HET LRS Status Update
Gary J. Hill
May 27, 2002

This memo describes two new operating modes for the HET LRS, along with their availability for the August - November 2002 trimester.

1. MOS unit astrometric setups

We have now successfully tested out astrometric setups of the LRS Multi-Object Spectroscopy (MOS) unit on astronomical targets. We have achieved accuracies at least as good as those obtained using pre-images from the LRS. As a result we can now release this setup mode to astronomers in the HET consortium for use in the upcoming phase II proposals. Astrometric setups use accurate coordinates from other images, along with a field center and position angle to generate a setup. The field center and PA are chosen and the slitlets can be placed interactively. Full details of the script to create MOS configuration files from astrometry will be released shortly by Joe Tufts and myself, in time for Phase II proposals. At this time, for phase I proposals to your TAC, you should decide whether to use this mode, which requires no telescope time overhead, or the previous mode involving pre-images (which cost 10 minutes plus the integration time for the image). If you do not have accurate coordinates (better than 0.25 arcsec rms) a pre image is still recommended.

The output sent to the RAs for MOS observations will remain the same whether using astrometry or pre-images. The following are required:

• Finder chart with: slitlets marked PA and position of field noted Program number and PI name noted The column position of one slit (preferably slit 7) marked The row,column position on the CCD marked and noted for one setup object
• MOS configuration file conforming to the standard format
• Any special instructions required for setup

The first volume holographic grism for LRS has now had a very preliminary test in the instrument and all indications are that it is very efficient. After consulting with Larry Ramsey, we have decided to make the grism available on a "shared risk" basis for one dark time in the upcoming trimester. Shared risk means that you can propose for the grism, but technical issues may mean that your observations cannot be completed. We also have no information on the sensitivity of observations with this grism, we only know its efficiency relative to grism G1. The LRS only has room to carry 2 grisms at any given time, and G3 would be used in place of G2, displacing it from the queue. If there is not sufficient demand for G3, then it may not be scheduled until the following trimester.

The preliminary properties of G3 are as follows:

• Approximate wavelength coverage: 6300 - 9000 Å
• Approximate dispersion: 1.8 Å/binned pixel
• Approximate resolution: 4.0 Å with 1as wide slit
• resolving power: R~2000 at 8000 Å
• no ghosts at the 1/3000 level
• QE wrt G1
  • 6500 Å - 1.1 x larger (about 10% absolute)
  • 7500 Å - 2.3 x larger (about 15% absolute)
  • 9000 Å - 4.5 x larger (about 8% absolute)

So G3 covers beyond the CaII IR triplet and gives sufficient resolution for galaxy dynamics work. Eventually, with the right blocking filter, it will be possible to use G3 in second order in the blue with approximate coverage from 3600 to 4500 A at the same resolving power. This mode is not yet available.

G3 should be used with the OG515 blocking filter. A typical instrument configuration would look like: lrs_g3_20_OG515. Note that the data has the wavelength _decreasing_ with increasing column on the CCD, the opposite of the other two grisms.

3. Overall efficiency of the HET+LRS and image quality

A recent measurement of the throughput of the HET+LRS with grism G1 shows the peak throughput to be 10%, compared to about 15% 18 months ago. This degradation is likley to be due to the continued degradation of the primary mirror and corrector reflective coatings and the current dirty state of the mirrors. It would be prudent to consider the sensitivity numbers given on the website for LRS as very optimistic given this degradation.