MACAO-CRIRES, a step towards high-resolution spectroscopy

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and initial results of CRIRES, an adaptive optics system that significantly enhances high-resolution infrared spectroscopy in the 1-5 micron range, enabling better exoplanet detection.

Contribution

It introduces the adaptive optics system of CRIRES, detailing its components, calibration methods, limitations, and initial laboratory results, advancing infrared high-resolution spectroscopy.

Findings

Improved flux and angular resolution in IR spectroscopy

Successful calibration methods demonstrated in laboratory

First results show promising performance of the system

Abstract

High resolution spectroscopy made an important step ahead 10 years ago, leading for example to the discovery of numerous exoplanets. But the IR did not benefit from this improvement until very recently. CRIRES will provide a dramatic improvement in the 1-5 micron region in this field. Adaptive optics will allow us increasing both flux and angular resolution on its spectra. This paper describes the adaptive optics of CRIRES, its main limitations, its main components, the principle of its calibration with an overview of the methods used and the very first results obtained since it is installed in the laboratory.