ABSTPJCT TIMMI is the ESO infrared camera dedicated to 10 jim high angular resolution imaging of the austral sky. This camera, built for the European Southern Observatory (ESO) by the Service d'Astrophysique at Saclay (SAp), has been successfully commissioned during 2 observing runs at the ESO 3.6-rn telescope: one in july 92 and the other in january 93. Based on a LIR 64*64 pixel Si:Ga/DVR detector array optimized for ground-based broad-band 10-jim astronomical observations, the camera, operated at a frame rate of 120 Hz, has achieved a noise equivalent flux density of 0.01 Jy m1n1"2 pixel1 (la) during N2-band observations with a pixel field of view of 0.48 arcsec. Two other fields of view are available: 0.32 and 0.65 arcsec. A filter wheel allows to select between 14 broad-band and narrow-band filters covering the atmospheric window (8-13 jim) ; a M filter allows observations in the 4 im atmospheric window with substantial sensitivity. The instrument is now available to visiting astronomers.
High resolution spectroscopy made an important step ahead 10 years ago, leading for example to the discovery of numerous exoplanets. But the IR did not benefit from this improvement until very recently. CRIRES will provide a dramatic improvement in the 1-5 micron region in this field. Adaptive optics will allow us increasing both flux and angular resolution on its spectra. This paper describes the adaptive optics of CRIRES, its main limitations, its main components, the principle of its calibration with an overview of the methods used and the very first results obtained since it is installed in the laboratory.
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