PIONIER: a visitor instrument for the VLTI
astro-ph.IM
/ Authors
J. -P. Berger, G. Zins, B. Lazareff, J. -B. Lebouquin, L. Jocou, P. Kern, R. Millan-Gabet, W. Traub, P. Haguenauer, O. Absil
and 28 more authors
J. -C. Augereau, M. Benisty, N. Blind, X. Bonfils, A. Delboulbe, P. Feautrier, M. Germain, D. Gillier, P. Gitton, M. Kiekebusch, J. Knudstrup, J. -L Lizon, Y. Magnard, F. Malbet, D. Maurel, F. Menard, M. Micallef, L. Michaud, S. Morel, T. Moulin, D. Popovic, K. Perraut, P. Rabou, S. Rochat
/ Abstract
PIONIER is a 4-telescope visitor instrument for the VLTI, planned to see its first fringes in 2010. It combines four ATs or four UTs using a pairwise ABCD integrated optics combiner that can also be used in scanning mode. It provides low spectral resolution in H and K band. PIONIER is designed for imaging with a specific emphasis on fast fringe recording to allow closure-phases and visibilities to be precisely measured. In this work we provide the detailed description of the instrument and present its updated status.