CUBES, the Cassegrain U-Band Efficient Spectrograph: towards final design review

Date Issued
2024
Author(s)
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Dekker, Hans
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Scalera, Marcello A.
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Bissel, Lawrence
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Seifert, Walter
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Calcines, Ariadna
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Avila, Gerardo
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Stϋrmer, Julian
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Ritz, Christopher
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Lunney, David
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Miller, Chris
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Watson, Stephen
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Waring, Chris
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Castilho, Bruno V.
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De Arruda, Marcio V.
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Verducci, Orlando
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Redaelli, Edoardo A.M.
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Stilz, Ingo
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Smiljanic, Rodolfo
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Geers, Vincent
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Opitom, Cyrielle
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Sanchez-Janssen, Ruben
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Quirrenbach, Andreas
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Barbuy, Beatriz
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DOI
Abstract
In the era of Extremely Large Telescopes, the current generation of 8-10m facilities are likely to remain competitive at ground-UV wavelengths for the foreseeable future. The Cassegrain U-Band Efficient Spectrograph (CUBES) has been designed to provide high instrumental efficiency (> 37%) observations in the near UV (305-400 nm requirement, 300-420 nm goal) at a spectral resolving power of R > 20, 000 (with a lower-resolution, sky-limited mode of R ∼ 7, 000). With the design focusing on maximizing the instrument throughput (ensuring a Signal to Noise Ratio - SNR- ∼ 20 per spectral resolution element at 313 nm for U ∼ 17.5 mag objects in 1h of observations), it will offer new possibilities in many fields of astrophysics: i) access to key lines of stellar spectra (e.g. lighter elements, in particular Beryllium), extragalactic studies (e.g. circumgalactic medium of distant galaxies, cosmic UV background) and follow-up of explosive transients. We present the CUBES instrument design, currently in Phase-C and approaching the final design review, summarizing the hardware architecture and interfaces between the different subsystems as well as the relevant technical requirements. We describe the optical, mechanical, electrical design of the different subsystems (from the telescope adapter and support structure, through the main opto-mechanical path, including calibration unit, detector devices and cryostat control, main control electronics), detailing peculiar instrument functions like the Active Flexure Compensation (AFC). Furthermore, we outline the AIT/V concept and the main instrument operations giving an overview of its software ecosystem. Installation at the VLT is planned for 2028/2029 and first science operations in late 2029.
Coverage
Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy X
All editors
Bryant, Julia J.; Motohara, Kentaro; Vernet, Joël R. D.
Series
Volume
13096
Start page
296
Conferenece
Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy X
Conferenece place
Yokohama, Japan
Conferenece date
16-22 June, 2024
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2024SPIE13096E..7TG
Rights
open.access
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