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CUBES, the Cassegrain U-Band Efficient Spectrograph

  • S. Cristiani
  • , J. M. Alcalá
  • , S. H.P. Alencar
  • , S. A. Balashev
  • , N. Bastian
  • , B. Barbuy
  • , U. Battino
  • , A. Calcines
  • , G. Calderone
  • , P. Cambianica
  • , R. Carini
  • , B. Carter
  • , S. Cassisi
  • , B. V. Castilho
  • , G. Cescutti
  • , N. Christlieb
  • , R. Cirami
  • , I. Coretti
  • , R. Cooke
  • , S. Covino
  • G. Cremonese, K. Cunha, G. Cupani, A. R. da Silva, V. De Caprio, A. De Cia, H. Dekker, V. D’Elia, G. De Silva, M. Diaz, P. Di Marcantonio, D. D’Auria, V. D’Odorico, A. Fitzsimmons, H. Ernandes, C. Evans, M. Franchini, M. Genoni, B. Gänsicke, R. E. Giribaldi, C. Gneiding, A. Grazian, C. J. Hansen, F. La Forgia, M. Landoni, M. Lazzarin, D. Lunney, W. Maciel, W. Marcolino, M. Marconi, A. Migliorini, C. Miller, P. Noterdaeme, C. Opitom, G. Pariani, B. Pilecki, S. Piranomonte, A. Quirrenbach, E. M.A. Redaelli, C. B. Pereira, S. Randich, S. Rossi, R. Sanchez-Janssen, W. Seifert, R. Smiljanic, C. Snodgrass, I. Stilz, J. Stürmer, E. Vanzella, P. Ventura, O. Verducci, C. Waring, S. Watson, M. Wells, D. Wright, T. Zafar, A. Zanutta

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

Abstract

In the era of Extremely Large Telescopes, the current generation of 8-10m facilities are likely to remain competitive at ground-UV wavelengths for the foreseeable future. The Cassegrain U-Band Efficient Spectrograph (CUBES) has been designed to provide high-efficiency (> 40%) observations in the near UV (305-400 nm requirement, 300-420 nm goal) at a spectral resolving power of R > 20, 000 (with a lower-resolution, sky-limited mode of R ∼ 7, 000). With the design focusing on maximizing the instrument throughput (ensuring a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)∼ 20 per high-resolution element at 313 nm for U ∼ 18.5 mag objects in 1h of observations), it will offer new possibilities in many fields of astrophysics, providing access to key lines of stellar spectra: a tremendous diversity of iron-peak and heavy elements, lighter elements (in particular Beryllium) and light-element molecules (CO, CN, OH), as well as Balmer lines and the Balmer jump (particularly important for young stellar objects). The UV range is also critical in extragalactic studies: the circumgalactic medium of distant galaxies, the contribution of different types of sources to the cosmic UV background, the measurement of H2 and primordial Deuterium in a regime of relatively transparent intergalactic medium, and follow-up of explosive transients. The CUBES project completed a Phase A conceptual design in June 2021 and has now entered the detailed design and construction phase. First science operations are planned for 2028.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IX
EditorsChristopher J. Evans, Julia J. Bryant, Kentaro Motohara
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510653498
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
EventGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IX 2022 - Montreal, Canada
Duration: Jul 17 2022Jul 22 2022

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume12184
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IX 2022
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal
Period7/17/227/22/22

Keywords

  • CUBES
  • ELT
  • VLT
  • efficient U-band spectrograph

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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

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