| Issue |
2010
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 01006 | |
| Number of page(s) | 6 | |
| Section | Astrophysical needs and high level requirements for AO on ELTs | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/ao4elt/201001006 | |
| Published online | 24 February 2010 | |
Scientific Impact of the Operating Temperature for NFIRAOS on TMT
1
NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics,
5071 W. Saanich Rd., Victoria, B.C., V9E 2E7 CANADA
2
TMT Observatory, 2632 E. Washington Blvd,
Pasadena, CA 91107, USA
3
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Rd., UBC,
Vancouver B.C., V6T 1Z1, CANADA
a e-mail: david.andersen@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
We present the scientific gain enjoyed by client instruments when NFIRAOS is cooled. If NFIRAOS is cooled to -24 °C, the background contribution of NFIRAOS will not exceed 15% of the background from sky plus TMT (for a telescope build to current requirements on Mauna Kea). If cooled further to -30 °C, the K-band inter-OH background-limited exposure times could decrease by more than 7%. We evaluate these gains achieved by cooling NFIRAOS in light of increased technical risks and costs.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2010