Stability of the OGSE Vis-NIR Illumination Sub-System for the future ARIEL Space Mission

Cédric Pereira, Manuel Abreu, D. Castro Alves, Alexandre Cabral, Robert Spry, Neil E. Bowles, Keith Nowicki, Maisie F. Rashman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The future ARIEL Space Mission aims to achieve photometric precision down to the parts-per-million (ppm) level over periods longer than ten hours. This level of sensitivity is crucial to obtain valuable information about the properties of the exoplanet and its atmosphere. Achieving such precision requires a very precise characterisation of the instruments aboard of ARIEL, which can only be done with highly stable illumination systems, supported by ultra-low noise reference detectors. The Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences is responsible for the development of the visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) illumination sub-system, integrated into ARIEL’s Optical Ground Support Equipment (OGSE), responsible for covering a wavelength range from 0.5 µm to 1.95 µm. Since ARIEL has a broadband wavelength coverage, from 0.5 µm to 7.8 µm, the OGSE includes other calibration sources, all integrated through an integrating sphere and monitored by reference detectors. This study presents an in-depth analysis of two main components of the Vis-NIR illumination sub-system: a Quartz Tungsten-Halogen (QTH) calibration source and an extended Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) reference detector. The stability and behaviour of the light source, both in flux and in spectrum, are evaluated, and the performance of the reference detector, integrated with a zero-drift pre-amplifier, is tested under cryogenic conditions. It is shown that these two components are compliant with the ARIEL’s requirements, allowing the mission to obtain spectroscopic and photometric time series, with the stability needed to identify signal variations from 20 ppm to 100 ppm, over a 10-hour observation period.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024
Subtitle of host publicationOptical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
EditorsLaura E. Coyle, Shuji Matsuura, Marshall D. Perrin
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675070
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Externally publishedYes
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: Jun 16 2024Jun 22 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13092
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period6/16/246/22/24

Keywords

  • ARIEL
  • Cryogenics
  • Exoplanets
  • Ground calibration
  • InGaAs
  • OGSE
  • QTH
  • Vis-NIR illumination system

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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