ESPRESSO, an exo-Earths hunter for the VLT

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2013

Authors

Megevand, D (Author) Other; Zerbi, FM (Author) Other; Di Marcantonio, P (Author) Other; Cabral, A (Author) Other; Pepe, F (Author) Other; Cristiani, S (Author) Other; Rebolo, R (Author) Other; N.C. Santos (Author) FCUP; Dekker, H (Author) Other; Abreu, M (Author) Other; Affolter, M (Author) Other; Aliverti, M (Author) Other; Amate, M (Author) Other; Avila, G (Author) Other; Baldini, V (Author) Other; Bristow, P (Author) Other; Broeg, C (Author) Other; Cirami, R (Author) Other; Coelho, J (Author) Other; Conconi, P (Author) Other; Coretti, I (Author) Other; Cupani, G (Author) Other; D'Odorico, V (Author) Other; De Caprio, V (Author) Other; Delabre, B (Author) Other; Dorn, R (Author) Other; Figueira, P (Author) Other; Fragoso, A (Author) Other; Galeotta, S (Author) Other; Genolet, L (Author) Other; Gomes, R (Author) Other; Gonzalez Hernandez, JG (Author) Other; Hughes, I (Author) Other; Iwert, O (Author) Other; Kerber, F (Author) Other; Landoni, M (Author) Other; Lizon, JL (Author) Other; Lovis, C (Author) Other; Maire, C (Author) Other; Mannetta, M (Author) Other; Martins, CJAP (Author) FCUP; Molaro, P (Author) Other; Monteiro, M (Author) Other; Oliveira, A (Author) Other; Zapatero Osorio, MRZ (Author) Other; Poretti, E (Author) Other; Luis Rasilla, JL (Author) Other; Riva, M (Author) Other; Santana Tschudi, SS (Author) Other; Santos, P (Author) Other; Sosnowska, D (Author) Other; Sousa, SG (Author) FCUP; Tenegi, F (Author) Other; Toso, G (Author) Other; Vanzella, E (Author) Other; Viel, M (Author) Other

Conference proceedings International

Title: TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTATION FOR DETECTION OF EXOPLANETS VI

Conference on Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets VI

San Diego, CA, AUG 26-29, 2013

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 5 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-HY4

DOI: 10.1117/12.2022520

Abstract (EN): ESPRESSO is the next European exoplanets hunter. It will combine the efficiency of modern echelle spectrograph with extreme radial-velocity precision. It will be installed at Paranal's VLT in order to achieve two magnitudes gain with respect to its predecessor HARPS, and the instrumental radial-velocity precision will be improved to reach 10 cm/s level. We have constituted a Consortium of astronomical research institutes to fund, design and build ESPRESSO on behalf of and in collaboration with ESO, the European Southern Observatory. The project has passed the final design review in May 2013. The spectrograph will be installed at the Combined Coude Laboratory of the VLT, it will be linked to the four 8.2 meters Unit Telescopes through four optical "Coude trains" and will be operated either with a single telescope or with up to four UTs, enabling an additional 1.5 magnitude gain Thanks to its characteristics and ability of combining incoherently the light of 4 large telescopes, ESPRESSO will offer new possibilities in many fields of astronomy. Our main scientific objectives are, however, the search and characterization of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone of quiet, near-by G to M-dwarfs, and the analysis of the variability of fundamental physical constants. In this paper, we will present the scientific objectives, the capabilities of ESPRESSO, the technical solutions for the system and its subsystems, enlightening the main differences between ESPRESSO and its predecessors. The project aspects of this facility are also described, from the consortium and partnership structure to the planning phases and milestones.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 22