High-contrast H$\alpha$ imaging with Subaru/SCExAO+VAMPIRES

TL;DR

This paper reports on the status of high-contrast H-alpha imaging using Subaru/SCExAO+VAMPIRES, demonstrating effective detection of circumstellar features and comparable contrast limits to other leading instruments.

Contribution

It introduces the current capabilities and results of H-alpha high-contrast imaging with Subaru/SCExAO+VAMPIRES, highlighting its potential for northern hemisphere observations.

Findings

Detected a ring-like feature around omi Cet

Identified H-alpha jet counterpart around RY Tau

Achieved contrast limits comparable to other top instruments

Abstract

We present current status of H$\alpha$ high-contrast imaging observations with Subaru/SCExAO+VAMPIRES. Our adaptive optics correction at optical wavelengths in combination with (double) spectral differential imaging (SDI) and angular differential imaging (ADI) was capable of detecting a ring-like feature around omi Cet and the H$\alpha$ counterpart of jet around RY Tau. We tested the post-processing by changing the order of ADI and SDI and both of the contrast limits achieved $\sim10^{-3}-5\times10^{-4}$ at $0.3^{\prime\prime}$, which is comparable to other H$\alpha$ high-contrast imaging instruments in the southern hemisphere such as VLT/SPHERE, VLT/MUSE, and MagAO. Subaru/VAMPIRES provides great opportunities for H$\alpha$ high-contrast imaging for northern hemisphere targets.