English (UK)
CARMENES (Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Échelle Spectrographs), is a two-channel spectrograph designed to search for extrasolar planets around M dwarfs. It consists of two independent high-resolution echelle spectrographs which are simultaneously fed through fibers. CARMENES covers the wavelength range from 520 to 1710 nm and is the first instrument on sky dedicated to and optimized for precise radial velocity measurements across the visual and near-infrared wavelength range.
Available at: Coude room of the Zeiss 3.5 m reflector (fiber fed from the Cassegrain Front End).
Contact:
In a nutshell
| Instrument name | CARMENES |
| Observing technique | Simultaneous high resolution spectrography in the VIS and NIR bands |
| Resolution | 94600 the VIS arm and 80400 the NIR arm |
| Wavelength range | VIS: 520 to 960 nm (QE > 40%) - NIR: 960 to 1710 nm (QE > 76%) |
| Wavelength calibration | VIS: Th-Ne, U-Ar, U-Ne lamps + Fabry-Perot - NIR: U-Ne lamps + Fabry-Perot |
| RV precision | VIS: 1 - 2 m/sec, NIR: 5 - 10 m/sec [depending on data reduction, see (*)] |
| Detectors | one e2v CCD231-84-1-D76 + two Teledyne Hawaii SGH2RG arrays |
| Detector sizes | CCD: 4kx4k, NIR Arrays: 2kx2k |
| Pixel size | CCD: 15 μm - NIR arrays: 18 μm |
| Science fiber FOV | 1.5 arcsec |
| A&G FOV | 3x3 arcmin |
Observing with CARMENES
| Preparing observations | During observations |
After observing |
| Requesting observing time | Observing manual | Pipeline |
| Instrument overview | Troubleshooting (ICS errors) | |
| IR detectors characteristics | Log sheets | |
| CCD characteristics | FP modes |
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| Exp. time calculator (Stuber, Kaminski) | |
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| Signal estimations | |
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| SNR indicative estimations | ||
| Sensitivity |
More information
CARMENES ConsortiumPublicationsReference article: SPIE abstract link
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Calar Alto Press Releases How planets form |
The instrument has been co-founded by the Spanish Ministery of Economy and Competitiveness, project FICTS-2011-02 (using FEDER funds). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional, "Una manera de hacer Europa".
