OPTICON WP4 Interferometry Status Report D. Mourard presented by A. Chelli

1. OPTICON WP4 InterferometryStatus ReportD. Mourardpresented by A. Chelli OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

2. Main guidelines during FP7 preparation • Reduce the software aspects wrt FP6 activities • Serve as much as possible the 2nd generation instruments cophasing • More general considerations: • Enhancement of the scientific output + communication • Towards the fundamental limits OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

3. High Angular Resolution by Interferometry Enhancing the scientific output Reaching the fundamental limits WP4 in OPTICON FP7 Three WorkPackages: WP4.0: Coordination and Management (DM) 90 k€ WP4.1: Enhancing the scientific output of Interferometry (PK) 270 k€ WP4.2: New generation of cophasing devices (FD) 640 k€ Initial WP4 OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

4. High Angular Resolution by Interferometry Enhancing the scientific output Reaching the fundamental limits WP4 in OPTICON FP7 Three WorkPackages: WP4.0: Coordination and Management (DM) 25 k€ WP4.1: Enhancing the scientific output of Interferometry (PK) 325 k€ WP4.2: New generation of cophasing devices (FD) Phase 1: 75 k€ Phase 2: (first extension of WP4 in 2010) 105 k€ Phase 3: (second extension of WP4 in 2011) 105 k€ Current situation: -60% OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

5. WP4.1Work Package LeaderPierre KERVELLA, Meudon Observatory • Reaching the VLTI limits: solving the current issues and limitations • Immediate goals for MIDI & AMBER • Perspectives for PRIMA and Imagery (VLTI-2) • Through a post-doc program OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

6. Details of WP4.1 activities3 postdoc with 18months – 2 years contract+ travel budget • WP4.1.1 Evaluation of the Paranal atmospheric parameters for high precision fringe tracking. • Goal: assemble a complete picture of the current status of the Paranal atmosphere for interferometry • Synthesis of the various existing measurements • Re-analysis of archive data • CNRS, ESO • WP4.1.2 Assessment of the VLTI behavior for MIDI and AMBER operations with PRIMA. • Goal: optimize operation of the VLTI dual-field with AMBER&MIDI • Assess the possibilities and limitations of VLTI infrastructure for PRIMA operations • Analysis of archival data (VINCI, MIDI, AMBER) + in-situ measurements. • Clean-up of the existing data processing software • Preparation of the second generation • NOVA, MPIA • WP4.1.3 Preparing the VLTI for its second generation instrumentation. • Goal: Facilitate the first observations with the 2nd generation instruments • Preparation of the VLTI infrastructure for the dual field operation (2nd generation instruments) • Establish the procedures and the performances of the dual-field operation with 2nd generation. • Final goal: increased sensitivity and improved imaging capabilities of all instruments. • MPIA, CNRS OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

7. WP4.2Work Package Leader: Françoise DELPLANCKE, ESO Contribution to the development of an optimum co-phaser for the VLTI • We adopted a phased approach because of the OPTICON funding and the ESO plans • Analysis of FINITO and PRIMA commissioning data for a report on the fringe tracking performances and an optimum setting of the detailed specifications for a 4+ telescopes beam combiner. • If first extension is funded • Development of fringe detection and tracking algorithms • If second extension is funded • Integration and testing of the new co-phaser for the VLTI In both extensions, the goal is a closer collaboration between ESO and the european institutes on this key facility. OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

8. Summary of staff efforts OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

9. Budget tables OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

10. Deliverables OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

11. Conclusion • A strongly reduced plan • We strongly request a strong support for the funding extensions of the WP4. OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

12. OPTICON WP11.2 The European Interferometry InitiativeStatus ReportP. Garciapresented by A. Chelli OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

13. 2/3 aims of OPTICON for FP7 • Bring together researchers, instrument builders, national and international agencies to further increase the quality of astronomical research in Europe • Develop scientific cases, initiate technical investigations, and begin planning for next-generation world-class observational facilities, ensuring the continuing excellence and development of European astronomy on the world stage OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

14. Fulfil the OPTICON aims at the “Coordination” level for the optical interferometric activities building on the FP6 experience. • WP11.2.1 Fizeau grants • WP11.2.2 Circumstellar disks and planets w.g. • WP11.2.3 AGNs and the galactic centre w.g. • WP11.2.4 Science cases for a second generation facility w.g. • WP11.2.5 European Interferometry Initiative (EII) Meetings OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

15. WP11.2.1 Fizeau grants • Goals • Strengthen nascent collaborations • Spread interferometric knowledge across Europe • Enhance the active participation of new countries in interferometric activities. • Method • Fund short exchange visits (1 week – 1 month) • Priority to young researchers and “knowledge poor” institutes • Competitive calls • Budget: 48k€ for 4yrs. OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

16. WP11.2.2-4 Astrophysical working groups • Goals • Define European vision and strategy for optical interferometry in the ALMA/E-ELT era • Bring together instrument builder class teams with nascent groups accross Europe • Method • Short term and long term science working groups • Teams include 2nd VLTI generation instrument builders and scientists from the comunity at large • Well prepared workshops followed by report • One workshop for each short term w.g. • Two workshops for long term w.g. • Topics chosen by scientific impact OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

17. WP11.2.2-4 Astrophysical working groups • Short-term working groups (2nd generation VLTI) • WP11.2.2 Circumstellar disks and planets • led by S. Wolf (Germany) • WP11.2.3 AGNs and the galactic centre • led by A. Marconi (Italy) • Budget: 14k€ per workshop • WP11.2.4 Science cases for a second generation facility – KOI (long term) • led by A. Quirrenbach (Germany) and G. Perrin (France) • Budget: 12.5k€ per workshop OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

18. KOI – Kilometric Optical Interferometer • Build on the VLTI and KI experience • Growing user comunity and science impact of VLTI • Most technologies already investigated or demonstrated • Multipurpose facility • Working group process • Initially the bounding box of the second generation array will be defined • Science cases will be selected on the first workshop after an open call • These will be addressed in detail and presented in the second workshop • Will form the core science for the array definition OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008

19. WP11.2.5 European Interferometry Initiative (EII) Meetings • Goals • Exchange of information; • Supervision of ongoing projects; • Building of a shared vision • Shared participation in the activities. • Method • Yearly meeting of national representatives from all countries including Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic and international agencies ESO/ESA. • Budget: 32k€ for 4yrs OPTICON Board Meeting, Porto, 11-11-2008