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KIRMOS

Keck Infra-Red Multi-Object Spectrograph

A near-IR cryogenic multi-slit spectrograph/imager for the Keck telescope

KIRMOS is a fully cryogenic near infrared imager and multi-object spectrograph designed for the Keck-II telescope. It will utilize massive transmissive focal reducer optics servicing a 4K2 format detector array formed from a 2-by-2 mosaic of HgCdTe detectors. The pixel scale will be 0.16"/pixel giving a square field of view of ~11.3' (on-a-side). In multi-slit spectroscopic mode, full wavelength coverage at spectral resolving powers of R ~4,000 will be obtainable for an object multiplex of ~150 in each of the J, H and K windows over an 11.3'–by-4' rectangular field of view.

The development of KIRMOS is a collaboration between the Caltech Optical Observatories (COO), the UCLA infrared astrophysics laboratory and the California Association for Research in Astronomy (CARA), operators of the W.M. Keck Observatory (WMKO). The COO’s Optical Infra-Red (OIR) engineering group will generate the design and coordinate fabrication and sub-contracting for the opto-mechanical, electronic, software and cryogenic components of the instrument. The detector system will be a joint responsibility of both teams with UCLA developing the mosaic mount, positioning and thermal control.

The KIRMOS project has completed its Conceptual Design (Phase-A; CoDR in Mar’02) and is nearing completion of its Preliminary Design and Technology Development Phase (Phase-B; PDR in Mar’04) funded through FY2002/3 TSIP grants. The 2 year Phase-B PD&TD program of work was geared to producing the next level of design refinement and incorporated significant proto-typing activities designed to mitigate the perceived risks in what is currently the largest and arguably most ambitious ground-based near-IR instrument yet proposed.

The KIRMOS Team

Management team:
Keith Taylor - Principal Investigator, Caltech
Keith Matthews - Project Scientist, Caltech
Co-Investigators - Richard Ellis, Caltech; Ian McLean, UCLA; James Larkin, UCLA
Rich Goeden - Technical Manager, Caltech
Marcia Brown - Administrator, Caltech
Sean Adkins - CARA Instrument Program Manager

Design team:
Bob Weber - Lead Design Engineer, Caltech
Chris Echols ; Khanh Bui ; Armond Matevosian - Mechanical Design, Caltech
Roger Smith - Lead Electronics/Detectors, Caltech
Dani Guzman; Ernest Croner - Electronics Design, Caltech
John Cromer; Marco Bonati - Software, Caltech

UCLA Experimental Astrophysics group (Detectors)
George Brims, Mike Spencer, Jason Weiss

Science team:
Richard Ellis ; Lynne Hillenbrand (Caltech)
Chuck Steidel ; Andrew Blain (Caltech)
Ian McLean ; James Larkin ; Mike Rich (UCLA)

KIRMOS Overview

PDR Documentation

PDR Image Library

PDR Appendices:

General Design Studies, Test Plans, Test Reports

See section 14 of PDR Documentation for list of all Appendices

Detector Documentation

Phase A Report initial TSIP submission pdf document, 144 pgs

Monthly reports