SPHERE ZIMPOL: overview and performance simulation

Christian Thalmann; Hans M. Schmid; Anthony Boccaletti; David Mouillet; Kjetil Dohlen; Ronald Roelfsema; Marcel Carbillet; Daniel Gisler; Jean-Luc Beuzit; Markus Feldt; Raffaele Gratton; Franco Joos; Christoph U. Keller; Jan Kragt; Johan H. Pragt; Pascal Puget; Florence Rigal; Frans Snik; Rens Waters; François Wildi

doi:10.1117/12.789158

25 July 2008 SPHERE ZIMPOL: overview and performance simulation

Christian Thalmann, Hans M. Schmid, Anthony Boccaletti, David Mouillet, Kjetil Dohlen, Ronald Roelfsema, Marcel Carbillet, Daniel Gisler, Jean-Luc Beuzit, Markus Feldt, Raffaele Gratton, Franco Joos, Christoph U. Keller, Jan Kragt, Johan H. Pragt, Pascal Puget, Florence Rigal, Frans Snik, Rens Waters, François Wildi

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7014, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II; 70143F (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789158
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

The ESO planet finder instrument SPHERE will search for the polarimetric signature of the reflected light from extrasolar planets, using a VLT telescope, an extreme AO system (SAXO), a stellar coronagraph, and an imaging polarimeter (ZIMPOL). We present the design concept of the ZIMPOL instrument, a single-beam polarimeter that achieves very high polarimetric accuracy using fast polarization modulation and demodulating CCD detectors. Furthermore, we describe comprehensive performance simulations made with the CAOS problem-solving environment. We conclude that direct detection of Jupiter-sized planets in close orbit around the brightest nearby stars is achievable with imaging polarimetry, signal-switching calibration, and angular differential imaging.

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Christian Thalmann, Hans M. Schmid, Anthony Boccaletti, David Mouillet, Kjetil Dohlen, Ronald Roelfsema, Marcel Carbillet, Daniel Gisler, Jean-Luc Beuzit, Markus Feldt, Raffaele Gratton, Franco Joos, Christoph U. Keller, Jan Kragt, Johan H. Pragt, Pascal Puget, Florence Rigal, Frans Snik, Rens Waters, and François Wildi "SPHERE ZIMPOL: overview and performance simulation", Proc. SPIE 7014, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II, 70143F (25 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789158

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