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High-Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) in FP7

Tom Marsh University of Warwick, UK. High-Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) in FP7. Outline. Scientific motivation HTRA within OPTICON FP6 HTRA & FP7. Scientific Motivation - I. Stellar black-holes and neutron stars have innermost orbital periods ~ 0.001 seconds

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High-Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) in FP7

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  1. Tom Marsh University of Warwick, UK High-Time Resolution Astrophysics (HTRA) in FP7

  2. Outline • Scientific motivation • HTRA within OPTICON FP6 • HTRA & FP7

  3. Scientific Motivation - I. • Stellar black-holes and neutron stars have innermost orbital periods ~ 0.001 seconds • White dwarfs are eclipsed and pulsate in ~0.1 to 200 seconds • Earth-sized planet transit ingresses & egresses take ~ 100 seconds

  4. Flares from a black-hole A 22nd mag black-hole accretor: • 5-10 sec long, 50% flares • Unique to black-hole accretors • Not detected with 60-sec photometry on Gemini Shahbaz, VLT + ULTRACAM, May 2005

  5. Fast response to X-ray variations implies optical light is from ajet. “Pre-cognition” dip unexplained. (Kanbach et al, 2001, Nature) Brighter & faster Factor 2-3 flares in ~20ms from a 16th mag black-hole (Spruit et al & ESO/VLT)

  6. Scientific Motivation - II. • Solar system occultations, e.g. detection of 100m KBOs • Exo-planet transits, avoiding saturation • Lucky imaging, wavefront sensing Right: 50 msec spikes caused by layers in the atmosphere of Titan during an occultation (Fitzsimmons et al)

  7. HTRA in a wider context X-ray light curve • HTR plays a major role in radio and X-ray astronomy • LISA predicted to detect ~10,000 ultra-short period, faint sources • LSST, LOFAR, GAIA and SKA will also discover many time-variable objects and transients Neutron star burst reveals its spin

  8. HTRA & FP6 The following HTRA projects are supported via OPTICON in FP6: • EMCCD development for fast imaging • EMCCD development for fast spectroscopy • AApnCCD development • APD array development

  9. EMCCDs Electron-multiplying CCDs extend CCDs' range into the low count regime. e- Avalanche gain section amplifies before the readout

  10. Lucky Imaging On modest aperture telescopes one can select a small number of “best” images with no other correction. Must image fast with low noise Law, MacKay & Baldwin (2005)

  11. Lucky Imaging 0.26”, 10% best 0.65”, no selection With the right controller and data processing, EMCCDs make this possible M15 0.12” separation binary. Delta mag = 2.5 0.65”, no selection LuckyCam, Law, MacKay, Baldwin (IOA, Cambridge). 2.5m NOT, La Palma. Partial support from OPTICON

  12. Fast Spectroscopy The gain for spectroscopy is primarily one of reduced noise Simulation: 1 night VLT/FORS on V = 21 ultra-compact binary RXJ0806+3127 (P = 321 sec) with (left) and without (right) readout noise.

  13. Fast Spectroscopy Aim: to characterise EMCCDs for astronomical spectroscopy using hardware/software available already (ULTRACAM). 1k x 1k chip mounted; first data when cold taken last week; < 1 e- noise Test run on ESO 3.6/EFOSC in December 2006. UK ATC/Sheffield/Warwick OPTICON JRA3

  14. AApnCCDs & APD arrays • AApnCCDs (MPI): • alternatives to EMCCDs; >90% QE at 1 micron • columns read out in parallel. • 264x264 array @ 400 fps, 1.7 e- noise (now) • avalanche amplification stages to give < 1 e- (future) • APD arrays (Galway): • CCDs cannot reach << 1 msec & noise too high for fast pulsar work • Developing 10 x 10 APD array

  15. HTRA & FP7 The advent of fast, low-noise CCDs has altered the landscape of HTRA which can now be divided into: • CCDs for > 1 msec • APDs, STJs, TESs, GaAs for especially fast and/or low noise applications Category (a) has the potential for upgrading instruments on existing facilities

  16. EMCCDs for HTRA in FP7 Current EMCCDs are too small to be competitive with standard detectors, and photon counting mode requires fast readout even if targets do not vary. • Need fast controllers which can handle multi-port, multi-chip detectors. • Large format devices need to be procured and tested on sky. • Software/hardware infrastructure is needed to handle the high data rates (up to ~100 MB/sec for a single port)

  17. Interim quote from e2v who are keen to develop such a chip EMCCD deliverables & costs • High-speed controller with multi-port capability, able to run both E2V and Texas Instruments EMCCDs, integrated with array processor and controlling software. (IOA Cambridge) • Specification, procurement and testing of a spectroscopic format EMCCD to match existing spectrographs (4k x 2k, split frame, 8 readout ports). (UK ATC/Sheffield/Warwick) Total cost: €2M + (1.1 – 1.6)M for new chip

  18. FP7: APDs & pnCCDs • APDs: fabricate arrays of larger pixels (100 vs 20μ) to reduce dark count/unit area, increase throughput and field-of-view. Factor 2 improvement possible. Timescale: 5 years • pnCCDs: prototype astronomical camera / controller / data handling software [placeholder] Total cost: ~ €3.5 M

  19. HTRA network • FP6: developed contacts and spread knowledge • FP7: continuing need to transfer knowledge on detector developments, but more emphasis on strategy • Development of science drivers • Enabling HTRA in current & future instrumentation • Linking up HTRA research across the EM spectrum Deliverables: International HTRA conference plus proceedings; workshops on science, detectors and instrumentation Cost ~ € 200K over 5 years

  20. Industrial & EU dimensions • EMCCDs have significant impetus from digital cameras; astronomical applications can push the limits of these devices and motivate the development of new products. • HTRA is strong in Europe which is the home of the ULTRACAM, OPTIMA and STJ fast photometers. • HTRA-enabled instruments can promote access as many EU countries without direct access to 4m+ telescopes have HTRA communities.

  21. Management • Single manager to report to OPTICON, track progress and adjust resources • Management of sub-projects & network devolved to small number of PIs • Milestones & timescales defined at the start • 2 progress reviews + 1 face-to-face meeting per year (2 in first year). Cost ~ € 150K over 5 years

  22. Summary • High time resolution is key to understanding the most extreme astrophysical environments • HTR is demanding of detectors, and is sustained by advances in detector technology • We propose a package that builds on the lead Europe has in this area • Total cost ~ € 7M; cost to FP7 ?

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