Low resolution calibration method

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Benjamin Mauclaire
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:14 am

Low resolution calibration method

Post by Benjamin Mauclaire »

Hello,

Just wanted to show an other simple method in order to calibrate low resolution spectra with the Neon lmap available with LISA and LHIRES3.

- First of all, take a short (typically 0.3 s) exposure spectrum of the lamp in order to get red Neon lines;
- Take a long exposure (typically 15 s, be aware with remanance!) to get blue lines;
- Merged 2d spectrum with the background unified (red edge of long exposure was set to 0, see Juanary SpcAudace release):
Image

You get the best of the two worlds!

Then, the lines profiles with identified main lines is made for you:

Image
(Figure updated on 2012/01/29)

I recommand you to select widespreaded lines in order not to favour the red edge or blue edge.

- The following lines seem working fine for a deg 3 polynom:
4065.65, 4348.06, 5400.56, 5852.49, 6402.25, 7032.41 and 7245.17
Which lead to a rms of 0.6 A where the dispersion is here 2.57 A/pixel, so an accuracy of 1/5 pixel.
- With a deg 4 polynome and the following lines:
4065.65, 4348.06, 4710.06, 5400.56, 5852.49, 6402.25, 7032.41, 7245.17, 6143.06, 6678.28 and 6929.47,
the following dispersion law was found: Lambda=3917.50781533+2.43491203042*(x-1)+0.000230671871345*(x-1)^2+-1.61973682859e-07*(x-1)^3+4.63971559225e-11*(x-1)^4 with RMS=0.293443870835,
So a linear law described by: 3917.50781533+2.56720166243*(x-1).

Enjoy,

Benji
Last edited by Benjamin Mauclaire on Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:47 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Spcaudace spectroscopy software: saving you hundred hours of frustration.
Rainer Ehlert
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:36 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Rainer Ehlert »

Hi Benji,

Thanks a lot for that simple way for getting the blue side.

Will try it next time I am in the Observatory :)
regards Rainer____Observatorio Real de 14_____MÉXICO_____N 22° W 101°
Patrick Lailly
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Patrick Lailly »

Nice work Benjamin. I hope repeated long neon exposures are not harmful for the acquisition camera... Also I am afraid we still lack calibration wavelengths between 4348 and 5341Angstroems. This may hamper the accuracy of a high degree (>3) calibration polynomial.
Patrick Lailly
Benjamin Mauclaire
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:14 am

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Benjamin Mauclaire »

Patrick,

You're right, with a deg 4 polynom, you may also ty using 4710 blended Neon line.
I improved calibration by finding that blue lines were blended.
Note the updated calibrated lines profile.

Benji
Spcaudace spectroscopy software: saving you hundred hours of frustration.
Patrick Lailly
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Patrick Lailly »

Benji wrote:Hello,

- With a deg 4 polynome and the following lines:
4065.65, 4348.06, 4710.06, 5400.56, 5852.49, 6402.25, 7032.41, 7245.17, 6143.06, 6678.28 and 6929.47,

Benji
I tried to calibrate my low resolution spectra using these lines but the result shows an inaccuracy of about 5 Angstroems in the blue. Did someone check that the neon lamp that equips the Lisa shows the mentioned wavelengths?
Patrick Lailly
Patrick Lailly
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Patrick Lailly »

After carrying out a detailed analysis of the lines shown by the neon calibration lamp between 3900 and 4300 A, I made extensive experiments to reduce the inaccuracy mentioned above and I conclude that the attractive approach suggested by Benji seems hopeless. We cannot avoid using the Balmer lines of a reference star for an accurate calibration.
Patrick Lailly
Rainer Ehlert
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:36 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Rainer Ehlert »

Hi,

Finally I was able to test the calibration proposed by Benji.

I made 10 Neon images with 5 seconds and 10 images with 300s and then stitched them together. Then I analized it and the result is quite good from my point of view as I compared with an equation I use made on Vega.

If I have the opportunity I will test the calibration method on various stars.

Below you can see both results.

Integrated Neon calibration lamp in my LISA spectrograph with 35µm slit.
Neon-Cal-Test-010SP-0005s-0300s.jpg
Vega calibration
Vega-Comparison.jpg
regards Rainer____Observatorio Real de 14_____MÉXICO_____N 22° W 101°
Francois Teyssier
Posts: 1521
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:01 pm
Location: Rouen
Contact:

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Francois Teyssier »

Hi Rainer,

The resolution of your spectrum looks very good.
Which slit did you use ?
Could you send us the .dat file ?

All the best

François Teyssier
Rainer Ehlert
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:36 pm

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Rainer Ehlert »

Hi Francois,

Which spectrum do you refer to ? Combined Neon ? If yes please download from this link

http://astroforo.net/astro/rspec/LISA/N ... s02762.dat

and here the combined Neon image *.fit file

http://astroforo.net/astro/rspec/LISA/N ... s-0300.tif

I used the 35µm slit.

regards Rainer
regards Rainer____Observatorio Real de 14_____MÉXICO_____N 22° W 101°
Francois Teyssier
Posts: 1521
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:01 pm
Location: Rouen
Contact:

Re: Low resolution calibration method

Post by Francois Teyssier »

Hi Rainer,

I think there's a problem.
Your lines don't match with the theorical ArI lines given by VSpec.

I took a 120 sec spectrum of the neon lamp. Divided by its "continuum". Wavelenght calibrated (ISIS)

Your spectrum : black
Mine : blue
ArI : orange
NeI : cyan
Neon lines near 5400 match correctly

neon_bleu.png
neon_bleu.png (22.69 KiB) Viewed 8727 times
I'am taking another spectrum, 600 secondes exposure in order to get the weak lines.
I'll keep you informed

All the best

François
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