ALES: Overview and Upgrades

TL;DR

ALES is the first AO-fed thermal infrared integral field spectrograph on LBT, and recent upgrades expand its wavelength, resolution, and spatial capabilities for diverse exoplanet and astrophysical studies.

Contribution

This paper provides an overview of ALES and details recent upgrades enhancing its spectral range, resolution, and spatial sampling for advanced infrared astronomy.

Findings

ALES operates at 3-4 microns with R~20 and 0.026'' spaxels.

Upgrades extend wavelength coverage and spectral resolution.

Enhanced capabilities enable new science at the diffraction limit.

Abstract

The Arizona Lenslets for Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ALES) is the world's first AO-fed thermal infrared integral field spectrograph, mounted inside the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) on the LBT. An initial mode of ALES allows 3-4 micron spectra at R~20 with 0.026'' spaxels over a 1''x1'' field-of-view. We are in the process of upgrading ALES with additional wavelength ranges, spectral resolutions, and plate scales allowing a broad suite of science that takes advantage of ALES's unique ability to work at wavelengths >2 microns, and at the diffraction limit of the LBT's full 23.8 meter aperture.