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Science with the wht Priorities for the 2010-2020 decade

Science with the wht Priorities for the 2010-2020 decade. Marc Balcells, ING. WELCOME TO THE WHT WORKSHOP. Goals: To empower ING User Communities for defining ING’s future

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Science with the wht Priorities for the 2010-2020 decade

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  1. Science with the whtPriorities for the 2010-2020 decade Marc Balcells, ING

  2. WELCOME TO THE WHT WORKSHOP • Goals: • To empower ING User Communities for defining ING’s future • To obtain guidance from users in the current transition in 2012, end of International Agreements for Astronomy in the Canary Islands • To shape future of our organisation after recent UK, EU reviews

  3. Previous planning exercises, UK, EU • 2007 UK Programatic Review • 2009 UK Ground Based Facilities Review Panel • GBFR, MRR report • 2009 STFC Near-Universe, Far-Universe panels • NUAP, FUAP • 2010 European Telescope Strategy Review Committee • ETSRC, Janet Drew report

  4. ING in STFC Dec 2009 prioritisation • ING covered til 2012 as per the Canary Islands International Agreements • After 2012 future is open – • Ensuring need for WHT in coming decade • Finding a satisfactory operation agreement

  5. Working for ING’s future… • ING senior astronomers • ING Science Advisory Committee • ING Board Don C. Abrams Ian Skillen Chris Benn PaulGroot HenkHoekstra Matt Jarvis Francisco Najarro Don Pollacco (Chair) Simon Berry Gavin Dalton Jim Hough (Chair) Matt Jarvis Christoph Keller Ramón García López Ronald Stark ING strategy notes: http://www.ing.iac.es/About-ING/Strategy/decadal_strategy_2010_2020.html

  6. But the final word belongs to YOU • ING to continue only if users say/show they need ING • Direct input from users on instrument priorities, modes of operation

  7. Instrumentation • What current instruments are most useful for your science • Is new instrumentation needed • Priority shift from AO to WF • WF astronomy • Spectroscopy? Imaging? • Optical vs NIR • High vs mid spectral resolution

  8. Wide Field Astronomy @ ETSRC ETSRC Report, Executive Summary: A key feature [ … ] is the construction of a massive-multiplex wide field spectrograph for a 4-m telescope […] In the north, the WHT appears to be the best choice on account of it having the largest available primary mirror. ETSRC Report, Sect. 3.4: Another attractive possibility is a new WF NIR imager using the full field of view at the prime focus of WHT or CAHA 3.5m telescopes. [ … ] enable observations beyond the +60o declination limit of UKIRT [ … ] a large part of the Perseus Arm [ … ] M81 and M82. [ … ] supplement UKIRT, CFHT and VISTA, [ … ] all sky coverage, [ … ] 4-5 magnitudes fainter than 2MASS.

  9. Our Science priorities of WF spectroscopy • A sought outcome from this meeting: • Gauge science interest for WF spectroscopy at WHT • Classical science cases for WF MOS: • Cosmology redshift surveys – BAO etc • GAIA follow-up • Radial velocities • Chemical tagging • Galaxy evolution • Each different instrumental requirements

  10. If WF MOS a priority • ING will • Create science team for science case • Create instrument team to develop instrument proposal • Goal is proposal submitted Dec 2010 • Instrument could be ready 2016 • Tuesday session: start core science team

  11. WF capabilities at WHT PF Optical design, Tibor Agòcs • Presentation, Day-2 session FOV up to 2 deg diameter Important mechanical changes at top end

  12. Classical observing vs survey work • Current, WHT largely classical observing • Should we increase the fraction of time devoted to surveys • By how much: 20%? 50%? 70%?

  13. Visitor instrument program • Program successful to date • ExPo, FastCam, GHaFaS, PlanetPol, PNS, SAURON, Ultracam • Does the community want this to continue

  14. More in ETSRC report • Rationalisation of instruments • Reducing night support at telescope • Mechanisms for training students, aka INT • INT; IDS @ INT • EU-wide open telescope access • Common TAC • Are we willing to give up our national TACs

  15. The upcoming HARPS-NEF instrument • Stabilised echelle spectrograph R>100,000 • Private instrument (Harvard-Geneva) • Kepler field survey follow-up • 2011 – 2014 • Open access through national TACs • Plan on using HARPS yourself

  16. Workshop format Day 1: Talks Discussions Lunch break • 12:30 – 13:25 • Posters Final Discussion period Vacate room 16:55 sharp Day 2: Analyse science focus of any prevailing new instrument proposed in day 1 • (Lecture Theatre, RAS) Who is planning to come tomorrow:

  17. LOC Announcements WIFI available in room • Netwrk: Geological-Basement • Psswd: sediment Speakers bring your talk on pen-drive PC, Mac, project ppt, pptx, pdf We are videorecording talks and discussions Questions: please write them down, hand to LOC member LOC: Chris Benn (Chair) Dan Hurley James McCormac FionaRiddick Samantha Rix Pablo Rodríguez-Gil

  18. So… enjoy the run!

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