NOAO Gemini Science Center (NGSC) Taft Armandroff for NOAO Users’ Committee October 2004

Outline of Presentation U.S. Community Demand for Gemini U.S. Instrumentation Status Future Instrument Availability to Community GNIRS Key Science Campaign NGSC Retreat Issues & Outcomes –NGSC Staffing –Visits for Training & Assisting with Queue Observing –Greater Integration of NGSC Scientists on Gemini Instrument Teams –NGSC Meetings to Inform and Involve Community –U.S. Gemini Science Advisory Committee –Gemini Publications

US community responding strongly to Gemini opportunities Semester 2004B: 161 US proposals Gemini North: nights in 84 proposals –GMOS-N (optical MOS): 45 proposals –NIRI (IR imager): 23 proposals –Michelle (mid-IR): 17 proposals Gemini South: nights in 93 proposals –GNIRS (IR spectrograph): 29 proposals –T-ReCS (mid-IR): 28 proposals –GMOS-S (optical MOS): 28 proposals –Phoenix (hi-res IR spectrograph): 9 proposals –AcqCam (hi-speed imager): 2 proposals Oversubscription: 3.1 at Gemini North, 4.8 at Gemini South

2005A U.S. Gemini Requests 219 proposals for 489 nights total Gemini North: 121 proposals –GMOS-N (optical MOS): 60 proposals –Michelle (mid-IR): 23 proposals –NIRI (IR imager): 47 proposals –12 of NIRI proposals included ALTAIR (AO) Gemini South: 115 proposals –GNIRS (IR spectrograph): 38 proposals –GMOS-S (optical MOS): 36 proposals –Phoenix (hi-res IR spectr): 24 proposals –T-ReCS (mid-IR): 23 proposals –AcqCam (hi-speed imager): 1 proposal Oversubscription: 5.2 at Gemini North, 4.4 at Gemini South

Gemini Near-IR Spectrograph long slit, cross-dispersed, integral field unit (IFU) 1-5 μm; R = 1,000 to 18,000 ALADDIN InSb array selectable gratings & cameras fabricated at NOAO delivered: October 2003 almost completely commissioned & SV’d available to community starting in 2004B observing underway

Near-Infrared Coronagraphic Imager (NICI) 1-5 μm coronagraphic imager for Gemini South dual science channels dedicated adaptive optics system NASA funded in response to an NOAO proposal MKIR was successful bidder for NICI concept design & only respondent to RFP for building undergoing 2 nd cold test in October

Flamingos II near-infrared imager & multi-slit spectrograph provided by University of Florida P.I.s: R. Elston, S. Eikenberry heritage of Flamingos (2K x 2k HAWAII-2) 6' diameter field, multislits μm, R = 1000 – 4000 integration of instrument beginning December 2005 delivery planned

Instrument Availability to Community

GNIRS Key Science Campaign Announced in December 2003, March 2004, & September 2004 NOAO Newsletters Webcast to community 16 March 2004; & Website Selection criteria: – intrinsic scientific merit as evaluated by the TAC – breadth and quality of the scientific team and its demonstrated track record – enhancement of undergraduate education through involvement in research – potential value of the archival database to other users – plans to manage data reduction & archiving, & deliver data products first program: “A Near-Infrared Kinematic Survey of Nearby Galaxies: Black Holes, Bulges, and the Fundamental Plane” by Karl Gebhardt et al.

NOAO Gemini Science Center (NGSC) Staffing NGSC Retreat Issue

NGSC Staffing NGSC Staff is crucial to NGSC’s efforts in: –Education and leadership of U.S. community of Gemini users and potential users –Gemini user support in U.S. (technical reviews of proposals, Phase-II support, Help Desk) Number of U.S. Gemini proposals, users and instruments has increased strongly –Presence at Gemini telescopes for training, queue observing, & instrument/user support Evolve staffing model to Staff that spends most of its service effort supporting Gemini –To facilitate deep commitment & knowledge

NGSC Staff Development 2003/4 Recruitment for Deputy to NGSC Director, to be located permanently in La Serena –Verne Smith hired –Experienced scientist –Gemini + Phoenix user, multiple Gemini papers –Started 1 August 2004 Recruitment for NGSC Assistant astronomer –Tom Matheson hired –Ph.D. Berkeley, postdoc CfA (supernova cosmology, SN ↔ GRB connection) –Experienced GMOS user –Started 1 September 2004

Taft ArmandroffNGSC Director0.9 Ken HinklePhoenix, Michelle0.8 Jay EliasGNIRS0.25 Mike MerrillNIRI0.2 Bob BlumNIRI, Hokupaa Dick JoyceGNIRS0.2 Marcel BergmannGMOS0.4 Rachel MasonT-ReCS, Michelle0.4 Chris SmithGMOS0.1 Tod LauerGMOS0.18 Patrice BouchetT-ReCS0.4 Lucas MacriNIRI0.1 Dave Bellproposal process0.15

Sally AdamsMetrics, staff support1.0 Verne SmithDeputy Director,Phoenix0.8 Tom MathesonGMOS0.5

Details Table designed to be consistent with other NGO staff assessments Does not include –2 FTE of Gemini IRAF support –Instrumentation development support –General TAC process Does not include science time of staff –50% for astronomer track –20% for scientist track –60% for postdocs –Administrators…

2004/5 Staff Search NGSC Staff Search in 2004/5 2 positions: Assistant Astronomer and/or Assistant Scientist 100% NGSC for functional responsibilities What areas do we most need help in? Possibly: –mid-IR –adaptive optics + associated instruments Tentative basing –Goal: keep 2 sites from being sub-critical in NGSC support effort –1 position in La Serena –1 position in Tucson –Address Hilo needs by visits to Hilo from both Tucson & La Serena NGSC Staff

Staffing vs. Time DateTotal Service FTE Mean Contribution Action July Baseline September Add Verne Smith & Tom Matheson September Add 2 new positions; subtract 0.18 NGSC staffer who will DPP

Visits for Training & Assisting with Queue Observing NGSC Retreat Issue

Importance of NGSC Visits to Gemini Training Visits –NGSC Staff need expert training to master a Gemini instrument. –Instrument mastery yields proper support to U.S. community. –Connection with Gemini Staff Queue Observing Visits –Gemini staffed for 50%:50% queue: classical –Reality is closer to 85% queue. –NGO Staff help staffing shortfall in supporting queues. –Keeps NGSC Staff current on observing procedures. –Connection with Gemini Staff –Hopefully, helps NGSC Staff carry out cutting-edge science projects with Gemini.

Gemini Requested Visits Gemini Requests 6 Queue Observing Support Visits per semester from U.S. –4-5 nights long –6 = sum of U.S. visits at both telescopes –3 from U.K. –2 from Canada –1 from sum of remaining partners

O/I Support—2003 NameTele Instr WhatNights Dates Bob Blum G-SPhoenixclassical observing 11/1 Knut OlsenG-SPhoenixclassical observing 11/1 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 61/6 - 1/11 Steve RidgwayG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 61/12 - 1/17 Marcel BergmanG-SGMOS-Scommissioning 51/23-1/27 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 102/7 - 2/16 Chris SmithG-SGMOS-Scommissioning obs 22/21 – 2/22 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Scommissioning obs 42/22 – 2/25 Chris SmithG-SGMOS-Sdaytime data redux 12/28 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Sdataproc in La Ser 42/28 – 3/3 Chris SmithG-SGMOS-Scommissioning obs 33/2 – 3/4 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 74/12 - 4/18 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 64/19 - 4/24 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Scommissioning 44/25-4/28 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 135/2 - 5/14 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Scommissioning 45/26-5/29 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 47/24 - 7/27 Steve RidgwayG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 57/27 - 7/31

O/I Support—2003 continued NameTele Instr WhatNights Dates Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue – payback 68/11 - 8/16 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue observing 68/17 - 8/22 Marcel BergmannG-NGMOS-Nqueue observing 48/29 - 9/1 Lucas MacriG-NNIRIqueue observing 48/11-8/14 Nicole v.d. BliekG-SPhoenixqueue observing 19/5 Knut OlsenG-SPhoenixqueue observing 39/5 - 9/7 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue observing 49/21 - 9/24 Bob BlumG-NAltair+NIRIcommissioning 611/ /17 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-SIFU commissioning 111/16 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue observing 411/ /20 Lucas MacriG-NNIRIqueue observing 411/02-11/05 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 512/8 - 12/12 Rachel MasonG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 512/8 - 12/12 Jay EliasG-SGNIRSinstrument testing daytime/twilight 212/ /11 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 412/ /16 Ken HinkleG-NMichellequeue observing 212/ /17 Rachel MasonG-NMichellequeue observing 212/ /17

O/I Support—2004 NameTele Instr WhatNights Dates Jay EliasG-SGNIRScommissioning 101/7-1/16 Rachel MasonG-SGNIRScommissioning 32/1 - 2/3 Jay EliasG-SGNIRScommissioning support from Tucson 142/1 - 2/14 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue observing 52/15 - 2/19 Patrice BouchetG-ST-ReCSengineering 53/1 - 3/5 Jay EliasG-SGNIRSSV support from TUS 43/6 – 3/9 Patrice BouchetG-ST-ReCSqueue observing 53/10 - 3/14 Jay EliasG-SGNIRSIFU installation + commissioning (lab) 213/15 - 4/4 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue observing 33/29 - 3/31 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 54/1 - 4/5 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixinstrument work 44/6 - 4/9 Jay EliasG-SGNIRSIFU (on telescope) 44/5 – 4/8 Marcel BergmannG-NGMOS-Nacclimatization/helping 14/23 Marcel BergmannG-NGMOS-Nqueue observing 44/24 - 4/27 Patrice BouchetG-ST-ReCSengineering 14/27 Patrice BouchetG-ST-ReCSqueue observing 54/28 - 5/2

O/I Support—2004 continued NameTele Instr WhatNights Dates Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 55/13 - 5/17 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 65/18 - 5/23 Lucas MacriG-NGMOSqueue observing 65/16 - 5/21 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 36/7 – 6/9 Patrice BouchetG-ST-ReCSqueue obs? 5-7? Knut OlsenG-SPhoenix queue 26/9 – 6/10 Jay EliasG-SGNIRSSV support from TUS 16/14 Marcel BergmannG-SGNIRSSV/commissioning 16/14 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue observing 46/15 – 6/18 Rachel MasonG-ST-ReCSqueue 26/24 – 6/25 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue observing 16/26 Rachel MasonG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 56/26 - 6/30 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue observing 57/1 – 7/5 Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue 37/12-7/14 Ken HinkleG-SPhoenixclassical support from GROC (Geballe Q36) 07/22 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixstart-up and “on call” for classical 17/24

O/I Support—2004 continued NameTele Instr WhatNights Dates Bob BlumG-SPhoenixpayback 17/27-7/28 Rachel MasonG-ST-ReCStraining 18/1-8/2 Rachel MasonG-SPhoenixqueue 08/3-8/5 Bob BlumG-SPhoenixqueue + payback 58/6-8/10 Lucas MacriG-NGMOS-Nqueue 58/14-8/18 Bob BlumG-SHoku-85commissioning 48/22-8/25 Andrei TokovininG-SHoku-85commissioning 38/29-8/31 Jay EliasG-SGNIRS Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue 49/17-9/20 Rachel MasonG-NMichellequeue observing 49/23-9/26 Bob BlumG-NNIRI+Altair Tom MathesonG-NGMOS-Ntraining + queue obs 1310/8-10/20 Marcel BergmannG-NGMOS-Nacclimatization 111/7 Marcel BergmannG-NGMOS-Nqueue 411/8-11/11 Verne SmithG-SGMOS-Straining TBDTBD Marcel BergmannG-SGMOS-Squeue 512/11-12/16

NGSC Support Totals (partial) # Phoenix Gemini8946 # Other Gemini60150 Total # Gemini # Individuals to Gemini1011

Conclusions NGSC Staff is achieving significant presence at the Gemini telescopes. Particularly strong at Gemini South The NGSC presence increased from 2003 to Queue support target should not be a problem. NGSC’s strong & increased presence results in a greater knowledge base within NGSC to support the U.S. community. Explore greater presence in Hilo via rotating staff through for 1-month visits

Greater Integration of NGSC Scientists into Gemini Instrument Teams NGSC Retreat Issue

NGSC Staff on Gemini Teams Formal commitment of NGSC support staff = technical reviews of proposals, Phase-II support & checking, Help Desk, data reduction support for U.S. users Gemini responsibilities include instrument commissioning, operations, data quality assessment & archiving, documentation Split responsibilities limit knowledge of staff at NGOs Explore making NGSC Staff part of Gemini instrument Teams, “Extended Staff” –More involvement in commissioning, documentation Perform pilot with one instrument

NGSC Meetings to Inform and Involve Community NGSC Retreat Issue

NGSC Meetings / Workshops Seek Gemini workshops for U.S. community –Gemini science workshop in Vancouver in May 2004 was co-sponsored by NGSC –Potential areas for learning: mid-IR observing opportunities at Gemini IFU instrumentation & science at Gemini GNIRS observing & calibration adaptive optics opportunities at Gemini –What is best time / venue to hold these? Before/after a AAS meeting in same city (hotel)? NGSC Retreat input: –Formula: 50% science, 50% education –Not necessarily Gemini specific, e.g. IFUs –Co-organize with Canada (if possible) –Graduate student summer schools in Hilo & La Serena

U.S. Gemini Science Advisory Committee NGSC Retreat Issue

U.S. Gemini Science Advisory U.S. Gemini Science Advisory Committee (SAC) is a proxy for U.S. Community, assisting NGSC Annual in-person meeting; more frequent interchanges or telecons Survey on important questions –instrument commissioning scientific priority –representatives of U.S. on Gemini committees –Science direction for Gemini –NGSC initiatives Membership –Taft Armandroff (Chair), NGSC; Lori Allen, CfA; Laird Close, Steward; Robert Joseph, U. Hawaii; Andrew McWilliam, Carnegie; Catherine Pilachowski, Indiana U.; Larry Ramsey, Penn State; Christopher Stubbs, Harvard; Bob Williams, STScI –Also include U.S. Board members in all SAC events

U.S. Gemini Science Advisory Planned enhancements in 2004/2005 Many members have served long terms. Add new members from current U.S. user base of Gemini: Nominations of helpful Gemini users by the Users’ Committee? Appoint Chairperson who is independent of NGSC and Gemini

Gemini Publications NGSC Retreat Issue

U.S. Gemini Publications Goals –Strong stream of Gemini publications (especially U.S.) Comparable to VLT, Keck, Subaru –Timely publications –Raise Gemini’s share of most cited papers Factors that NGSC & Gemini are pursuing –Gemini/IRAF Project to make data reduction more straightforward –Completing queue programs –Timely data distribution Gemini Science Archive What else? –Page charges for publishing within 12 months? –Data reduction cookbooks? –Users’ Committee ideas most welcome