JPCAM: A 1.2 GPIXEL CAMERA FOR THE J-PAS SURVEY

Abstract

JPCam is a 14-CCD mosaic camera, using the new e2v 9k-by-9k 10 μm-pixel 16-channel detectors, to be deployed on a dedicated 2.55 m wide-field telescope at the OAJ (Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre) in Aragon, Spain. The camera is designed to perform a Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) survey of the northern sky. The J-PAS survey strategy will use 54 relatively narrow-band (~ 13.8 nm) filters equi-spaced between 370 and 920 nm plus 3 broad-band filters to achieve unprecedented photometric red-shift accuracies for faint galaxies over ~8000 square degrees of sky. The cryostat, detector mosaic and read electronics, is being supplied by e2v under contract to J-PAS while the mechanical structure, housing the shutter and filter assembly, is being designed and constructed by a Brazilian consortium led by INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais). The cryostat is bridged to the telescope via a hexapod actuator system to maintain image quality across the field. Four sets of 14 filters are placed in the ambient environment, just above the dewar window but directly in line with the detectors, leading to a mosaic having ~ 10 mm gaps between each CCD. The massive 500 mm aperture shutter is expected to be supplied by the Bonn-Shutter UG. We will present an overview of JPCam, from the filter configuration through to the CCD mosaic camera. A brief outline of the main J-PAS science projects will be included.