Esperanza Carrasco - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Esperanza Carrasco

Sierra Negra, one of the highest peaks in central Mexico, is the site of the Large Millimeter Tel... more Sierra Negra, one of the highest peaks in central Mexico, is the site of the Large Millimeter Telescope, a 50 m antenna that will operate between 1-3 mm. The site combines high altitude (4600 m) and extremely low atmospheric water content. We report the results of a comprehensive analysis of the weather data measured in situ from October 2000 to December 2006. The conditions at the site are benign given its altitude: the median value for the temperature is 1.1°C, for the wind velocity is 3.6 m/s, for the relative humidity during the dry season is 56% and for the atmospheric pressure is 590.1 mbar. We show that our measurements are consistent with a warm standard atmosphere model.

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is the future intermediate... more MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is the future intermediate-resolution optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) of the 10.4m GTC telescope. The instrument can be used to observe either a contiguous (100% filling factor) field-of-view of 12.5×11.3 arcsec^{2} or 92 objects anywhere in a 3.5×3.5 arcmin^{2} field patrolled by robotic actuactors attached to optical-fiber minibundles, respectively in its IFU and MOS modes. The MEGARA Consortium is led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Spain) and also includes the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, óptica y Electrónica (INAOE, Mexico), the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC, Spain) and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Spain). The instrument passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) on late 2014 and is currently in construction phase with a planned date for the start of operations at GTC on early 2017. In this paper we summarize the main ch...

We present details of the Behind The Plane survey of IRAS galaxies, which extends the PSCz survey... more We present details of the Behind The Plane survey of IRAS galaxies, which extends the PSCz survey to cover the 93% of the sky with complete and reliable IRAS data from the Point Source Catalog. At low latitudes, our catalogue is not complete to 0.6Jy, but the incompleteness is physically understood and can be corrected for. IRAS galaxies at low

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

We present the results of monitoring the speed of optical turbulent layers in the atmosphere abov... more We present the results of monitoring the speed of optical turbulent layers in the atmosphere above San Pedro Mártir, Mexico, during 15 nights in 2000 May. The data were obtained using the generalized scintillation detection and ranging technique (generalized SCIDAR), developed at Nice University. This paper constitutes the second in a series. The first paper presents results concerning measurements of optical turbulence strength obtained at the same site and time. The principal results of the present article are as follows: (1) The wind profiles remain stable during each night. (2) No correlation between the turbulence intensity C2N and the speed of the turbulent layers, V, is detected for speeds lower than ~45 m s-1. Above that speed, which was only exceeded in the jet-stream layer on one night, the optical turbulence strength is seen to increase. (3) Layers in the first 4 km and higher than 16 km above sea level are similarly slow, with median speeds of 8.6 and 9.6 m s-1, respecti...

LICA-UCM is the brand new laboratory for scientific advanced instrumentation (Laboratorio de Inve... more LICA-UCM is the brand new laboratory for scientific advanced instrumentation (Laboratorio de Investigacion Cientıfica Avanzada) at Universidad Complutense de Madrid where MEGARA integration will take place.

ABSTRACT LICA (Laboratorio de Instrumentación Científica Avanzada) is an initiative of the Campus... more ABSTRACT LICA (Laboratorio de Instrumentación Científica Avanzada) is an initiative of the Campus de Excelencia Internacional of UCM. Among the facilities within LICA, a new laboratory has been assigned to MEGARA project for subsystem tests and AIV. This paper presents the current facilities installed at LICA for detector characterization, which will be used to test and characterize MEGARA detectors.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 2012

ABSTRACT In these proceedings we give a summary of the characteristics and current status of the ... more ABSTRACT In these proceedings we give a summary of the characteristics and current status of the MEGARA instrument, the future optical IFU and MOS for the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). MEGARA is being built by a Consortium of public research institutions led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Spain) that also includes INAOE (Mexico), IAA-CSIC (Spain) and UPM (Spain). The MEGARA IFU includes two different fiber bundles, one called LCB (Large Compact Bundle) with a field-of-view of 12.5x11.3 arcsec(2) and a spaxel size of 0.62 arcsec yielding spectral resolutions between R=6,800-17,000 and another one called SCB (Small Compact Bundle) covering 8.5x6.7 arcsec(2) with hexagonally-shaped and packed 0.42-arcsec spaxels and resolutions R=8,000-20,000. The MOS component allows observing up to 100 targets in 3.5x3.5 arcmin(2). Both the IFU bundles and the set of 100 robotic positioners of the MOS will be placed at one of the GTC Folded-Cass foci while the spectrographs (one in the case of the MEGARA-Basic concept) will be placed at the Nasmyth platform. On March 2012 MEGARA passed the Preliminary Design Review and its first light is expected to take place at the end of 2015.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Fie... more MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) designed for the GTC 10.4m telescope in La Palma. MEGARA offers two IFU fiber bundles, one covering 12.5x11.3 arcsec 2 with a spaxel size of 0.62 arcsec (LCB, with 100µm-core optical fibers) and another one covering 8.5x6.7 arcsec 2 with a spaxel size of 0.42 arcsec (SCB, with 70µm-core fibers). The MEGARA MOS mode will allow observing up to 100 objects in a region of 3.5x3.5 arcmin 2 around the two IFU bundles.

22nd Congress of the International Commission for Optics: Light for the Development of the World, 2011

ABSTRACT This paper presents the opto-mechanical design of a novel spectroscopic element - sliced... more ABSTRACT This paper presents the opto-mechanical design of a novel spectroscopic element - sliced pupil grating - that allows increasing the spectral resolution while keeping the instrument geometry. The concept is based on "cutting" the pupil into different slices by placing a number of prisms at the two sites of a VPH grating. The independent beams are guided through a precise opto-mechanical assembly to assure the recombination of the individual images on the detector within the available error budget, producing a single spectrum. To probe the feasibility of the concept, we have designed and manufactured a 3-slice prototype for an already-built spectrograph (Elmer, for the GTC 10-m telescope).

Revista Mexicana De Astronomia Y Astrofisica, 1987

The operational aspects of the optic, mechanic and electronic systems of the offset guider for th... more The operational aspects of the optic, mechanic and electronic systems of the offset guider for the UNAM2l2 telescope are presented.

High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI, 2014

ABSTRACT A water Cherenkov detector uses the emission of Cherenkov radiation for detecting the tr... more ABSTRACT A water Cherenkov detector uses the emission of Cherenkov radiation for detecting the trace of secondary particles generated by extensive air shower cascades traversing a purified water tank. These are used for the detection of high energy gamma-rays. A fundamental component of the detectors consists of the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) used for detection of the Cherenkov radiation that is produced by very high energy particles moving faster than the speed of of light in the medium. INAOE, being one of the leading institutions of HAWC, decided to develop a system to characterize the PMTs that includes measurement of dark current, linear response region determination, response to a photoelectron and hence the gain. This characterization is indispensable when several PMTs operate in an array of water Cherenkov detectors. The system was further developed to simultaneously acquire data of several phototubes, allowing also to measure coincidences. Additionally, the VME scalers modules will be used to monitor up to 32 phototubes. This system has been used to characterize the PMTs of the LAGO experiment and can be used in the future for any type of PMT system.

Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy VI, 2014

ABSTRACT

Second Backaskog Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes, 2004

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future visible integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10... more ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future visible integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4-m telescope located in La Palma. INAOE is a member of the MEGARA Consortium and it is in charge of the Optics Manufacturing work package. MEGARA passed the Optics Detailed Design Review in May 2013, and the blanks of the main optics have been already ordered and their manufacturing is in progress. Except for the optical fibers and microlenses, the complete MEGARA optical system will be manufactured in Mexico, shared between the workshops of INAOE and CIO. This includes a field lens, a 5-lenses collimator, a 7-lenses camera and a complete set of volume phase holographic gratings with 36 flat windows and 24 prisms, being all these elements very large and complex. Additionally, the optical tests and the complete assembly of the camera and collimator subsystems will be carried out in Mexico. Here we describe the current status of the optics manufacturing process.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Int... more ABSTRACT MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Field Unit and Multi-Object Spectrograph designed for the GTC (Gran Telescopio de Canarias) 10.4m telescope in La Palma. MEGARA project has already passed preliminary design review and the optics critical design review, first-light it is expected to take place at the end of 2016. MEGARA is a development under a GRANTECAN contract. In this paper we summarize the current status of the LN2 open-cycle cryostat which has been designed by the “Astronomical Instrumentation Lab for Millimeter Wavelengths” at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE) and emphasize the key parts of the system that have updated since the Preliminary Design, the main activities related to acceptance, integration, fabrication and maintenance plans which fit into the overall structure of the management plan of MEGARA are also described. The cryogenic work package of MEGARA has completed all the design stages and is ready for its Critical Design Review and then proceed to fabrication.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4m tele... more ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4m telescope located in the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos in La Palma. INAOE is a member of the MEGARA Consortium and it is in charge of the Optics Manufacturing work package. In addition to the manufacturing of 73 elements, the work package includes the opto-mechanics i.e. the opto-mechanical design, manufacture, tests and integration of the complete assembly of the main optics composed by the collimator and camera subsystems. MEGARA passed the Optics Detailed Design Review in May 2013 and will have the Detailed Design Review of the complete instrument early 2014. Here we describe the detailed design of the collimator and camera barrels. We also present the finite elements models developed to simulate the behavior of the barrel, sub-cells and other mechanical elements. These models verify that the expected stress fields and the gravitational displacements on the lenses are compatible with the optical quality tolerances. The design is finished and ready for fabrication.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT

Sierra Negra, one of the highest peaks in central Mexico, is the site of the Large Millimeter Tel... more Sierra Negra, one of the highest peaks in central Mexico, is the site of the Large Millimeter Telescope, a 50 m antenna that will operate between 1-3 mm. The site combines high altitude (4600 m) and extremely low atmospheric water content. We report the results of a comprehensive analysis of the weather data measured in situ from October 2000 to December 2006. The conditions at the site are benign given its altitude: the median value for the temperature is 1.1°C, for the wind velocity is 3.6 m/s, for the relative humidity during the dry season is 56% and for the atmospheric pressure is 590.1 mbar. We show that our measurements are consistent with a warm standard atmosphere model.

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is the future intermediate... more MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is the future intermediate-resolution optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) of the 10.4m GTC telescope. The instrument can be used to observe either a contiguous (100% filling factor) field-of-view of 12.5×11.3 arcsec^{2} or 92 objects anywhere in a 3.5×3.5 arcmin^{2} field patrolled by robotic actuactors attached to optical-fiber minibundles, respectively in its IFU and MOS modes. The MEGARA Consortium is led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Spain) and also includes the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, óptica y Electrónica (INAOE, Mexico), the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC, Spain) and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Spain). The instrument passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) on late 2014 and is currently in construction phase with a planned date for the start of operations at GTC on early 2017. In this paper we summarize the main ch...

We present details of the Behind The Plane survey of IRAS galaxies, which extends the PSCz survey... more We present details of the Behind The Plane survey of IRAS galaxies, which extends the PSCz survey to cover the 93% of the sky with complete and reliable IRAS data from the Point Source Catalog. At low latitudes, our catalogue is not complete to 0.6Jy, but the incompleteness is physically understood and can be corrected for. IRAS galaxies at low

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

We present the results of monitoring the speed of optical turbulent layers in the atmosphere abov... more We present the results of monitoring the speed of optical turbulent layers in the atmosphere above San Pedro Mártir, Mexico, during 15 nights in 2000 May. The data were obtained using the generalized scintillation detection and ranging technique (generalized SCIDAR), developed at Nice University. This paper constitutes the second in a series. The first paper presents results concerning measurements of optical turbulence strength obtained at the same site and time. The principal results of the present article are as follows: (1) The wind profiles remain stable during each night. (2) No correlation between the turbulence intensity C2N and the speed of the turbulent layers, V, is detected for speeds lower than ~45 m s-1. Above that speed, which was only exceeded in the jet-stream layer on one night, the optical turbulence strength is seen to increase. (3) Layers in the first 4 km and higher than 16 km above sea level are similarly slow, with median speeds of 8.6 and 9.6 m s-1, respecti...

LICA-UCM is the brand new laboratory for scientific advanced instrumentation (Laboratorio de Inve... more LICA-UCM is the brand new laboratory for scientific advanced instrumentation (Laboratorio de Investigacion Cientıfica Avanzada) at Universidad Complutense de Madrid where MEGARA integration will take place.

ABSTRACT LICA (Laboratorio de Instrumentación Científica Avanzada) is an initiative of the Campus... more ABSTRACT LICA (Laboratorio de Instrumentación Científica Avanzada) is an initiative of the Campus de Excelencia Internacional of UCM. Among the facilities within LICA, a new laboratory has been assigned to MEGARA project for subsystem tests and AIV. This paper presents the current facilities installed at LICA for detector characterization, which will be used to test and characterize MEGARA detectors.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 2012

ABSTRACT In these proceedings we give a summary of the characteristics and current status of the ... more ABSTRACT In these proceedings we give a summary of the characteristics and current status of the MEGARA instrument, the future optical IFU and MOS for the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). MEGARA is being built by a Consortium of public research institutions led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Spain) that also includes INAOE (Mexico), IAA-CSIC (Spain) and UPM (Spain). The MEGARA IFU includes two different fiber bundles, one called LCB (Large Compact Bundle) with a field-of-view of 12.5x11.3 arcsec(2) and a spaxel size of 0.62 arcsec yielding spectral resolutions between R=6,800-17,000 and another one called SCB (Small Compact Bundle) covering 8.5x6.7 arcsec(2) with hexagonally-shaped and packed 0.42-arcsec spaxels and resolutions R=8,000-20,000. The MOS component allows observing up to 100 targets in 3.5x3.5 arcmin(2). Both the IFU bundles and the set of 100 robotic positioners of the MOS will be placed at one of the GTC Folded-Cass foci while the spectrographs (one in the case of the MEGARA-Basic concept) will be placed at the Nasmyth platform. On March 2012 MEGARA passed the Preliminary Design Review and its first light is expected to take place at the end of 2015.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Fie... more MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) designed for the GTC 10.4m telescope in La Palma. MEGARA offers two IFU fiber bundles, one covering 12.5x11.3 arcsec 2 with a spaxel size of 0.62 arcsec (LCB, with 100µm-core optical fibers) and another one covering 8.5x6.7 arcsec 2 with a spaxel size of 0.42 arcsec (SCB, with 70µm-core fibers). The MEGARA MOS mode will allow observing up to 100 objects in a region of 3.5x3.5 arcmin 2 around the two IFU bundles.

22nd Congress of the International Commission for Optics: Light for the Development of the World, 2011

ABSTRACT This paper presents the opto-mechanical design of a novel spectroscopic element - sliced... more ABSTRACT This paper presents the opto-mechanical design of a novel spectroscopic element - sliced pupil grating - that allows increasing the spectral resolution while keeping the instrument geometry. The concept is based on "cutting" the pupil into different slices by placing a number of prisms at the two sites of a VPH grating. The independent beams are guided through a precise opto-mechanical assembly to assure the recombination of the individual images on the detector within the available error budget, producing a single spectrum. To probe the feasibility of the concept, we have designed and manufactured a 3-slice prototype for an already-built spectrograph (Elmer, for the GTC 10-m telescope).

Revista Mexicana De Astronomia Y Astrofisica, 1987

The operational aspects of the optic, mechanic and electronic systems of the offset guider for th... more The operational aspects of the optic, mechanic and electronic systems of the offset guider for the UNAM2l2 telescope are presented.

High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI, 2014

ABSTRACT A water Cherenkov detector uses the emission of Cherenkov radiation for detecting the tr... more ABSTRACT A water Cherenkov detector uses the emission of Cherenkov radiation for detecting the trace of secondary particles generated by extensive air shower cascades traversing a purified water tank. These are used for the detection of high energy gamma-rays. A fundamental component of the detectors consists of the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) used for detection of the Cherenkov radiation that is produced by very high energy particles moving faster than the speed of of light in the medium. INAOE, being one of the leading institutions of HAWC, decided to develop a system to characterize the PMTs that includes measurement of dark current, linear response region determination, response to a photoelectron and hence the gain. This characterization is indispensable when several PMTs operate in an array of water Cherenkov detectors. The system was further developed to simultaneously acquire data of several phototubes, allowing also to measure coincidences. Additionally, the VME scalers modules will be used to monitor up to 32 phototubes. This system has been used to characterize the PMTs of the LAGO experiment and can be used in the future for any type of PMT system.

Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy VI, 2014

ABSTRACT

Second Backaskog Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes, 2004

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future visible integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10... more ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future visible integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4-m telescope located in La Palma. INAOE is a member of the MEGARA Consortium and it is in charge of the Optics Manufacturing work package. MEGARA passed the Optics Detailed Design Review in May 2013, and the blanks of the main optics have been already ordered and their manufacturing is in progress. Except for the optical fibers and microlenses, the complete MEGARA optical system will be manufactured in Mexico, shared between the workshops of INAOE and CIO. This includes a field lens, a 5-lenses collimator, a 7-lenses camera and a complete set of volume phase holographic gratings with 36 flat windows and 24 prisms, being all these elements very large and complex. Additionally, the optical tests and the complete assembly of the camera and collimator subsystems will be carried out in Mexico. Here we describe the current status of the optics manufacturing process.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Int... more ABSTRACT MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is an optical Integral-Field Unit and Multi-Object Spectrograph designed for the GTC (Gran Telescopio de Canarias) 10.4m telescope in La Palma. MEGARA project has already passed preliminary design review and the optics critical design review, first-light it is expected to take place at the end of 2016. MEGARA is a development under a GRANTECAN contract. In this paper we summarize the current status of the LN2 open-cycle cryostat which has been designed by the “Astronomical Instrumentation Lab for Millimeter Wavelengths” at the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE) and emphasize the key parts of the system that have updated since the Preliminary Design, the main activities related to acceptance, integration, fabrication and maintenance plans which fit into the overall structure of the management plan of MEGARA are also described. The cryogenic work package of MEGARA has completed all the design stages and is ready for its Critical Design Review and then proceed to fabrication.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4m tele... more ABSTRACT MEGARA is the future integral-field and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10.4m telescope located in the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos in La Palma. INAOE is a member of the MEGARA Consortium and it is in charge of the Optics Manufacturing work package. In addition to the manufacturing of 73 elements, the work package includes the opto-mechanics i.e. the opto-mechanical design, manufacture, tests and integration of the complete assembly of the main optics composed by the collimator and camera subsystems. MEGARA passed the Optics Detailed Design Review in May 2013 and will have the Detailed Design Review of the complete instrument early 2014. Here we describe the detailed design of the collimator and camera barrels. We also present the finite elements models developed to simulate the behavior of the barrel, sub-cells and other mechanical elements. These models verify that the expected stress fields and the gravitational displacements on the lenses are compatible with the optical quality tolerances. The design is finished and ready for fabrication.

Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 2014

ABSTRACT