| Grant number: | 23/08558-2 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral |
| Start date: | August 01, 2023 |
| End date: | February 28, 2026 |
| Field of knowledge: | Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Astronomical Instrumentation |
| Principal Investigator: | Augusto Damineli Neto |
| Grantee: | Rodrigo Lima Pereira |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Associated research grant: | 11/51680-6 - Exploring the universe: from the galaxies formation to Earth-like planets with the Giant Magellan Telescope, AP.ESP |
Abstract Title: Mechanical design applied to ground-based instrumentation for astronomyThis project aims to train a professional with unique expertise in mechanical engineering for astronomical instrumentation. The areas of activity will be on three possible fronts in different projects. The first is related to MANIFEST (Many-Instrument Fiber System), the robotic fiber optic positioning system that will enable the GMT instruments to cover the full field of view of a 20-minute arc. Based on autonomous mini-robots called "starbugs," MANIFEST will offer different modes (single fiber, IFU beams, or image slicer) defined separately for each instrument, depending on its science. The proposed project consists of the research and development of the Filter Box mechanism, an optomechanical interface device between the MANIFEST and the G-CLEF (GMT-Consortium Large Earth Finder) with the functionality to enable the use of various spectral filters based on the requested modes of the MANIFEST/G-CLEF interface. The mechanical device supporting the sets of output and input fibers, arranged with one-to-one correspondence, must be mechanically stable to optimize the coupling efficiency of radiation in the fibers as it is transmitted through the filters. The researcher, who will be part of a Brazilian team with a system engineer and an optical engineer, will work together with engineers from AAO (Australian Astronomical Optics).The second is related to mechanical design activities and structural simulations within the scope of the GMT that aim to ensure the telescope's accuracy, stability and overall functionality, allowing its efficient and reliable operation. Possible activities of the researcher include the mechanical design and modeling of assemblies, mounts, and arms, taking into account stability, stiffness, weight, and other relevant factors; thermal analysis and simulation to ensure that optical subsystems remain within temperature ranges suitable for optical performance; motion and control simulation to analyze and optimize the performance of the telescope's pointing, tracking and focusing mechanisms; vibration and damping studies to prevent unwanted vibrations from affecting the quality of images obtained by the telescope; integration and testing, which includes developing the assembly and precise alignment of the optical and mechanical components, as well as conducting performance tests, such as acuity, resolution, and stability tests.The third concerns the GMACS (Giant Magellan Telescope Multi-Object Astronomical and Cosmological Spectrograph) project, the GMT's low- and medium-resolution multi-object optical spectrograph (Froning et al. 2018 and GMT's 2018 Science Book). The GMACS will be the first member of the so-called first-generation instruments (which includes the G-CLEF), which will go into operation soon after the start of GMT operations and which, because of its comprehensive functional characteristics, will likely be the most widely used instrument in the first years of GMT operation. Due to the changes in the GMACS operation specifications, the entire CoDR version of the previous optical system (Conceptual Design Review) was redesigned, which therefore required the execution of a complete optomechanical design that contemplates from the redesign of various subassemblies to state-of-the-art computational modeling and simulations (Prochaska et. al. 2016-2018). The instruments of this new generation of ELTs present several challenges, such as suitability regarding component size, instrument operating stability, and metrology. However, as this is a completely new research area, issues still require research, with potential prototyping for testing solutions. The researcher will actively participate in the mechanical design of new solutions based on the system requirements. | |
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