Enabling next generation spectroscopy with fibre integral field units

• Main Author: Brown, Rebecca
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: The University of Sydney 2022
• Subjects: astronomy; hexabundles; spectroscopy; optical fibres; hectors; Hector; sami
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/2123/28544

Advances in integral field units (IFUs) for multi object spectroscopy (MOS) are enabling cutting edge galaxy research in astronomy. IFUs can enable 2-dimensional spectroscopy of the cross section of a galaxy, providing tools to understand the environment and dynamics of these objects in fine detail. When combined with MOS (gathering spectroscopic data of multiple objects on a single observational field), astronomers can develop statistically significant databases of galaxies and better understand their physical processes. The successful science outcomes of the SAMI instrument, installed at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) in 2013, have proven that optical fibre based IFUs called ‘hexabundles’ are an accurate and effective technology. Hector, an instrument being installed on the AAT in late 2021, will use new format hexabundles that have hexagonally packed fibre arrays to capture spatially resolved spectra of the cross section of galaxies. This will enable astronomers to measure detailed chemical abundances, internal dynamics, and large-scale kinematics of thousands of galaxies over the Hector survey lifetime, out to two effective radii. This new generation of larger and different geometry hexabundles have undergone extensive development and testing processes outlined in this thesis. New equipment and parts were purchased for the development of the hexabundles. The foundational SAMI hexabundle processes were further developed where appropriate and new processes were created for accurate assembly where necessary for devices of different sizes and materials. Detailed quality assurance and testing of the parts enabled consistent assembly procedures and high-quality final hexabundles. The research and development carried out during this work has led to 21 fully completed second generation hexabundles prepared for installation and commissioning on the AAT at the end of 2021.