| Type |
Journal Article |
| Names |
Margaret Meixner, Stephen Smee, Ryan L. Doering, Robert H. Barkhouser, Todd Miller, Joseph Orndorff, Patricia Knezek, Ed Churchwell, Gregg Scharfstein, Jeffrey W. Percival, David Mills, Charles Corson, Richard R. Joyce |
| Publication |
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
| Volume |
122 |
| Issue |
890 |
| Pages |
451-469 |
| Date |
April 1, 2010 |
| URL |
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010PASP..122..451M |
| Library Catalog |
NASA ADS |
| Abstract |
We present the design overview and on-telescope performance of the WIYN
High Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC). As a dedicated near-infrared
(0.8-2.5 μm) camera on the WIYN Tip-Tilt Module (WTTM) port, WHIRC
can provide near-diffraction-limited imaging with an FWHM of
˜0.25" at Ks with active WTTM correction and does
deliver typical imaging with an FWHM of ˜0.6" without WTTM. WHIRC
uses a 2048×2048 HgCdTe array from Raytheon's VIRGO line, which
has been developed for the VISTA project. The WHIRC filter complement
includes J, H, Ks, and 10 narrowband filters. WHIRC's compact
design makes it the smallest near-infrared camera with this capability.
We determine a gain of 3.3±0.2 e- ADU-1 via
a photon transfer analysis and a readout noise of ˜19
e-. A measured dark current of 0.13 e-
s-1 indicates that the cryostat is extremely light tight. A
plate scale of 0.099"×0.10" pixel-1 results in a field
of view (FOV) of 3.3'×3.4', which is a compromise between the
highest angular resolution achievable and the largest FOV correctable by
WTTM. Measured throughput values (˜0.27±0.02 in H band) are
consistent with those predicted for WHIRC based on an analysis of
individual optical elements and detector quantum efficiency (QE).
WHIRC's photometric quality is better than ˜0.02 magnitudes in all
bands. WHIRC is a general use instrument at the WIYN telescope enabling
high-definition near-infrared imaging studies of a wide range of
astronomical phenomena including star formation regions, stellar
populations, and interstellar medium in nearby galaxies, high-z
galaxies, and transient phenomena. |
| Tags |
Astronomical Instrumentation |