FLAMINGOS I Introduction 

FLAMINGOS I is a near-infrared (1-2.5µm) multi-object spectrograph and imager built at the University of Florida. We have arranged for its use as a loaned instrument on Gemini South where it will reside for approximately half of the year.

In cycle 2002B at Gemini South, only imaging and single long-slit spectroscopy will be offered. Multiobject spectroscopy (MOS) mode will not be offered in 2002B. A Demonstration Science program is planned for early 2002B to characterize the MOS capabilities.

FLAMINGOS I is the world's first fully cryogenic multi-object near-IR spectrometer. It's portable design, which includes a Lyot stop for  customized stops, allows it to be used on a variety of telescopes. On Gemini, FLAMINGOS I will accept the f/16 input beam providing an image scale of 0.078 arcsec pixels with a field of view of 2.6x2.6 arcminutes. Standard J, H, K, and K-short filters are available in imaging mode. The 2048x2048 array currently installed in FLAMINGOS I is an engineering grade Rockwell PACE HgCdTe. This engineering array will be replaced with a HAWAII-2 HgCdTe array when available, which should have much lower read noise and higher efficiency. The engineering array, however, is cosmetically quite good.

FLAMINGOS I is designed for both long-slit and multislit spectroscopic observations. Two grisms are planned: one to cover 0.9-1.8 micron range (J+H window; not available in 2002B) at R~350 with a 0.5 arcsec slit, the other disperses from 1.5-2.4 microns (H+K window) at similar resolution.  Narrower slits can be used to give higher spectral resolution for extended objects. There are also plans to have a grism to provide R~2400 (sufficient resolution to study individual atomic lines or molecular bands in stars) in the J and K bands through a narrow slit. FLAMINGOS I has a separate small cryogenic dewar which will hold a variety of long slits, an imaging hole, focal plane masks, and up to 11 slit masks. The thermal cycling time is only 6 hours, allowing a full night's worth of masks to be installed each day. Approximately 50-100 objects can observed per slit mask making FLAMINGOS a very fast survey spectrometer.

In semester 2002B, only the H+K grism is available for long-slit spectroscopy.  However, the J+H window is accessible with J-band in 2nd order using the H+K grism and J+H blocking filter.

FLAMINGOS I does not have an on-instrument wavefront sensor (OIWFS). Guiding and tip/tilt correction will be provided by the optical peripheral wavefront sensors. 

Last update February 18, 2002; Michael Ledlow