The Habitable Zone Planet Finder: A Proposed High Resolution NIR Spectrograph for the Hobby Eberly Telescope to Discover Low Mass Exoplanets around M Dwarfs

TL;DR

The Habitable Zone Planet Finder is a proposed high-resolution near-infrared spectrograph for the Hobby Eberly Telescope, designed to discover low-mass exoplanets around M dwarfs with high radial velocity precision.

Contribution

This paper introduces the design and expected capabilities of the HZPF instrument, including its spectral resolution, wavelength coverage, and performance goals for exoplanet detection.

Findings

Prototype tests achieved 7-10 m/s radial velocity precision.

Demonstrated operation in Y and J bands with un-cooled instrument.

Lessons learned inform the final design and calibration strategies.

Abstract

The Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HZPF) is a proposed instrument for the 10m class Hobby Eberly telescope that will be capable of discovering low mass planets around M dwarfs. HZPF will be fiber-fed, provide a spectral resolution R~ 50,000 and cover the wavelength range 0.9-1.65{\mu}m, the Y, J and H NIR bands where most of the flux is emitted by mid-late type M stars, and where most of the radial velocity information is concentrated. Enclosed in a chilled vacuum vessel with active temperature control, fiber scrambling and mechanical agitation, HZPF is designed to achieve a radial velocity precision < 3m/s, with a desire to obtain <1m/s for the brightest targets. This instrument will enable a study of the properties of low mass planets around M dwarfs; discover planets in the habitable zones around these stars, as well serve as an essential radial velocity confirmation tool for astrometric and transit detections around late M dwarfs. Radial velocity observation in the near-infrared (NIR) will also enable a search for close in planets around young active stars, complementing the search space enabled by upcoming high-contrast imaging instruments like GPI, SPHERE and PALM3K. Tests with a prototype Pathfinder instrument have already demonstrated the ability to recover radial velocities at 7-10 m/s precision from integrated sunlight and ~15-20 m/s precision on stellar observations at the HET. These tests have also demonstrated the ability to work in the NIR Y and J bands with an un-cooled instrument. We will also discuss lessons learned about calibration and performance from our tests and how they impact the overall design of the HZPF.