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Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto

World-leading science with SPIRou - The nIR spectropolarimeter / high-precision velocimeter for CFHT

X. Delfosse, J.-F. Donati, D. Kouach, G. Hébrard, R. Doyon, E. Artigau, F. Bouchy, I. Boisse, A. S. Brun, P. Hennebelle, T. Widemann, J. Bouvier, X. Bonfils, J. Morin, C. Moutou, F. Pepe, S. Udry, J. D. do Nascimento Jr., S. Alencar, B. V. Castilho, E. Martioli, S. -Y. Wang, P. Figueira, N. C. Santos

Abstract
SPIRou is a near-infrared (nIR) spectropolarimeter / velocimeter proposed as a new-generation instrument for CFHT. SPIRou aims in particular at becoming world-leader on two forefront science topics, (i) the quest for habitable Earth-like planets around very- low-mass stars, and (ii) the study of low-mass star and planet formation in the presence of magnetic fields. In addition to these two main goals, SPIRou will be able to tackle many key programs, from weather patterns on brown dwarf to solar-system planet atmospheres, to dynamo processes in fully-convective bodies and planet habitability. The science programs that SPIRou proposes to tackle are forefront (identified as first priorities by most research agencies worldwide), ambitious (competitive and complementary with science programs carried out on much larger facilities, such as ALMA and JWST) and timely (ideally phased with complementary space missions like TESS and CHEOPS). SPIRou is designed to carry out its science mission with maximum efficiency and optimum precision. More specifically, SPIRou will be able to cover a very wide single-shot nIR spectral domain (0.98-2.35 μm) at a resolving power of 73.5K, providing unpolarized and polarized spectra of low-mass stars with a ∼15% average throughput and a radial velocity (RV) precision of 1 m/s.

SF2A-2013: Proceedings of the Annual meeting of the French Society of Astronomy and Astrophysics
(Eds.) L. Cambresy, F. Martins, E. Nuss, A. Palacios

Société Francaise d'Astronomie et d'Astrophysique
Page 497
2013

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Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

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