcos and Gaia yields orbital parameters consistent with those from the discovery paper, albeit with smaller errors, and a slight preference for a smaller semimajor axis ($\sim$15.7--15.8 au)and a larger eccentricity ($\sim$0.28--0.29), disfavoring a circular orbit. We revise its dynamical mass slightly downwards to 15.0$_{-4.4}^{+4.5}$ $M_{\rm Jup}$ for a flat prior and 13.1$_{-5.2}^{+4.8}$ $M_{\rm Jup}$ for a more standard log-uniform mass prior, where the inclusion of its relative radial-velocity measurement is primarily responsible for these changes. We find consistent results for HIP 99770 b's dynamical mass including recent VLTI/GRAVITY astrometry, albeit with a slightly smaller, better constrained eccentricity of $e$ $\sim$ 0.22$^{+0.10}_{-0.13}$. HIP 99770 b is a $\sim$ 1300 K object at the L/T transition with a gravity intermediate between that of the HR 8799 planets and older, more massive field brown dwarfs with similar temperatures but with hints of equilibrium chemistry. HIP 99770 b is particularly well suited for spectroscopic follow up with Roman CGI during the technology demonstration phase at 730 nm to further constrain its metallicity and chemistry; JWST thermal infrared observations could likewise explore the planet's carbon chemistry, metallicity, and clouds.

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Unveiling the Atmosphere of HR 7672 B from the Near-Infrared High-Resolution Spectrum Using REACH/Subaru

Characterizing the atmospheres of exoplanets and brown dwarfs is crucial for understanding their atmospheric physics and chemistry, searching for biosignatures, and investigating their formation histories. Recent advances in observational techniques, combining adaptive optics with high-resolution spectrographs, have enabled detailed spectroscopic analysis for directly imaged faint companions. In this paper, we report an atmospheric retrieval on the L-type brown dwarf HR 7672 B using a near-infrared high-contrast high-resolution spectrograph, REACH (Y, J, H band, $R\sim100,000$), which combines SCExAO with IRD at the Subaru Telescope. Our model, developed based on the ExoJAX spectrum code, simultaneously accounts for several factors, including the presence of clouds in the L dwarf's atmosphere as well as contamination from the host star's light and telluric absorption lines in the observed spectra. Our analysis identified H2O and FeH as the primary absorbers in the observed J- and H-band spectra. Additionally, the observed features were reproduced with a model that includes cloud opacity, assuming an optically thick cloud at the pressure $P_\mathrm{top}$. The resulting temperature at the cloud top pressure suggests the potential formation of clouds composed of TiO2, Al2O3, or Fe. This study is the first science demonstration for faint spectra obtained by REACH, providing a foundation for future investigations into the atmospheres of exoplanets and brown dwarfs.

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Elemental abundances of 44 very metal-poor stars determined from Subaru/IRD near-infrared spectra

Abundances of five elements, Na, Mg, Al, Si, and Sr, are investigated for 44 very metal-poor stars (-4.0 < [Fe/H] < -1.5) in the Galactic halo system based on an Local Thermodinamic Equilibrium (LTE) analysis of high-resolution near-infrared spectra obtained with the Infrared Doppler instrument (IRD) on the Subaru Telescope. Mg and Si abundances are determined for all 44 stars. The Si abundances are determined from up to 29 lines, which provide reliable abundance ratios compared to previous results from a few optical lines. The Mg and Si of these stars are over-abundant, relative to iron, and are well-explained by chemical-evolution models. No significant scatter is found in the abundance ratios of both elements with respect to iron, except for a few outliers. The small scatter of the abundance ratios of these elements provides constraints on the variations of stellar and supernova's yields at very low metallicity. Al abundances are determined for 27 stars from near-infrared lines (e.g., 1312nm), which are expected to be less affected by non-LTE (NLTE) effects than optical resonance lines. The average of the [Al/Fe] ratios is close to the solar value, and no dependence on metallicity is found over -3.0 < [Fe/H] < -2.0. Na abundances are determined for 12 stars; they exhibit Solar abundance ratios and no dependence on metallicity. The Sr abundances determined from the Sr II triplet are significantly higher than those from the optical resonance lines obtained by previous studies for our sample. This discrepancy shows a clear dependence on temperature and surface gravity, supporting models that predict large NLTE effects on the near-infrared lines for metal-poor red giants.

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SCExAO/CHARIS Near-Infrared Scattered-Light Imaging and Integral Field Spectropolarimetry of the AB Aurigae Protoplanetary System

We analyze near-infrared integral field spectropolarimetry of the AB Aurigae protoplanetary disk and protoplanet (AB Aur b), obtained with SCExAO/CHARIS in 22 wavelength channels covering the J, H, and K passbands ($\lambda_{\rm o}$ = 1.1--2.4 $\mu m$) over angular separations of $\rho$ $\approx$ 0.13" to 1.1" ($\sim$20--175 au). Our images resolve spiral structures in the disk in each CHARIS channel. At the longest wavelengths, the data may reveal an extension of the western spiral seen in previous polarimetric data at $\rho$ $<$ 0.3" out to larger distances clockwise from the protoplanet AB Aur b, coincident with the ALMA-detected $CO$ gas spiral. While AB Aur b is detectable in complementary total intensity data, it is a non-detection in polarized light at $\lambda$ $>$ 1.3 $\mu $m. While the observed disk color is extremely red across $JHK$, the disk has a blue intrinsic scattering color consistent with small dust grains. The disk's polarization spectrum is redder than AB Aur b's total intensity spectrum. The polarization fraction peaks at $\sim$ 0.6 along the major disk axis. Radiative transfer modeling of the CHARIS data shows that small, porous dust grains with a porosity of $p$ = 0.6--0.8 better reproduce the scattered-light appearance of the disk than more compact spheres ($p$ = 0.3), especially the polarization fraction. This work demonstrates the utility of integral field spectropolarimetry to characterize structures in protoplanetary disks and elucidate the properties of the disks' dust.

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Design, scientific goals, and performance of the SCExAO survey for planets around accelerating stars

We describe the motivation, design, and early results for our 42-night, 125 star Subaru/SCExAO direct imaging survey for planets around accelerating stars. Unlike prior large surveys, ours focuses only on stars showing evidence for an astrometric acceleration plausibly due to the dynamical pull of an unseen planet or brown dwarf. Our program is motivated by results from a recent pilot program that found the first planet jointly discovered from direct imaging and astrometry and resulted in a planet and brown dwarf discovery rate substantially higher than previous unbiased surveys like GPIES. The first preliminary results from our program reveal multiple new companions; discovered planets and brown dwarfs can be further characterized with follow-up data, including higher-resolution spectra. Finally, we describe the critical role this program plays in supporting the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraphic Instrument, providing a currently-missing list of targets suitable for the CGI technological demonstration without which the CGI tech demo risks failure.

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Spectral interferometric wavefront sensing: a solution for petalometry at Subaru/SCExAO

The petaling effect, induced by pupil fragmentation from the telescope spider, drastically affects the performance of high contrast instruments by inducing core splitting on the PSF. Differential piston/tip/tilt aberrations within each optically separated fragment of the pupil are poorly measured by commonly used Adaptive Optics (AO) systems. We here pursue a design of dedicated low-order wavefront sensor -- or petalometers -- to complement the main AO. Interferometric devices sense differential aberrations between fragments with optimal sensitivity; their weakness though is their limitation to wrapped phase measurements. We show that by combining multiple spectral channels, we increase the capture range for petaling aberrations beyond several microns, enough to disambiguate one-wave wrapping errors made by the main AO system. We propose here to implement a petalometer from the multi-wavelength imaging mode of the VAMPIRES visible-light instrument, deployed on SCExAO at the Subaru Telescope. The interferometric measurements obtained in four spectral channels through a 7 hole non-redundant mask allow us to effiiently reconstruct diffierential piston between pupil petals.

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