SALT HRS Lisa Crause for Durham CfAI & SALT Ops SALT Board Meeting #35, Chapel Hill, 5 June 2014

HRS Timeline 40 foot shipping container to SALT on 3 September foot shipping container to SALT on 3 September 2013 Unpacked & re-assembled instrument over next 3 weeks Unpacked & re-assembled instrument over next 3 weeks Fibres routed to payload & connected to FIF on 27/28 September Fibres routed to payload & connected to FIF on 27/28 September First Light on 28 September First Light on 28 September Commissioning & Science Verification through April Commissioning & Science Verification through April Final software arrived in April Final software arrived in April Began fully-charged HRS science observations in May Began fully-charged HRS science observations in May

Fibre Instrument Feed & Guider Both designed & built by SAAO/SALT Both designed & built by SAAO/SALT Working well & we hope to eventually replace the RSS guider with a copy of the FIF one Working well & we hope to eventually replace the RSS guider with a copy of the FIF one

Spectral Resolution Resolving power (R) varies over the échellogram, due to anamorphic magnification from the grating Resolving power (R) varies over the échellogram, due to anamorphic magnification from the grating Table gives specified R at central blaze wavelength for each order & the median R values measured from arc spectra for the blue & red channels Table gives specified R at central blaze wavelength for each order & the median R values measured from arc spectra for the blue & red channels All the modes comfortably beat the specification All the modes comfortably beat the specification MODESPECIFICATIONACHIEVED Low Resolution Medium Resolution High Resolution High Stability P-fibre High Stability O-fibre

Instrument Throughput Measured prior to installing the fibres Measured prior to installing the fibres From the fibre input ends to the CCDs From the fibre input ends to the CCDs Used a 50 micron F/4.2 to simulate input beam from the telescope + a calibrated photodiode for a detector Used a 50 micron F/4.2 to simulate input beam from the telescope + a calibrated photodiode for a detector 4 narrowband LEDs: 460 & 505 nm in the blue & 625 nm in the red 4 narrowband LEDs: 460 & 505 nm in the blue & 625 nm in the red Also checked fibre cable transmission losses at 460 nm using HS fibres, as expected from fibre specs Also checked fibre cable transmission losses at 460 nm using HS fibres, as expected from fibre specs

Instrument Throughput HRS fibres & comparable fibre-fed échelles HRS fibres & comparable fibre-fed échelles

Total Throughput (HRS+SALT) A V=8 K2V RV standard star was observed on a photometric night with 1.5” seeing A V=8 K2V RV standard star was observed on a photometric night with 1.5” seeing The blue channel performance is in good agreement with the SALT HRS Exposure Time Calculator predictions The blue channel performance is in good agreement with the SALT HRS Exposure Time Calculator predictions

Total Throughput (HRS+SALT) The SALT HRS Exposure Time Calculator yields estimates that are ~10% too high in the red channel The SALT HRS Exposure Time Calculator yields estimates that are ~10% too high in the red channel This requires investigation & the ETC will be updated as needed This requires investigation & the ETC will be updated as needed

HRS Temperature Control Red = inner room, blue = HRS electronics room, yellow = large spectrometer room Red = inner room, blue = HRS electronics room, yellow = large spectrometer room Bumps due to daily vacuum tank pumping Bumps due to daily vacuum tank pumping Maintaining a constant temperature in the HRS inner room is critical for RV stability, peak-to-peak amplitude now <0.5C Maintaining a constant temperature in the HRS inner room is critical for RV stability, peak-to-peak amplitude now <0.5C

Arc Line Stability Normalised flux of internal arc lines over 3.5 days, the line stability requirement is 10% (rms) over 12 hours: Normalised flux of internal arc lines over 3.5 days, the line stability requirement is 10% (rms) over 12 hours:

Arc Line Stability Line width measurements over 3.5 days, the stability requirement is 1% (rms) over 12 hours: Line width measurements over 3.5 days, the stability requirement is 1% (rms) over 12 hours:

High Stability Frames Sky Flat + Iodine Cell Simultaneous ThAr Internal HS Arc

Assorted HRS Frames Blue MR ThAr+Ar Arc Red LR ThAr+Ar Arc Red HR QTH Flat V=16.5 CSPN

HRS SV Results & Feedback “We think that the spectra obtained at SALT HRS are good quality and correspond to what we expected. We will be happy to continue to use this spectrograph.” – Vladimir University of Central Lancashire “We think that the spectra obtained at SALT HRS are good quality and correspond to what we expected. We will be happy to continue to use this spectrograph.” – Vladimir University of Central Lancashire

HRS SV Results & Feedback “HRS iodine agrees beautifully with the other FTS scans! See attached.” – David SAAO

HRS MMI – Astronomer GUI SALT Astronomers are now running the instrument SALT Astronomers are now running the instrument

Technical Challenges Overcome Installed & commissioned a whole new instrument!! Installed & commissioned a whole new instrument!! Shipping injuries: Shipping injuries: – Blue CCD misaligned – Blue CCD misaligned – Broken HS mode fibre – Broken HS mode fibre Since being at SALT: Since being at SALT: – Mode selector failure – Mode selector failure – Dewar warm-ups – Dewar warm-ups Temp control issues Temp control issues All of this has been Hugely educational for the local HRS instrument team! All of this has been Hugely educational for the local HRS instrument team!

Remaining Tasks Replace cryo-cooler filter/dryers to stop dewar warm-ups Replace cryo-cooler filter/dryers to stop dewar warm-ups Improve insulation & verify temp stability Improve insulation & verify temp stability Improve dewar hold times with ion pumps Improve dewar hold times with ion pumps Final software ATP Final software ATP Upgrade SALT Cal Sys Upgrade SALT Cal Sys Calibrate iodine cells Calibrate iodine cells Finish documentation Finish documentation Deliver Quick-Look Deliver Quick-Look Issue final version of commissioning report Issue final version of commissioning report

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