Development of Multiple Object Dispersed Fixed-delay Interferometry for An All sky Extrasolar Planet Survey with the APO 2.5m Telescope

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This project is to further develop a multiple object dispersed fixed-delay interferometer and to test it for its eventual use conducting the All Sky Extrasolar Planet Survey at the Apache Point Observatory 2.5meter (Sloan) telescope. The technology, initially developed under National Science Foundation funding, has successfully discovered a new planet using the Kitt Peak National Observatory 0.9meter and 2.1meter telescopes in 2005 demonstrating its sensitivity. It has since been modified and successfully used at the Sloan telescope. In this project, this technology will be further developed for multiple object capability enabling survey work. This will involve phase sensing and locking, radial velocity calibration and long term stability, multi-fiber mounting and coupling, fiber plugging and registration, and data pipeline. The observations made with this instrument will be important to understand planet formation, planet migration and evolution, the range of physical characteristics of extrasolar planets, and the relationship between planet formation and its host star properties (including metalicity) and environments.