A proposal for imaging spectro-polarimetry with a new generation Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) onboard the EST telescope

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new imaging spectro-polarimetry method using a Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) system with AO on the EST telescope, enabling high-resolution, high-cadence 2D spectral imaging of plasma dynamics and magnetic fields.

Contribution

Introduction of a novel MSDP system with high spectral resolution and multiple channels for enhanced spectro-polarimetric imaging on large telescopes.

Findings

Design of a 56-channel high-resolution spectrograph

Compatibility with AO and polarimetric methods

Potential for high-cadence 2D spectral imaging

Abstract

Imaging spectroscopy is intended to be coupled with adaptive optics (AO) on large telescopes, such as EST, in order to produce high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of velocities and magnetic fields upon a 2D FOV. We propose a Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) incorporated to the EST visible and IR spectrographs, using new generation slicers (56 channels, high spectral resolution) which will benefit of AO and polarimeters. The aim is to produce 56-channel spectra images with the spatial resolution of the AO and reconstitute cubes of instantaneous data (X, Y, lambda) at high cadence, allowing the study of the plasma dynamics and magnetic fields. The MSDP is compatible with most polarimetric methods (we shall discuss only two of them).