The Gemini planet imager: First light and commissioning

Bruce A. MacIntosh, Andre Anthony, Jenny Atwood, Brian Bauman, Andrew Cardwell, Kris Caputa, Jeffery Chilcote, Robert J. De Rosa, Daren Dillon, René Doyon, Jennifer Dunn, Darren Erickson, Michael P. Fitzgerald, Donald T. Gavel, Ramon Galvez, Stephen Goodsell, James Graham, Alexandra Z. Greenbaum, Markus Hartung, Pascale HibonPatrick Ingraham, Dan Kerley, Quinn Konopacky, Kathleen Labrie, James Larkin, Jerome Maire, Franck Marchis, Christian Marois, Max Millar-Blanchaer, Katie Morzinski, Arturo Nunez, Rebecca Oppenheimer, David Palmer, John Pazder, Marshall Perrin, Lisa A. Poyneer, Laurent Pueyo, Carlos Quiroz, Fredrik Rantakyro, Vlad Reshetov, Les Saddlemyer, Naru Sadakuni, Dmitry Savransky, Andrew Serio, Anand Sivaramakrishnan, Malcolm Smith, Remi Soummer, Sandrine Thomas, J. K. Wallace, Jason Wang, Jason Weiss, Sloane Wiktorowicz, Schuyler G. Wolff

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is a facility extreme-AO high-contrast instrument - optimized solely for study of faint companions - on the Gemini telescope. It combines a high-order MEMS AO system (1493 active actuators), an apodized pupil Lyot coronagraph, a high-accuracy IR post-coronagraph wavefront sensor, and a near-infrared integral field spectrograph. GPI incorporates several other novel features such as ultra-high quality optics, a spatially-filtered wavefront sensor, and new calibration techniques. GPI had first light in November 2013. This paper presnets results of first-light and performance verification and optimization and shows early science results including extrasolar planet spectra and polarimetric detection of the HR4696A disk. GPI is now achieving contrasts approaching 10-6 at 0.5" in 30 minute exposures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdaptive Optics Systems IV
EditorsJean-Pierre Veran, Enrico Marchetti, Laird M. Close
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9780819496164
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
EventAdaptive Optics Systems IV - Montreal, Canada
Duration: Jun 22 2014Jun 27 2014

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume9148
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceAdaptive Optics Systems IV
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal
Period6/22/146/27/14

Keywords

  • Adaptive optics; extrasolar planets; coronagraphy; integral field spectrograph

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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