A crucial test for astronomical spectrograph calibration with frequency combs

Journal
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Probst, Rafael A.
•
Milaković, Dinko
•
Toledo-Padrón, Borja
•
Lo Curto, Gaspare
•
Avila, Gerardo
•
•
Canto Martins, Bruno L.
•
de Castro Leão, Izan
•
Esposito, Massimiliano
•
González Hernández, Jonay I.
•
Grupp, Frank
•
Hänsch, Theodor W.
•
Kellermann, Hanna
•
Kerber, Florian
•
Mandel, Olaf
•
Manescau, Antonio
•
Pozna, Eszter
•
Rebolo, Rafael
•
de Medeiros, José R.
•
Steinmetz, Tilo
•
Suárez Mascareño, Alejandro
•
Udem, Thomas
•
Urrutia, Josefina
•
Wu, Yuanjie
•
Pasquini, Luca
•
Holzwarth, Ronald
DOI
Abstract
Laser frequency combs (LFCs) are well on their way to becoming the next-generation calibration sources for precision astronomical spectroscopy. This development is considered key in the hunt for low-mass rocky exoplanets around solar-type stars whose discovery with the radial-velocity method requires cm/s Doppler precision. In order to prove such precise calibration with an LFC, it must be compared to another calibrator of at least the same precision. Being the best available spectrograph calibrator, this means comparing it to a second fully independent LFC. This test had long been pending, but our installation of two LFCs at the ultra-stable spectrograph HARPS presented the so far unique opportunity for simultaneous calibrations with two separate LFCs. Although limited in time, the test results confirm the 1 cm/s stability that has long been anticipated by the astronomical community.
Volume
4
Issue
6
Start page
603
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2397-3366
Ads BibCode
2020NatAs...4..603P
Rights
open.access
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