Using birefringent elements and imaging Michelsons for the calibration of high-precision planet-finding spectrographs

Context. One of the main methods used for finding extrasolar planets is the radial velocity technique, in which the Doppler shift of a star due to an orbiting planet is measured. These measurements are typically performed using cross-dispersed echelle spectrographs. Unfortunately, such spectrographs are large and expensive, and their accurate calibration continues to be challenging. Aims. The aim is to develop a different way to provide a calibration signal. Methods. A commonly used way to introduce a calibration signal is to insert an iodine cell in the beam. Disadvantages of this include that the lines are narrow, do not cover the entire spectrum, and light is absorbed. Here I show that inserting a birefringent element or an imaging Michelson, combined with Wollaston prisms, eliminates these three shortcomings while maintaining most of the benefits of the iodine approach. Results. The proposed designs can be made very compact, thereby providing a convenient way of calibrating a spectrograph. Similar to the iodine cell approach, the calibration signal travels with the stellar signal, thereby reducing the sensitivity to spectrograph stability. The imposed signal covers the entire visible range, and any temperature drifts will be consistent and describable by a single number. Based on experience with similar devices that were used in a different configuration by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, it is shown that the calibration device can be made stable at the 0.1 m/s level over a significant wavelength range on short to medium timescales. Conclusions. While the design is promising, many details still need to be worked out. In particular, a number of laboratory measurements are required in order to finalize a design and estimate actual performance, and it would be desirable to make a proof of concept.

Automated summary

The article introduces a new method to provide a calibration signal for spectrographs, which eliminates the drawbacks of traditional iodine cell method by using birefringent elements or imaging Michelson in combination. This design can make the calibration signal compact and cover the entire visible spectrum, reducing sensitivity to spectrograph stability.