Upgrade of Facility Camera (NSFCAM) for the IRTF

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AST-0096839TokunagaThe NSFCAM, an infrared imaging system developed over 10 years ago for use at the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) will be upgraded to accommodate the improved image quality now given by the telescope when the adaptive optics system is in use and also accommodate new infrared focal plane technology developments. The adaptive optics system enables diffraction limited performance of the telescope, which is a spatial gain in resolution of a factor of about 8 better than without A/O. The current focal plane is a 256 by 256 InSb array. The new array will be a 1024 x 1024 pixel assembly. Upgrades to the current very successful system include: a new array controller, new lens tubes to provide new pixel scales of 0.04 and 0.08 arcseconds per pixel, a dedicated wavefront sensor for NSFCAM, and a new 1024 x 1024 science grade focal plane that is provided to the project through funds from another source. The instrument includes a Grism and a circular variable filter and a polarimeter which enable spectro-polarimetric imaging at selected spectral bands between 1 and 5 micrometer wavelengths. Science planned includes AO observations of extended sources such as planets, comets star clusters, star-forming regions, the Galactic Center, active galactic nuclei), as well as observations at higher spatial resolution across smaller fields for circumstellar disks, faint companions to near-by stars, and debris disks around stars. ***