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The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is a moderate-resolution spectrograph with unprecedented sensitivity that was installed into the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in May 2009, during HST Servicing Mission 4 (STS-125). We present the design philosophy and summarize the key characteristics of the instrument that will be of interest to potential observers. For faint targets, with flux F_lambda ~ 1.0E10-14 ergs/s/cm2/Angstrom, COS can achieve comparable signal to noise (when compared to STIS echelle modes) in 1-2% of the observing time. This has led to a significant increase in the total data volume and data quality available to the community. For example, in the first 20 months of science operation (September 2009 - June 2011) the cumulative redshift pathlength of extragalactic sight lines sampled by COS is 9 times that sampled at moderate resolution in 19 previous years of Hubble observations. COS programs have observed 214 distinct lines of sight suitable for study of the intergalactic medium as of June 2011. COS has measured, for the first time with high reliability, broad Lya absorbers and Ne VIII in the intergalactic medium, and observed the HeII reionization epoch along multiple sightlines. COS has detected the first CO emission and absorption in the UV spectra of low-mass circumstellar disks at the epoch of giant planet formation, and detected multiple ionization states of metals in extra-solar planetary atmospheres. In the coming years, COS will continue its census of intergalactic gas, probe galactic and cosmic structure, and explore physics in our solar system and Galaxy.
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The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) was installed in the Hubble Space Telescope in May, 2009 as part of Servicing Mission 4 to provide high sensitivity, medium and low resolution spectroscopy at far- and near-ultraviolet wavelengths (FUV, NUV). COS is the most sensitive FUV/NUV spectrograph flown to date, spanning the wavelength range from 900{AA} to 3200{AA} with peak effective area approaching 3000 cm^2. This paper describes instrument design, the results of the Servicing Mission Orbital Verification (SMOV), and the ongoing performance monitoring program.
The far-ultraviolet (FUV) channel of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is designed to operate between 1130{AA} and 1850{AA}, limited at shorter wavelengths by the reflectivity of the MgF2 protected aluminum reflective surfaces on the Optical Telescope Assembly and on the COS FUV diffraction gratings. However, because the detector for the FUV channel is windowless, it was recognized early in the design phase that there was the possibility that COS would retain some sensitivity at shorter wavelengths due to the first surface reflection from the MgF2 coated optics. Preflight testing of the flight spare G140L grating revealed ~5% efficiency at 1066{AA}, and early on-orbit observations verified that the COS G140L/1230 mode was sensitive down to at least the Lyman limit with 10-20 cm^2 effective area between 912{AA} and 1070{AA}, and rising rapidly to over 1000 cm2 beyond 1150{AA}. Following this initial work we explored the possibility of using the G130M grating out of band to provide coverage down to 900{AA}. We present calibration results and ray trace simulations for these observing modes and explore additional configurations that have the potential to increase spectroscopic resolution, signal to noise, and observational efficiency below 1130{AA}.
We describe a space-borne, multi-band, multi-beam polarimeter aiming at a precise and accurate measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The instrument is optimized to be compatible with the strict budget requirements of a medium-size space mission within the Cosmic Vision Programme of the European Space Agency. The instrument has no moving parts, and uses arrays of diffraction-limited Kinetic Inductance Detectors to cover the frequency range from 60 GHz to 600 GHz in 19 wide bands, in the focal plane of a 1.2 m aperture telescope cooled at 40 K, allowing for an accurate extraction of the CMB signal from polarized foreground emission. The projected CMB polarization survey sensitivity of this instrument, after foregrounds removal, is 1.7 {mu}K$cdot$arcmin. The design is robust enough to allow, if needed, a downscoped version of the instrument covering the 100 GHz to 600 GHz range with a 0.8 m aperture telescope cooled at 85 K, with a projected CMB polarization survey sensitivity of 3.2 {mu}K$cdot$arcmin.
We present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph observations of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4051. These data were obtained as part of a coordinated observing program including X-ray observations with the Chandra/High Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) Spectrometer and Suzaku. We detected nine kinematic components of UV absorption, which were previously identified using the HST/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. None of the absorption components showed evidence for changes in column density or profile within the sim 10 yr between the STIS and COS observations, which we interpret as evidence of 1) saturation, for the stronger components, or 2) very low densities, i.e., n_H < 1 cm^-3, for the weaker components. After applying a +200 km s^-1 offset to the HETG spectrum, we found that the radial velocities of the UV absorbers lay within the O VII profile. Based on photoionization models, we suggest that, while UV components 2, 5 and 7 produce significant O VII absorption, the bulk of the X-ray absorption detected in the HETG analysis occurs in more highly ionized gas. Moreover, the mass loss rate is dominated by high ionization gas which lacks a significant UV footprint.
The Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins (PICO) is a NASA-funded study of a Probe-class mission concept. The top-level science objectives are to probe the physics of the Big Bang by measuring or constraining the energy scale of inflation, probe fundamental physics by measuring the number of light particles in the Universe and the sum of neutrino masses, to measure the reionization history of the Universe, and to understand the mechanisms driving the cosmic star formation history, and the physics of the galactic magnetic field. PICO would have multiple frequency bands between 21 and 799 GHz, and would survey the entire sky, producing maps of the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation, of galactic dust, of synchrotron radiation, and of various populations of point sources. Several instrument configurations, optical systems, cooling architectures, and detector and readout technologies have been and continue to be considered in the development of the mission concept. We will present a snapshot of the baseline mission concept currently under development.
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