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Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto

Optical configuration and analysis of the AMBER/VLTI instrument

S. Robbe-Dubois, S. Lagarde, R. G. Petrov, F. Lisi, U. Beckmann, P. Antonelli, Y. Bresson, G. Martinot-Lagarde, A. Roussel, P. Salinari, M. Vannier, A. Chelli, G. Duvert, S. Gennari, P. Kern, E. Le Coarer, F. Malbet, F. Millour, K. Perraut, P. Puget, E. Tatulli, G. Weigelt, G. Zins, M. Accardo, B. Acke, K. Agabi, E. Altariba, B. Arezki, E. Aristidi, C. Baffa, J. Behrend, S. Bonhomme, S. Busoni, F. Cassaing, J.-M. Clausse, J. Colin, C. Connot, L. Delage, A. Domiciano de Sousa Jr., T. Driebe, P. Feautrier, D. Ferruzzi, T. Forveille, E. Fossat, R. Foy, D. Fraix-Burnet, A. Gallardo, E. Giani, C. Gil, A. Glentzlin, M. Heiden, M. Heininger, O. Hernandez, K.-H. Hofmann, D. Kamm, M. Kiekebusch, S. Kraus, D. Le Contel, J.-M Le Contel, T. Lesourd, B. Lopez, M. Lopez, Y. Magnard, A. Marconi, G. Mars, P. Mathias, J.-L. Monin, D. Mouillet, D. Mourard, E. Nussbaum, K. Ohnaka, J. Pacheco, C. Perrier, Y. D. Rabbia, S. Rebattu, F. Reynaud, A. Richichi, A. Robini, M. Sacchettini, D. Schertl, W. Solscheid, A. Spang, P. Stee, P. Stefanini, M. Tallon, I. Tallon-Bosc, D. Tasso, L. Testi, F. Vakili, J.-C. Valtier, N. Ventura

Abstract
Aims. This paper describes the design goals and engineering efforts that led to the realization of AMBER (Astronomical Multi BEam combineR) and to the achievement of its present performance.
Methods. On the basis of the general instrumental concept, AMBER was decomposed into modules whose functions and detailed characteristics are given. Emphasis is put on the spatial filtering system, a key element of the instrument. We established a budget for transmission and contrast degradation through the different modules, and made the detailed optical design. The latter confirmed the overall performance of the instrument and defined the exact implementation of the AMBER optics.
Results. The performance was assessed with laboratory measurements and commissionings at the VLTI, in terms of spectral coverage and resolution, instrumental contrast higher than 0.80, minimum magnitude of 11 in K, absolute visibility accuracy of 1%, and differential phase stability of 10−3 rad over one minute.

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume 464, Page 13
February 2007

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Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

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