Performance of the extreme-AO instrument VLT/SPHERE and dependence on the atmospheric conditions [IMA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1710.05417


SPHERE is the high-contrast exoplanet imager and spectrograph installed at the Unit Telescope 3 of the Very Large Telescope. After more than two years of regular operations, we analyse statistically the performance of the adaptive optics system and its dependence on the atmospheric conditions above the Paranal observatory, as measured by the suite of dedicated instruments which are part of the Astronomical Site Monitor and as estimated by the SPHERE real-time calculator. We also explain how this information can be used to schedule the observations in order to yield the best data quality and to guide the astronomer when processing his/her data.

Read this paper on arXiv…

J. Milli, D. Mouillet, T. Fusco, et. al.
Tue, 17 Oct 17
103/163

Comments: 13 pages, 10 figures, AO4ELT 2017 conference proceeding