GeminiFocus 2013 Year in Review | Page 54

We are currently ordering additional detectors for GMOS-N and expect installation into the instrument during 2015. Compared to the relatively recently installed e2v Deep Depletion CCDs in GMOS-N, we expect to get improved sensitivity in the red, specifically ~30 percent improvement at 900 nm and ~2x greater sensitivity longward of 950 nm (according to the reported QE values). (See Figure 4.) The Gemini Planet Imager Figure 5. The Gemini Planet Imager being tested on the flexure rig at the University of California Santa Cruz. The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) project — a revolutionary instrument in the field of exoplanet research — saw final testing, shipment to Gemini South, integration, the start of commissioning, and official first light all in 2013 (see the story starting on page 8 featuring the GPI first light press release). Early in 2013, GPI was turned almost upside down and frozen down below 0° Centigrade. First, GPI was mounted on the flexure rig, then tilted and hung vertically, to simulate the effects of gravity on the instrument, which changes when the telescope points to different parts of the sky (figure 5). Next, GPI went into a cold room and was exposed to the large range of temperatures that will occur at Gemini South. While being tilted at varying angles and subjected to freezing temperatures, the team took GPI through a large set of tests and demonstrated to micrometer precision that it was able to maintain its extremely high contrast performance. As expected, GPI passed these rigorous exams, resulting in successful pre-ship acceptance tests and the OK to ship to Gemini South. GPI was transported to Chile in August, and unpacked on August 26th at Cerro Pachón. It then went through another subset of these rigorous tests to assure that shipping the instrument several thousand kilometers didn’t cause any ill effects. Next, GPI was mounted onto the telescope at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2013. The instrument’s much awaited first light for engineering and testing followed on the night of November 11-12, which revealed the instrument’s amazing capabilities (see article on GPI first light also in this issue). On-sky observations are currently ongoing for technical integration with the Gemini South telescope. Commissioning and System Verification activities occupied GPI for the rest of the year. GRACES Work on the Gemini Remote Access to the Canada-France-Hawaii ESPaDOnS Spectrograph (GRACES) project is proceeding substantially on course. GRACES is tentatively scheduled for commissioning in 2014. A call for SV proposals will be made once commissioning on Gemini is completed. 52 GeminiFocus 2013 Year in Review January2014