Fibre Bragg gratings for high spectral and temporal resolution astronomical observations

Abstract

Dynamic spectral analysis of astronomical events has the potential to deliver the information needed to clarify or complete important theoretical descriptions of astronomical phenomena. There is currently a lack of detailed sub-minute observations due to limitations in instruments and detectors. Here, we present an investigation into the feasibility of using fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) as single-line spectral filters specifically for temporal spectral astronomy, attaining both a high spectral and fast temporal resolution simultaneously. We present the device concept and discuss it in the context of two readily available FBG profiles. We demonstrate that this instrument concept could resolve spectral shifts down to 0.02 nm (3.9kms -1) with sub-second temporal resolution on a 4-m class telescope, which is far superior to existing techniques that attain resolutions of 0.05 nm over several minutes. © 2012 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2012 RAS.